Suspect Bodies, Suspect Milk: Milk Sharing, Wetnursing, and the Specter of Syphilis in the Twenty-First Century

The “Lactation After Infant Death (AID) Framework”: A Guide for Online Health Information Provision About Lactation After Stillbirth and Infant Death

“…Whilst bereaved donation to human milk banks receives cursory attention in current discourse (Carroll, Lenne, McEgan et al, 2014;Oreg, 2019), informal milk sharing receives even less. Many health organizations appear reticent to acknowledge or present information on informal milk sharing that is often cast as a risky undertaking (Akre et al, 2011;Reyes-Foster & Carter, 2018). Whilst donation to a human milk bank is considered to be the safest method of milk donation, some parents are interested in exploring the possibility of donating or sharing their human milk with known friends or family or through the use of internet and social networking sites (Akre et al, 2011;Cole, 2012).…”

“Breast is Best, Donor Next”: Peer Breastmilk Sharing in Contemporary Western Motherhood

“…Although mothers may not be aware of all possible risks of breastmilk sharing, recipients engage in some screening, which may range from asking questions about a donor's diet to requesting a formal blood screening (Gribble ; Palmquist and Doehler ). Recipients often rely on intuition and trust, interpreting behaviors that conform to dominant notions of moral motherhood as a representation of bodily purity, and hence, clean milk (Reyes‐Foster and Carter ,b). Many donors also screen recipients, as they want to ensure their milk goes to a “worthy” recipient (Gribble ).…”

“…). Social science research shows that milk selling and milk sharing are distinct practices, and there are strong taboos against the commodification of breastmilk within groups who milk‐share (Falls ; Palmquist and Doehler ; Reyes‐Foster and Carter ,b; Reyes‐Foster, Carter, and Hinojosa ). Thus, there is no published research to date on the healthiness of peer‐shared breastmilk.…”