England is facing a rather novel legal issue: Toni Ebdon has opened up a type of Internet dairy . . . using her own breast milk. The 26-year-old nursing mother is selling her excess milk — raising obvious legal questions. Most of her customers apparently are men.
Ebdon is selling the milk through www.gumtree.com and thought that new mothers having trouble producing milk might value the service. Instead, she was primarily contacted by people who wanted the milk for their own non-nursing consumption.
Her milk is a bit pricey: 15 pounds (or $26) for half a cup — offered fresh or frozen. She had 10 regular customers before the site took down the ad but she continues to sell her milk at a considerable profit. She does not (yet) offer two-percent or skim options.
I find it amazing that the English officials have not shutdown the business. After all, this is at best an unlicensed dairy operation and at worst the selling of human fluids for personal consumption. There is also the fascinating potential for civil liability. If someone gets sick from the milk, is she still a casual seller or a commercial supplier under product liability rules? Presumably, this is against the law making this negligence per se, but I am unclear on the laws of England. In the United States, this operation would have been shutdown fairly quickly.
For the full story, click here.
Touche eniobob. 🙂
ewwwwwww
eniobob,
I just had to be having some cheese and crackers with my beer, didn’t I?
It pays to always know the”source”
I prefer to get mine direct from source.
isn’t there another woman who freezes her milk and the milk of other women who are willing and able and send it to africa?
QUOTE “In the United States, this operation would have been shutdown fairly quickly.”
Its why we have the highest incarceration rate in the world, everything is a crime here. There is always someone wanting to throw you in jail for anything.
And then there’s this:
“Saudi Clerics Advocate Adult Breast-Feeding”
“(June 5) — Women in Saudi Arabia should give their breast milk to male colleagues and acquaintances in order to avoid breaking strict Islamic law forbidding mixing between the sexes, two powerful Saudi clerics have said. They are at odds, however, over precisely how the milk should be conveyed.
A fatwa issued recently about adult breast-feeding to establish “maternal relations” and preclude the possibility of sexual contact has resulted in a week’s worth of newspaper headlines in Saudi Arabia. Some have found the debate so bizarre that they’re calling for stricter regulations about how and when fatwas should be issued.
Sheikh Al Obeikan, an adviser to the royal court and consultant to the Ministry of Justice, set off a firestorm of controversy recently when he said on TV that women who come into regular contact with men who aren’t related to them ought to give them their breast milk so they will be considered relatives.
“The man should take the milk, but not directly from the breast of the woman,” Al Obeikan said, according to Gulf News. “He should drink it and then becomes a relative of the family, a fact that allows him to come in contact with the women without breaking Islam’s rules about mixing.”
Obeikan said the fatwa applied to men who live in the same house or come into contact with women on a regular basis, except for drivers.
Al Obeikan, who made the statement after being asked on TV about a 2007 fatwa issued by an Egyptian scholar about adult breast-feeding, said that the breast milk ought to be pumped out and given to men in a glass.
But his remarks were followed by an announcement by another high-profile sheik, Abi Ishaq Al Huwaini, who said that men should suckle the breast milk directly from a woman’s breast.”
http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/saudi-clerics-advocate-adult-breast-feeding/19504280
Or frozen according to the story.
I wonder what Clarence Birdseye would have to say on the ‘fresh vs. fresh frozen’ debate?
Breast served fresh.
James M.
Alan & Blouise,
I agree with you about wet nursing, but I think that would be analyzed differently than the present case. I’d argue that wet nursing is a service while selling breast milk in half cup units online makes it an article of food under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. (Sec. 201 “(f) 1 The term “food” means (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals . . .”
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I take your point and I’m not advocating anything here but it is true that human breast milk has been used medicinally for thousands of years to promote healing and clean wounds. Breast milk has also been used alternatively to boost the immune system of ill persons having viral gastroenteritis, influenza, the common cold, pneumonia, etc., because of its immunologic properties.
In other words, the market can be homeopathic medicine based and not just a sexual fetish.
Alan & Blouise,
I agree with you about wet nursing, but I think that would be analyzed differently than the present case. I’d argue that wet nursing is a service while selling breast milk in half cup units online makes it an article of food under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. (Sec. 201 “(f) 1 The term “food” means (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals . . .”
I think I’ll have my coffee black this morning, thank you. And I’ll pass on the coffee cake. I’m feeling a bit queasy.
Alan
” … Throughout history, millions of children of been wet nursed or raised on a milk of another mother–at one time, survival of the species may have depended on it. …”
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Very true
I know of two babies (set of twins, born prematurely) being wet-nursed right now. Birth-mother died of complications. Breast milk, especially in the case of these two preemies is far superior to formula … though formula is also being added for the calories. The wet nurses are being paid.
I’ve heard that some people buy breast milk from these ads not to drink but to use on their skin. I have no idea why.
Seriously? Sex with cows?
That is sicker than a grown drinking breastmilk as a sexual fetish…
Actually both make me want to throw up right now.
Sally,
You don’t know how sick some can be. It ain’t for me to say whats right and whats wrong but: N.J. Officer Allegedly Performed Sex Acts On Cows
Authorities announced Moorestown Officer Robert Melia Jr., 38, has been charged with four counts of animal cruelty after allegedly engaging in sex acts with cows between June and December of 2006.
http://cbs3.com/topstories/officer.robert.melia.2.706410.html
That is so gross on so many levels. You see these ads on craigslist all the time.
First off, what mother in her right mind would ever give her baby a strangers breastmilk from an ad? What if the woman had AIDS or did drugs?
Here in America, many hospitals have milk banks, where they screen donors and the woman are not paid for it. It’s usually used for preemies in the NICU.
And the whole “I can’t produce enough milk” arguement is lame. Lazy women use that excuse. I want to slap women who say that. It’s very rare that that holds true for a woman. Very rare.
I breastfed all my kids and plan on doing so with the one I’m due to have in October. It’s not that hard, it’s just takes effort and work.
There are also support groups, such as the La Leche League for women who have issues or troubles with breastfeeding. And every hospital has access to lactation consultants.
And men being into drinking breastmilk? It’s a creepy sexual fetish, while drinking cow’s milk is not. I’ve never heard of a man who gets aroused by drinking a glass of cow’s milk.
This reminds me of an episode of Two and a Half Men, where Alan goes goofy over Naomi, Berta knocked up daughter.
“Repeated Blows to His Unformed Head” November 6, 2006 (2006-11-06)
Berta’s daughter, Naomi (Sara Rue), is pregnant and Berta drags Charlie with her when she confronts the baby’s father in a rough neighborhood. Alan reveals a secret fetish when he gets to spend time with Naomi.
Title quote from: Charlie, to Alan, about why he believes Jake’s grades are so low.
Never mind how sick it is, but I have heard some talk about how unnatural it is to drink cows milk for human consumption. Unless it comes in cheese or ice cream I generally don’t do dairy.
I don’t think selling the excess milk, either in a bottle or directly from her breast (wet nursing) should be illegal, but I have no problem with prohibiting the advertisement of the product/service. Throughout history, millions of children of been wet nursed or raised on a milk of another mother–at one time, survival of the species may have depended on it. I would personally not want to use her milk, for myself or a child of mine (I think there are better option these days), but if her friends, members of her church, etc., think it has value, I don’t have a problem with it. This is not exactly like running an unlicensed dairy, because here you know exactly which cow produced the milk.
I can understand the health issues, but if the milk is safe, how is this illegal? It may be sick, but I do not see the illegality. Besides, there may be a legitimate need for mother’s milk for those women who are having trouble producing their own for their newborn.