Last night I was watching Bravo's Pregnant in Heels. In case you haven't seen it, it's all about how pregnancy concierge Rosie Pope caters to the ridiculous demands of super rich, expecting women in New York City.
Well, her latest client had a request that even surprised Rosie. This woman wanted a wet nurse. At first I thought I had heard wrong. She wanted Rosie to find some stranger to nurse her soon-to-be-born child. What century is this? All I could think was, "Yuck." Then I wondered how many people in this day and age actually seek out wet nurses and the answer shocked me.
Just to be clear, I am not talking about organized milk sharing programs. That is a great option for women who can't produce enough milk on their own. That milk goes in a bottle. This is completely different. The thought of letting your child suck on a random woman’s boobs was just too weird for me, but lots of women do it.
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The job is actually making a comeback. L.A. based agency Certified Household Staffing provides a wet nurse registry filled with over 1,000 women who breastfeed professionally. Most of these women will spend a year or more with a family. The cost? $1,000 a week.
There are also message boards dedicated to helping women find wet nurses and for lactating women who want to provide that service. There are dangers, warned Pope during the show -- you have no idea about this woman's diet, health, habits, communicable diseases. All of those things will affect a nursing baby. But I assume any parent who hires a wet nurse will look into the person's medical history -- at least I hope so.
I certainly understand the desperation that comes from wanting to breastfeed a child but not being able to. I wasn't a very good "producer" either. And this society is not very understanding about moms who do not breastfeed or give it up too quickly. You can almost feel vilified. For some people, formula is just not acceptable. But having someone nurse for you just feels so bizarre. Breastfeeding is not only about nutrients, it's about bonding with your child. Why in the world would you want some stranger to have that intimate connection with your newborn baby?
Would you pay someone to nurse your baby?
Image via sdminor81/Flickr
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Comments 102
The only story I ever heard about this that was beautiful was my husband's aunt telling a story at my sil's funeral about when she was a baby. His aunt had a baby about the same age, and was babysitting my sil. My mil was gone longer than expected, & Aunt _ ran out of her momma's milk. She nursed her so that she could still have the best until my mil got there to pick her up. Aunt _ was a young momma and was so flustered, she just did what she though (knew) would be best for my sil.
I would never want a wet nurse for my baby, but I would be totally willing to be a wet nurse for someone else's!
no...what's bizarre is letting a COW nurse your baby. Human milk for human babies!! Our society is so odd...
i dont think it bizarre at all, as far as dangers go in not knowing the woman if your going to send that kind of money to have her stay in your home and feed your child then i would imagine you would have the common sense to send her to the doctor for a check up and make sure she had plenty of options for a great diet. This article only has me wondering where i can get hired on as a wet nurse.... Bet If i cant find a place i will be starting a new business...
I couldn't stand the thought of another woman nursing my baby! I'd absolutely hate that. I couldn't breast feed him myself but I did pump for a few weeks, the PND got hold of me and my doctor and husband helped me change to formula, that was hard enough as it was. I hated not being able to breast feed him myself :(
Are you kidding me? I think milk sharing is disgusting!!! Multiple mothers are used and you have no clue whatsoever what is in the milk! Check your local milksharing registry, it's different women. Very hard to get just one woman.
Wet nurses have been used for centuries, I'd rather have a wetnurse if I couldn't breast feed than put my baby on mass produced formula.
You need to open your mind a little, and they are breasts, not boobies.
The smell with the ocean plus your fav sun's rays tan product, the warmth in the sun against your face having a small breeze inside the air, the audio of friends and people enjoying the outside..... but what's even better..... knowing you happen to be "home".
AWESOME! Then comprise your own stuff.
Oh, and There is nothing awesome.
Yes, there really needs to be something.
I doubt that you just NEVER smiled.
If you smiled, that is awesome, therefore you can find awesome things in living,
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Like many of us knew he'd! Oh avoid! Ducks procedure! I've already been doing that will too!!