Mothers...would you have someone else BREAST-FEED your baby?

Question

Am I to believe what I just saw on the TODAY SHOW...
"outsourcing" breast-feeding...wet-nursing?

This is much too INCREDIBLE to believable.
What are your feelings about this?
Wouldn't the baby be learning the "wrong mother".

@ rebecca d
YES...using "someone else's" breast not using a pump.

You also made a good point and another question...
"Isn't the mother's milk was specifically formulated for their baby"...
the right doses and balance of minerals, nutrients, antibodies determined by nature?

Answer 1

I would not do it...but this used to be VERY VERY common years ago. I don't think it's all that bad for the baby. It's more so something mothers would have a problem with doing.

Answer 2

Actually wet-nursing has a long history, it's only our idea of what is customary that make it seem odd. It was common in America as little as 125 years ago. In the days when there was no formula to buy at the store, having a wet nurse saved many infant's lives. I for one would rather see my infant nursed by someone else than have him die. Some people feel very strongly that only breast milk is good for the baby, and would rather have him nursed by someone else than take something bad for him.
It's just a difference in custom, and no, the baby doesn't necessarily get attached to the wrong mother.

Answer 3

Years ago, there were wet nurses around because women thought breastfeeding stopped them from having more babies. In other countries, this is sometimes still done. My fiance was born during his country's civil war and because his mother couldn't produce enough milk, he often went to other mothers for nutrients. (Mind you, everyone was basically starving during this time.) I don't think it will impair the baby psychologically, but the risk of disease scares me enough to NEVER do that to my child. Also, there are now breastmilk donors who donate milk to babies who, for whatever reason, cannot get any. The milk donated is screened much like blood is screened when donated. By the way, my fiance is very much a "Momma's Boy" at nearly 27 years old, so I don't think he ever got confused about who was his mother. Maybe it's like how a baby wouldn't confuse a bottle for his mother.

Answer 4

The baby will only know the mother. There are country's that use other woman's breast milk for feeding there baby because it is much healthier for the baby. I breast fed my kids but not for more that 6 weeks because I needed to return to work. I would rather have bought real breast milk for them since the long term benefits is much better. I don't think I would want my kids sucking on someone Else's tit though.

Answer 5

I just watched that too and I thought it was weird. Why couldn't they just pump the milk and give it to the families. I would never nurse someone's baby, but I'd give them the milk if they needed it. I think it would confuse the baby, because it's such a bonding experience, and then what happens when the baby is weaned. My best friend and her sister had babies within 3 weks of each other. My friends sister didn't have very much milk so my friend pumped and gave her a lot of milk. I thought that was great because then her sister's baby got the benefits of breastmilk, but still had his parents feeding him.

Answer 6

As incredible as it sounds...this is nothing new... In the victorian era.. women often had wet nurses for their children, it was unseemly for a marquis wife to expose her breast....they actually considered it vulgar! In todays time we are a little less prudish when it comes to breast feeding. The truth is some women are unable to breast feed...their milk either doesn't come in, or they cannot keep up with their child's appetite. It is also very time consuming and hard work. I breast fed both my children and at times wished for a wet nurse LOL... I see nothing wrong with it...breast is best !!

I also have came into contact with women who could not breast feed and their children were unable to drink formula. In those cases they actually did ask someone to breast feed their baby. You can bond with your child even if you do not breast feed. Dads do it by the mother's pumping and putting it into bottles..etc...

Breast milk.. in whatever container...is always best!!

Answer 7

I would. I have. And i would nurse a friends child too. I am not so selfish as to deny a child its perfect food because of jealousy. A baby can learn that food may come from someone else besides mom. Isn't that a common excuse for fake feeding? So that "dad could help."

There are plenty of ways to bond with your baby. If I couldn't feed the baby myself, I would get breastmilk any way I could.

In fact, i gave my DH strict instructions that if something were to happen to me, he was to contact all of my friends and secure a milk supply for our son.

Answer 8

I do know of one gal who did do this, but the wet-nurse was her sister. She had had breast turmors and surgery several years earlier and was unable to produce breastmilk. Sister lived closey by. She provided pumped milk and when the sisters visited, she breastfed her sister's baby. In addition, back i the 80s, I knew a group of sisters who would breastfeed their nieces or nephews while sitting for them. Wasn't a problem at all (and this is MN).

Wetnursing was common as recently as the 1930s in the US. My grandmother's neighbor (who delivered my Dad) breastfed my Dad when my grandmother was ill. Didn't seem to confuse my Dad any. However, the culture has changed as have diseases and the only real reason I can see doing it today is if the baby wasn't tolerating formula well.

To each, her own.

Answer 9

Do you mean physically breastfeeding or just using someone else's breast milk?

I would never never never even consider letting my baby nurse on another woman. I would be even skiddish about using someone else's breast milk since you dont know what that woman has put into her body which is now feeding your baby.

I also thought the mother's milk was specifically formulated for their baby... the right doses of mineral, nutrients, antibodies etc.

Answer 10

Personally I would not do this, but you have to remember this has been done for 100's of years. I guess if there was a medical reason (whatever that might be) I would do it. But I feel that there is such a bond that develops during breastfeeding, even bottle feeding that I would not be comfortable doing it. I dont see it as being nasty or dirty, just losing the bond.