kids feed by stored breast milk

The scenario for working mothers, who earlier had to make a difficult choice to return to their jobs soon after childbirth or stay at home to breastfeed their babies, is fast changing. The credit, say doctors, goes to women who are shedding their inhibitions about breastfeeding and are increasingly aware about the alternate method of feeding their babies breast milk — expressing and storing it.

A recent survey in an Andheri-based hospital underlined doctors' observation that working mothers not only prefer to express and store their milk, but are also finding it to be a very hygienic alternative.

Among the 345 working women, who were a part of the survey conducted by Criticare Hospital at Andheri, as many as 84% chose to express milk and store it.

Close to 64% of the surveyed mothers preferred using a breast pump whereas the rest did it by hand. Only 3% women used baby feed or formula milk.

Most mothers thought that expressing milk was a smart and viable option. According to Dr Poonam Nautiyal, consultant gynecologist, Criticare Hospital, the psychological advantages for mothers are also way too many. She said, ''A lot of the guilt that comes with staying away from a child is taken care of as it is able to have the mother's milk even when she is away."

gm milk. human breast milk

The scientists have successfully introduced human genes into 300 dairy cows to produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk.

Human milk contains high quantities of key nutrients that can help to boost the immune system of babies and reduce the risk of infections.

The scientists behind the research believe milk from herds of genetically modified cows could provide an alternative to human breast milk and formula milk for babies, which is often criticised as being an inferior substitute.

They hope genetically modified dairy products from herds of similar cows could be sold in supermarkets. The research has the backing of a major biotechnology company.

The work is likely to inflame opposition to GM foods. Critics of the technology and animal welfare groups reacted angrily to the research, questioning the safety of milk from genetically modified animals and its effect on the cattle's health.

But Professor Ning Li, the scientist who led the research and director of the State Key Laboratories for AgroBiotechnology at the China Agricultural University insisted that the GM milk would be as safe to drink as milk from ordinary dairy cows.
He said: "The milk tastes stronger than normal milk.
"We aim to commercialize some research in this area in coming three years. For the "human-like milk", 10 years or maybe more time will be required to finally pour this enhanced milk into the consumer's cup."
China is now leading the way in research on genetically modified food and the rules on the technology are more relaxed than those in place in Europe.
The researchers used cloning technology to introduce human genes into the DNA of Holstein dairy cows before the genetically modified embryos were implanted into surrogate cows.


Writing in the scientific peer-reviewed journal Public Library of Science One, the researchers said they were able to create cows that produced milk containing a human protein called lysozyme,
Lysozyme is an antimicrobial protein naturally found in large quantities in human breast milk. It helps to protect infants from bacterial infections during their early days of life.
They created cows that produce another protein from human milk called lactoferrin, which helps to boost the numbers of immune cells in babies. A third human milk protein called alpha-lactalbumin was also produced by the cows.
The scientists also revealed at an exhibition at the China Agricultural University that they have boosted milk fat content by around 20 per cent and have also changed the levels of milk solids, making it closer to the composition of human milk as well as having the same immune-boosting properties.
Professor Li and his colleagues, who have been working with the Beijing GenProtein Biotechnology Company, said their work has shown it was possible to "humanise" cows milk.
In all, the scientists said they have produced a herd of around 300 cows that are able to produce human-like milk.


The transgenic animals are physically identical to ordinary cows.
Writing in the journal, Professor Li said: "Our study describes transgenic cattle whose milk offers the similar nutritional benefits as human milk.
"The modified bovine milk is a possible substitute for human milk. It fulfilled the conception of humanising the bovine milk."
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, he added the "human-like milk" would provide "much higher nutritional content". He said they had managed to produce three generations of GM cows but for commercial production there would need to be large numbers of cows produced.
He said: "Human milk contains the 'just right' proportions of protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins for an infant's optimal growth and development.
"As our daily food, the cow's milk provided us the basic source of nutrition. But the digestion and absorption problems made it not the perfect food for human being."
The researchers also insist having antimicrobial proteins in the cows milk can also be good for the animals by helping to reduce infections of their udders.
Genetically modified food has become a highly controversial subject and currently they can only be sold in the UK and Europe if they have passed extensive safety testing.
The consumer response to GM food has also been highly negative, resulting in many supermarkets seeking to source products that are GM free.
Campaigners claim GM technology poses a threat to the environment as genes from modified plants can get into wild plant populations and weeds, while they also believe there are doubts about the safety of such foods.

Scientists insist genetically modified foods are unlikely to pose a threat to food safety and in the United States consumers have been eating genetically modified foods for more decades.
However, during two experiments by the Chinese researchers, which resulted in 42 transgenic calves being born, just 26 of the animals survived after ten died shortly after birth, most with gastrointestinal disease, and a further six died within six months of birth.
Researchers accept that the cloning technology used in genetic modification can affect the development and survival of cloned animals, although the reason why is not well understood.
A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals said the organisation was "extremely concerned" about how the GM cows had been produced.
She said: "Offspring of cloned animals often suffer health and welfare problems, so this would be a grave concern.
"Why do we need this milk – what is it giving us that we haven't already got."
Helen Wallace, director of biotechnology monitoring group GeneWatch UK, said: "We have major concerns about this research to genetically modify cows with human genes.

"There are major welfare issues with genetically modified animals as you get high numbers of still births.
"There is a question about whether milk from these cows is going to be safe from humans and it is really hard to tell that unless you do large clinical trials like you would a drug, so there will be uncertainty about whether it could be harmful to some people.
"Ethically there are issues about mass producing animals in this way."
Professor Keith Campbell, a biologist at the University of Nottingham works with transgenic animals, said: "Genetically modified animals and plants are not going to be harmful unless you deliberately put in a gene that is going to be poisonous. Why would anyone do that in a food?
"Genetically modified food, if done correctly, can provide huge benefit for consumers in terms of producing better products."

breastfeeding a baby in public is only acceptable

Although most states permit breastfeeding in public, the subject is Quite Often Fraught and cans result in a serious amount of conflict. Such is the case with two New Jersey mothers , Who Are claiming That employees at a Dunkin 'Donuts franchise Because They Called the police breastfeeding were the resource persons in the presence of other customers. One of the mothers says her friend That toll was to "shut up" by the police - in front of her children. 

Dunkin 'Donuts is denying the claim; as They eloquently wrote on Their Facebook page,

"We have looked into the matter Concerning two moms at a DD store in NJ & have confirmed the employee was responding to another customer's complaint That wasn't related to breastfeeding. None of the DD employees challenged the guests about breastfeeding and all must comply DDS w / local, state and federal laws w / regard to nursing mothers. Our top priority is always to Provide an excellent experience for our guests. "

Also Jezebel reports That the issue of May have been one of her mothers That was changing the baby's diaper on or near the table - the which would be more egregious if it wasn't Also for the fact That there was no diaper changing table in this Dunkin ' Donuts. And Also It would be helpful for the employees of any restaurant in New Jersey to know That breastfeeding in public is completely legal.

The whole situation is Hazy, but the comments on the Consumerist blog post show That there are many, many people are uncomfortable with the WHO breastfeeding in public. I've selected a sample choice here:

"Good, do not do that stuff in public, it's disgusting."

"When are you people going to Realize That breastfeeding a baby in public is only acceptable if the mom is SUPER hot??"

"Stupid question but why Would anyone breastfeeding Want To drink coffee anyway Is not caffeine in the infant a bad thing? Again I have no issues with breast feeding I just find it odd That breast feeding women are going to boycott DD maybe Pls That Would be a good thing for the babies anyway. "

breast milk donations and banking

U.S. health officials are urging parents not to casually use breast milk from others mothers who haven't had their milk screened because of the risk of disease or contamination from bacteria, drugs or chemicals, according to a statement issued by the Food and Drug Administration.

"FDA recommends against feeding your baby breast milk acquired directly from individuals or through the Internet," the agency wrote. Instead, parents should talk to their doctors and use breast milk from special human milk banks, it said.

Some, however, call the agency's warning misguided.

"It won't stop us mothers," Emma Kwasnica, co-founder of Eats on Feets Global, a networking site that facilitates local woman-to-woman milk sharing via regional chapter pages on Facebook,  told Reuters.

"They can't possibly regulate what women do with their bodies and their milk," she said. "We assert that women are capable of making informed choices and of sharing human milk with one another in a safe and ethical manner."

The FDA on Thursday plans to release documents related to a public meeting held earlier this week that addressed breast milk donations and banking. Just 10 milk banks are operating in the U.S., and demand far outstrips supply. Premature infants are especially in need of donated breast milk, health officials say.