The last few years have seen markets emerge for all manner of goods and services on the Internet.  It should perhaps come as little surprise therefore that there is a burgeoning online market for breast milk.

The practice of sharing breast milk dates back millenia, but a recent study from the University of Central Florida highlights how the practice is flourishing on the Internet.

“I was surprised by the high prevalence of overlap, where women who were donors were also recipients” the authors say. “And many of them aren’t exchanging milk in containers, they’re cross-nursing.”

Obviously there are clear advantages to breast milk for children, both in terms of disease resistance early in life but also as they grow too.  For women who cannot produce their own milk therefore, sharing becomes an option to consider.

Safe sharing

Suffice to say, it’s crucial that any sharing is done in a safe way and that the quality of milk is high.  However, the study reveals that very rarely is sharing undertaken between strangers, and indeed few ‘transactions’ even involve any money.

“The idea that women are buying milk from strangers over the Internet and having it shipped through the mail was not supported by our study,” the authors say. “The medical community seems to have a perception that women are buying or obtaining breast milk from anyone who will provide it and that they can find on the Internet. We found milk sharing to be a much more complex process, involving friends, friends of friends, and hybrid online/offline communities.”

Several hundred mothers were surveyed about their experiences, with the majority being college educated and with several years of milk sharing experience.

Many of the women surveyed revealed the strong sense of community that the sharing invoked.  They also revealed how valuable technology was in bringing together people who would otherwise have remained somewhat isolated.

Whilst there are clear safety concerns around the practice, the women surveyed seem positive about the practice, with many suggesting that the focus should be placed on ensuring safe handling and storage, and of course on screening potential donors to ensure no infections are passed.Overall, it seems yet another ‘market’ that has moved successfully online.