Dec. 01--DALLAS --
Charlise Grisham is the proud mother of three boys--with number four due in February.
All four boys--including Phoenix--will have something in common--their mom wasn't able to produce enough milk.
Charlise said she felt like she let her other boys down.
"I kind of feel like a failure as a mom that you know, I have to give him supplemental, artificial food and not be able to feed him from my own body."
This time Charlise has an option called Eats on Feets--a Facebook fueled network of mothers around the world who need milk and those willing to donate.
She's already lined up two women on the Texas network.
"The fact that there are other women out there that can feed their baby and have extra and are willing to help moms like me, it's really a blessing," Charlise said.
But health experts warn that without precautions there are risks sharing mothers milk.
Dr. Audrey Graham, an OB/GYN at Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas, said mothers should explore social sharing but they should also be careful.
"I don't know if I would call it a downside versus that there is a risk and so the risk is someone having HIV and not be aware of it," Dr. Graham said. "Or maybe they have hepatitis and some infectious process that could be passed on with the breast milk."
Milk donated at milk banks are screened and pasteurize for safety.
Cherie Schneiders used milk donated by another doctor after her son Aiden was born.
She's now donating her extra milk to a woman she just met and said both times health information was shared
"I just kind of gave her my health history in a nutshell and just said it's up to you but if you feel comfortable then I mean I give it to my son and I'm confident of it and if it can help yours then you are more than welcome to it," Cherie said.
Eats for Feets encourages safety and offers precautions including flash-heating donated milk.
As for Charlise--she'll exercise every precaution and in about three months her new son will have all the milk he needs.
"It's what you're baby need," Charlise said. "It's what you're made for."
-----
To see more of KDAF-TV, go to http://www.the33tv.com/.
Copyright (c) 2010, KDAF-TV, Dallas
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com.