Would you hire a wet nurse?

[AppleBlossom]

No. I would rather feed my own child formula than have someone else feed them breastmilk. A lot of bonding takes place whilst feeding whether it's on the breast or bottle. I wouldn't want to miss out on that and pay for the privelige

 

[Emz1982_in_uk]

My friends grandmother had a baby who unfortunately was stillborn. Her grandmother went on to feed the other babies in the village (in Sicily) when her milk came in. Amazing. I still couldn't let somebody physically feed my little man tho.

 

[Susie28]

Maybe it's just me but I don't see anything to say this is turning into a bf v ff debate? It's going on quite nicely apart from people being a bit pedantic about wording.

I hope I'm wrong but it's just got the feeling of a thread that's heading in that direction (the thread is going down the is EBM always better than formula route for example).

There have been so many good threads that have had to be closed and I don't want this one to - I think it's a good question!

It's a very interesting subject, and I admire any woman who would let another woman breastfeed their child, putting aside feelings of insecurity (for eg if they couldnt breastfeed) or jealousy (seeing another woman bond with their LO)....I couldn't though.

 

[smokey]

No intention of starting a BFvFF debate, my point was a choice of wording and the fact I dared to disagree with an oppinion that seemed to have started a debate.

I said it in the nicest possible way I could and unlike some threads I have seen I did not go in all guns blazing and calling names or being offensive, I simply had an oppinion of my own to a very specific statement and was just pointing out that maybe "any reliable source" would have been a better choice of words but that just makes me pedantic.

 

[OmarsMum]

Maybe it's just me but I don't see anything to say this is turning into a bf v ff debate? It's going on quite nicely apart from people being a bit pedantic about wording.

I hope I'm wrong but it's just got the feeling of a thread that's heading in that direction (the thread is going down the is EBM always better than formula route for example).

There have been so many good threads that have had to be closed and I don't want this one to - I think it's a good question!

It's a very interesting subject, and I admire any woman who would let another woman breastfeed their child, putting aside feelings of insecurity (for eg if they couldnt breastfeed) or jealousy (seeing another woman bond with their LO)....I couldn't though.

I thought I would be jealous. But when my aunt tried to BF Omar & he easily latched on & started sucking it was amazing. My aunt was so emotional & her milk started to flow. I went into tears the 1st time & he was so happy. He never had boobie milk before & he really liked it.

Now, he really loves my aunt & there is some kind of bonding between them. If she's the one who didnt have milk to BF, I guess I would be happy to offer wet nursing her baby. xxx

 

[WW1]

No intention of starting a BFvFF debate, my point was a choice of wording and the fact I dared to disagree with an oppinion that seemed to have started a debate.

I said it in the nicest possible way I could and unlike some threads I have seen I did not go in all guns blazing and calling names or being offensive, I simply had an oppinion of my own to a very specific statement and was just pointing out that maybe "any reliable source" would have been a better choice of words but that just makes me pedantic.

I honestly don't think anyone who has written on this thread is deliberately trying to start a debate! It was just a feeling I had - the last thing I want is the debate to happen BECAUSE I made my comment!!

It wasn't specifically aimed at anyone

Back on track: How much do wet nurses charge?

 

[Susie28]

Maybe it's just me but I don't see anything to say this is turning into a bf v ff debate? It's going on quite nicely apart from people being a bit pedantic about wording.

I hope I'm wrong but it's just got the feeling of a thread that's heading in that direction (the thread is going down the is EBM always better than formula route for example).

There have been so many good threads that have had to be closed and I don't want this one to - I think it's a good question!

It's a very interesting subject, and I admire any woman who would let another woman breastfeed their child, putting aside feelings of insecurity (for eg if they couldnt breastfeed) or jealousy (seeing another woman bond with their LO)....I couldn't though.

I thought I would be jealous. But when my aunt tried to BF Omar & he easily latched on & started sucking it was amazing. My aunt was so emotional & her milk started to flow. I went into tears the 1st time & he was so happy. He never had boobie milk before & he really liked it.

Now, he really loves my aunt & there is some kind of bonding between them. If she's the one who didnt have milk to BF, I guess I would be happy to offer wet nursing her baby. xxx

That's really great.... I think that maybe the fact that it was your aunt (you know and trust her) makes it even more special.

And I think it's admirable that you would also offer to wet nurse her baby if she didnt have milk.

 

[smokey]

Tbh I didnt even realise wet nurses where somthing still done.

 

[MissBroody]

No intention of starting a BFvFF debate, my point was a choice of wording and the fact I dared to disagree with an oppinion that seemed to have started a debate.

I said it in the nicest possible way I could and unlike some threads I have seen I did not go in all guns blazing and calling names or being offensive, I simply had an oppinion of my own to a very specific statement and was just pointing out that maybe "any reliable source" would have been a better choice of words but that just makes me pedantic.

I honestly don't think anyone who has written on this thread is deliberately trying to start a debate! It was just a feeling I had - the last thing I want is the debate to happen BECAUSE I made my comment!!

It wasn't specifically aimed at anyone

Back on track: How much do wet nurses charge?

I'm led in bed now and don't have the magazine to hand, but it was a good few hundred pounds a day. She was living off her wet nursing pay and a part time job. It was a story with a sad start, she gave birth to a stillborn baby at 38 weeks and when her milk came in she decided to give it to other babies whose mothers couldn't/didn't want to themselves breastfeed. Admirable in my eyes, but still not something I could handle doing for my own baby. Not even if it was family.
xx

 

[smokey]

I would imagine she would have to be one very strong (emotionaly) woman to do that given she had lost her own and the feelings that must bring up.

I most certainly wouldnt be able to be in the same room at the time, it broke my heart enough when he wouldnt feed from me and I hade the typical failure as a mother feelings but then to see him happy latching on to someone else.
Maybe he might not of even wanted to feed from them, its somthing ill never know but it kinda makes me feel better thinking it could have been his choice and just didnt want to in general.

 

[hivechild]

I find it interesting, and it's a gut feeling of mine as well that I know in my mind isn't rational, as to how many women couldn't let someone else nurse their child, but would readily nurse for another woman.

I think if I was in a situation to have to rely on a wet nurse, i would want to remain close and to be able to maintain physical contact with my LO, to be able to touch and hold his hands or feet, or to stroke his hair, to talk, or sing or hum and do all the things i do now while nursing him. I think that would make it easier for me.

 

[jess_smurf]

couple of hundred per day wow i may look into this offer a nanny service including wet nurse too !!

maybe something i would use if i had to go back to work early and was unable to express no messing with bottles sterilising etc

 

[JASMAK]

No, I wouldn't, although I have fed my sister's baby in a pinch. I read an article once where a mother died of an amniotic embolism shortly after birth, and the dad had several of the neighbours feed the baby daily their breastmilk. I think there was 3 or 4 wet nurses. I know it's not necessarily "gross" but I wouldn't want that. I guess my reasons are, they are bodily fluids and I wouldn't trust just anyone. The other reason, I wouldn't want my child bonding with another woman, the way I should be bonding with my baby. For me, breastmilk is more than just food. Formula would be subsituted in, if I couldn't breastfeed. However, if other's choose this option, I would think nothing of it. It's just not right for me.

 

[Snowball]

No I wouldn't. I'd think that if anything happened to me my DH would formula feed Ozzie.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

Definitely. I'd also be a wet nurse

I don't think it would necessarily make you feel a bond in the same way that it would for your own child... personally i would think of it the same as giving someone else's child a bottle.

 

[aliss]

No, but if I had enough money (and it probably costs the same as human milk bank is $3-5/oz here), I would buy all my milk from a milk bank.

 

[MissBroody]

Definitely. I'd also be a wet nurse

I don't think it would necessarily make you feel a bond in the same way that it would for your own child... personally i would think of it the same as giving someone else's child a bottle.

I feel differently. There's more of a bond with a baby suckling from a breast than there is with a bottle, IMO. Anyone can give my LO a bottle (OH, my dad, his great grandparents) but only a mother (ok, any woman) can breastfeed a baby, and to me only a mother and her baby should engage in breastfeeding. Although I would give EBM as that's in a bottle and detached from the mother who expressed it- it would be ME giving the bottle, not HER breast in his mouth. I don't judge anyone who would use a wet nurse or do it for others though, I just have a different outlook on it.
xx

 

[BlackBerry25]

Yeah I guess I would!
I would probably prefer it to be in a bottle, but whatever. Yup.

 

[Susie28]

Definitely. I'd also be a wet nurse

I don't think it would necessarily make you feel a bond in the same way that it would for your own child... personally i would think of it the same as giving someone else's child a bottle.

I feel differently. There's more of a bond with a baby suckling from a breast than there is with a bottle, IMO. Anyone can give my LO a bottle (OH, my dad, his great grandparents) but only a mother (ok, any woman) can breastfeed a baby, and to me only a mother and her baby should engage in breastfeeding. Although I would give EBM as that's in a bottle and detached from the mother who expressed it- it would be ME giving the bottle, not HER breast in his mouth. I don't judge anyone who would use a wet nurse or do it for others though, I just have a different outlook on it.
xx

I agree-I think it's different too. I've given many friends/family members babies a bottle, but would never breatfeed them

 

[Dopeyjopey]

Definitely. I'd also be a wet nurse

I don't think it would necessarily make you feel a bond in the same way that it would for your own child... personally i would think of it the same as giving someone else's child a bottle.

I feel differently. There's more of a bond with a baby suckling from a breast than there is with a bottle, IMO. Anyone can give my LO a bottle (OH, my dad, his great grandparents) but only a mother (ok, any woman) can breastfeed a baby, and to me only a mother and her baby should engage in breastfeeding. Although I would give EBM as that's in a bottle and detached from the mother who expressed it- it would be ME giving the bottle, not HER breast in his mouth. I don't judge anyone who would use a wet nurse or do it for others though, I just have a different outlook on it.
xx

Completely understand... i think many people would get that bonding feeling but for some reason i don't see it that way. More of the baby just getting milk as opposed to me feeding the baby. Like how a mother bonds when giving a bottle of formula but joe bloggs wouldn't so much. I must just be weird