Buying Breast Milk Online? Not Your Best Option

It seems like these days, you can get anything you need on the internet. But are you really getting what you pay for? And when it comes to the health of a baby, there's no bigger or more important question.

It seems that some moms go online to purchase breast milk. But a new study in the Journal Pediatrics says that purchase comes with a major risk. Namely, you really don't know what you're getting.

In this case, researchers analyzed the content of breast milk bought online, and it turns out the products weren't always the purest.

In at least one out of every 10 samples, the breast milk was "watered down" with cow's milk.

This is obviously a problem. First, you're not getting the real deal. Second, if your infant is allergic or intolerant to cow's milk, you've got a problem. And third, babies aren't supposed to be drinking any cow's milk until they hit 12 months of age.

This study also got me thinking of what else could be in that milk. Some samples were found too haves viruses and bacteria. Plus there is the issue of the source of that milk. Just who is "donating"?

When I see an Internet headline that shouts "Got Breast Milk? How Some Moms Earn $60 a Day Selling 'Liquid Gold' " I get more than a little nervous.

Here's my advice: if you need to purchase breast milk, or are having trouble feeding, etc., there is a great local resource that's just for you.

It's the Mother's Milk Bank. Local and reliable, and it's a program of the Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation.

Plus it's not only for those who need milk; it's also there for those women who wish to donate milk.

LINK: rmchildren.org/programs/milkbankcolorado/

Dr. Dave Hnida is CBS4's Medical Editor. He blogs about the latest studies and trends in the health world. Read his latest blog entries, check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @drdavehnida.