Do you think this is strange or gross?

[Mummabear]

I haven't been able to bf either of my boys but am a huge advocate for the benefits of bf and breastmilk in general. Anyway, DS has conjunctivitus (or just really, really mucky eyes) and when I asked a bf friend to squirt some of her breastmilk into his eyes for me I was met with huge gasps of disbelief and comments from her and others of how gross the request was.

Am I really strange? As a bf mumma, how would you feel if someone (that you knew) asked you to do this?

[Shanaynay]

I would probably think it was a little weird.

Not sure why though, because really, there's nothing better - it's clean, sterile, and has magical properties :wizard::D

[Pixie]

I'd squirt :D
At least you are aware of the benefits :D I am very impressed :D

[HunterzMummy]

:laughing::laughing::laughing: i would think they were joking lol.. but if they explained it i might express some... but yeah its a lil weird :rolleyes:

[RedPanda]

I'd probably be a bit taken aback. I'd do it for a sister or something, but would probably be surprised that she'd ask.

[punkbaby]

i would squirt too LOL i can see why she would react that way though maybe she didnt know it was a great way to heal it or maybe shes not comfy with it

[reAllytee]

I guess it would depend on how close a friend they were but then meh i would get over it & do it. You might as well lol !

[Mummabear]

wow, thanks for the responses girls. I honestly didn't think it was a big deal at all. I just figured that it works, it's natural and it's there - why not. It's magic stuff. If I was able to feed and someone asked me I don't think I'd even bat an eyelid, I'd just do it. Perhaps because I understand what it feels like to know how wonderful bf is but not being able to do it I would be happy to help out any baby that needed breastmilk but didn't have access to it.

Now I feel like some sort of sicko perv or something, lol :o

[RedPanda]

Now I feel like some sort of sicko perv or something, lol :o

Don't be silly :laughing: . The first thing CHN tell you to do is use breastmilk. You're just more resourceful than I would be!

[reAllytee]

You sicko you :p

Seriously dont feel like that you were just thinking of the natural method & the fact that it should be natural & no problem to anyone !

[Roxy]

I'd have expressed you some! In fact, when I was bf DS, one of my good friends DS's had mucky eyes, and I gave her a sterile container with some of MY ebm in it for his eyes! She was thrilled to have it...

I also know of one extended feeding mumma whose older next door neighbour came over one day to ask if she minded expressing some bm for the neighbour's grand daughter (who had been dropped off to Gran with mucky eyes). She happily obliged too.

[mumofKieran]

I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all! I actually find it quite amusing that we don't think twice about drinking milk from a cow, but think it's gross or weird to use human milk for other/unrelated humans. To me, it's logical to give a human baby milk from a human, whether it be from the mother, or from another mother. Most people however would feel more comfortable giving their baby milk from another species than from another human!

I know that's not quite what you asked but it's sort of related.

[mumofKieran]

BTW on the same note, if I could not provide milk for my baby then I would try to find a breastfeeding mother who had enough milk to provide me with some EBM for my baby, rather than use formula or cow's milk, as to me it's just more logical.

[Kangaskippy]

i don't know about the squirting, but I would definately express some off for someone who needed it...:D

[Jodestar21]

I wouldn't have a problem with it either mummabear!! After pregnancy/labour/bf'ing and just parenting in general, not much seems strange to me anymore...and especially something as natural as that. I would have given you some for your bub.

[hayleysmummy]

I wouldn't have a problem with it either mummabear!! After pregnancy/labour/bf'ing and just parenting in general, not much seems strange to me anymore...and especially something as natural as that. I would have given you some for your bub.
Yep me toooo:yes:

[meme]

if a non breastfeeding friend asked me, i would think it pretty cool that she wanted breastmilk for gunky eyes and a bit special prbably that she would happily use my breastmilk for her child.


i think it's great that you see breastmilk as it is a milk for children, with healthful properties.

i don't know you story with your own breastfeeding experience, but breastfeeding or not, it is great to be just talking about breastmilk and it's use as a normal thing, which obviously you are.
and i think that's great:)

[Ange&Seth]

Coming from anyone, yeah I'd think it was a weird request, but I'd still do it, especially if it was for a friend or family member.

I don't think it's disgusting, just a request that would probably catch me off guard KWIM ???

[alexiasmum]

I guess it would depend on how close a friend they were but then meh i would get over it & do it. You might as well lol !


Same.

[FunkyMonkey]

I would squirt!
If I was asked I would be very thrilled to do so. I would think how great that a friend or family member thought to even ask.
(DS had mucky eyes and my CHN didn't suggest EBM for 6 weeks, one day of EBM dropped in his eyes and it was cleared up!)

[chefalicious]

you would have to be a pretty good friend for me to oblige you:)

but hey when we need blood transfusions we quite happily ( most of us ) put other peoples blood into us so whats the harm of a little milk in the eye:p

[draught]

I don't think it is weird at all. I was babysitting a friend's child who had sticky eyes and happily wiped away during the day with expressed BM - she had self weaned while she and her mother were ill so her mum wasn't able to do it and said that she didn't mind if I wanted to do it.

[Wilby]

i don't know about the squirting, but I would definately express some off for someone who needed it...:D
me too!

[Bewitched]

I would think that was gross - but not because it was another persons breastmilk, but because "milk in the eyes" seems gross :laughing: I find a really warm saline soaked facewasher keeps the area clean enough.

[Jenko]

My friends 2yr old DS recently had conjunctivitus (sp?) and I said I'd express some of my breastmilk for him, she said "yeah, I was going to ask you to do that" ...great minds think a like!

I was happy to help. Our other childless friend was a little confused by it though. :laughing:

[ikis84]

I'd happily squirt!

[Nickster]

i don't know about the squirting, but I would definately express some off for someone who needed it...:D

Ditto.:yes:

[Manxie]

Ha, Ha I always knew you were strange:wave: :D

I dont think its weird at all, maybe because I've met you IRL. I would happily have squirted or expressed its just breastmilk after all.

Did you friend give you some??

[nemosmum]

I would definately express you a whole batch so you could keep it in the freezer for future use:thumbsup:


I think its great that you would want to use it:yelclap:





BTW on the same note, if I could not provide milk for my baby then I would try to find a breastfeeding mother who had enough milk to provide me with some EBM for my baby, rather than use formula or cow's milk, as to me it's just more logical.


Yup me too.....I think we need some national breast milk bank
do we have one????

if not we really need one I know I would be happy to give to a mum who couldnt bf :thumbsup:

[BubbaNoogie]

I would express a batch:D

[Sheer Bliss]

:yelclap: It's the best thing for it - so Nope - not strange or gross!

A friend interstate had her boy with a gunky eye, and saline had not done much, so i suggested if she knew someone who was b/f and she was comfortable enough to ask - to get some! I am b/f DS, and sometimes express some into a cup to drop into DD's eye (she gets a bit freaked out at the thought of me 'squirting' her. :laughing: )

[Samaras Mummy]

i don't know about the squirting, but I would definately express some off for someone who needed it...:D

Same here :yes:

[meme]

I think we need some national breast milk bank
do we have one????

there is a breast milk bank in perth ( not sure if they give out the milk or if it is more for research, i believe it may be attached to a university ) and on the goldcoast .

their is a cd for sale called 'the gift' to raise money for the mothers milk bank project.

http://www.mothersdirect.com.au/prod644.htm

[~Emmylou~]

I would do that for my friend's baby without giving it a second thought :)

You're not strange at all.

[Mummabear]

Did you friend give you some??

:no: no, she didn't, she was too grossed out - so now I have to take him to the doctors and get chemicals to put into his eyes, how is it that this is seen as more 'natural'???

I would ideally love to see a breastmilk bank as a 'normal' part of our society. Some of you know my story and some don't, but as someone who desperately tried to bf both of my children but was unable to, I would not have batted an eyelid at giving them ebm from another woman. I wouldn't be comfortable with another woman directly bf my children as i think that is a very special and magical bond and i would be extremely jealous and upset, but I would dearly love to give them the milk.

When I was pregnant with DS2 I used to make jokes that if I was able to bf that baby I would be expressing like there was no tomorrow, until my freezer was full, and then I'd open a 'milk bar', lol.

I asked DH one day if he was going to try some ebm and he was totally grossed out, until I pointed out to him that he thinks it is perfectly normal to guzzle down a liquid that has come out of the udder of a cow but thinks it strange to drink the milk from a human breast :confused:.

[Ashleigh<3]

As supportive as I am for breastfeeding Mothers, as much as I applaud breastfeeders and the breastmilk itself with all those wonderful benefits. :)

Sometimes eye infections need chemicals. :(
It sucks but sometimes they really do.

I was breastfeeding the entire time my daughter had a horrible re-occuring eye infection, I'm talking every five minutes- eye filled with puss, so I'd quirt some of my milk in her eye every chance I could get.
Wipe the gunk away, squirt again, and again.
It just didn't work.
So being a new breastfeeding mother, I figured my milk was Cr@p. My daughters eye was horrifying and I was worried about her losing her eye. (A little over dramatic- but I was a first time mother).
I took her to see an eye specialist and he had to pop a membrane underneath her eye corner and it was the size of a grape, there was immense infection that continued to drain, by that afternoon- her eye was clear as clear can be.
He gave us some drops to follow through with keeping the infection at bay and it was the only thing that worked.

I'm not saying, "don't trust breastmilk", what works for your baby works for you of course. :)
Just sometimes, even a breastfeeding mother will resort to chemicals.

I hope your babies eye clears up soon, it's depressing seeing them with a gooey eye all the time.

[Mum&bubs]

No, It's worked for me in the past so I'd happily do it :D