Query re donated BM

[CMBelle78]

Seeking advice please:
I have a 7 week old baby. breastfed but not quite making acceptable weight gains. I have a history of lower supply with all 3 of my children and attempts to increase my supply, with support of lactation consultants, have had limited impact.

I have supplanted with formula (30-40mls daily) for 5 weeks but have been exclusively bf'ing for 2 weeks with a top-up of 60mls expressed breast milk every eve. He's still just short of sufficient weight gain.

A friend has also recently given birth and has kindly offered to donate some breast milk. She is on prescribed medication of eltroxin (150mcg x4 days and 100mcg x3 days per week) for thyroid problems. Would it be safe for me to give this to my baby (60-90 MLS per day). I do not have a history of thyroid problems.

Many thanks

[admin]

CMBelle78:

Eltroxin is just levothyroxin. That said, since the goal of such therapy is make the mother euthyroid (have a normal thyroid level), I doubt that this mothers milk will be changed to any degree relative to its thyroxin levels. Thus, I don't see any problem with using this mothers milk, other than the risk that your infant could be infected with some syndrome from this mother, such as a viral disease.

I don't normally suggest using a donor mothers milk, OTHER than that obtained from a donor milk bank, where the milk is pasteurized, hence no danger of infectious disease transmission.

Tom Hale Ph.D.