When you’re pregnant, deciding to breastfeed your baby is one of the most important decisions a mother can make. But here’s another decision to add to the mix – do you do the breastfeeding yourself or hire someone else to do it for you?
I admit that my first reaction to an article titled “The Return of the Wet Nurse” on AOL was a bit of outrage. A wet nurse may be the only good choice for a mom who for some medical reason can’t breastfeed but wants to give her baby breast milk, but when they started talking about busy career women and Hollywood celebrities who just don’t have time to do it themselves, I admit I started feeling a bit judgey.
The more I think about it, however, the more I think it could be a great option. We outsource everything else these days, why not breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is one of the most beautiful bonding experiences between a mother and a child ... when it works. But even for those with the best of intentions, sometimes it just doesn't. A job, other children, and plenty of other obstacles can get in the way to a child being breastfed. It's nice in theory to say nothing is more important than giving your child breast milk, but reality doesn't always cooperate with that ideal. So if someone has the means to overcome those obstacles and get that vitally important breast milk for their child via a wet nurse, then good for them.
That said, it's not something I would ever do. The money aside, I just can't imagine anyone other than myself giving my child that special gift. It would be too intimate and, frankly, just too weird for me. I'd rather give my child formula than let someone else breastfeed her. I understand if you're feeling judgey now, but I'm being honest.
In general, however, I think this "trend" is a boon for the whole "breast is best" movement. It certainly is a good sign that the importance of breast milk is being realized if people are willing to go to such extreme lengths to get it for their children anyway they can. So regardless of how you feel about people outsourcing breastfeeding on an individual basis, that's at least something we can all celebrate.
What do you think about people hiring wet nurses?
Image via Daquella manera/Flickr
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Comments 72
Unless we're in some bad movie script, post apocalyptic, and my kid is starving, then the only boob in my kids' mouth will be mine
SO Stacy, do you drink cows milk? or eat cheese or yogurt? Because EWWWW bodily fluid from a ANIMAL! I would gladly feed another woman's baby from my own breast or give her expressed milk. What do you think people did before formula? It's only become "disgusting" since the invent of formula. It was good enough for Royalty to have all their children fed by another woman. It is not unheard of in other countries. Just because American is so "developed" deosn't mean we are above feeding someone elses baby. It's HUMAN and we should all be doing all we can to give what we can to other humans. Especially the babies and children who do not yet have a voice of their own. They deserve the best that can be provided, whether that be wet nursing or not.
I HATE formula. My second was allergic to ALL of it. I ended up feeding him goat's milk. A few weeks ago when I was super sick and dehydrated and therefore not producing enough, and couldn't get a hold of donor milk on such short notice, I gave my baby some formula. Hello, fussy baby and watery green diarrhea. That stuff is crap for my kids. I refuse to even try it ever again. If I run into the same problems again I'll supplement with goats milk if I can't get human milk. At least that's natural. Even if it's meant for little goats rather than little people. Have you ever read the ingredient list on a can of formula?
Yeah, I would be worried about my baby catching a blood transmitted disease from the wet nurse... either I will BF my child or it will be formula. JMO...