Would you let another woman breastfeed your baby?

[special_kala]

" but to say that you can't understand why people would opt for Breastmilk even if it meant donated breastmilk is a little ignorant."

i never said that though did i? the question was, Would you let another woman breastfeed your baby? so my answer was to that. never said anything about donated breastmilk!

It was the 'formula is so good' that you couldnt understand why people would do that comment i was refering to. Just because its not something you would choose- you can surely see why others would?

No, i cant see why anyone would want to let another woman breastfeed thier baby i really cant. another womans breast in my babies mouth when there is no need for it, formula is good enough, and i think my baby would benefit far more frm me feeding him formula than another womans breast in his mouth just cause its breastmilk.

Another womans breast is no different from yours. We all produce milk exactly the same way.

If my baby refused a bottle, mea ning I couldn't leave them, I would happily leave them with someone who could feed them as long as I trusted them.

Breasts are just breasts, nothing fancy about them.

 

[special_kala]

Shared feeding has been completely normal throughout history in every country in the world.

The whole it takes a village to raise a child idea...

 

[IsabellaJayne]

Absolutely not!!
It's a special bond between Mother and child

 

[Anthrogirl]

" but to say that you can't understand why people would opt for Breastmilk even if it meant donated breastmilk is a little ignorant."

i never said that though did i? the question was, Would you let another woman breastfeed your baby? so my answer was to that. never said anything about donated breastmilk!

It was the 'formula is so good' that you couldnt understand why people would do that comment i was refering to. Just because its not something you would choose- you can surely see why others would?

No, i cant see why anyone would want to let another woman breastfeed thier baby i really cant. another womans breast in my babies mouth when there is no need for it, formula is good enough, and i think my baby would benefit far more frm me feeding him formula than another womans breast in his mouth just cause its breastmilk.

Another womans breast is no different from yours. We all produce milk exactly the same way.

If my baby refused a bottle, mea ning I couldn't leave them, I would happily leave them with someone who could feed them as long as I trusted them.

Breasts are just breasts, nothing fancy about them.

I think I'm more with Kala on this one. I quess when it comes down to it, I don't think I'd pull some random lactating woman off the street, but if it was a member of my social network (family, close friend, caregiver) I would be all right. It's funny, in the Western world we used to pay wetnurses to nurse our babies when we wouldn't/couldn't. This was actually done until relatively recently, as late as the 40s in some places. In the grand scheme of thingsm that's not so long ago!

 

[staralfur]

Having another woman nurse your baby actually isn't weird at all - how do you think babies whose moms couldn't breastfeed survived before formula was around? It's historically pretty normal and accepted. It doesn't surprise me at all that people choose to have a wet nurse as an alternative to formula. I'm sure some people, perhaps not in western culture, but some people somewhere... would probably think it's pretty weird to choose artificial milk over human milk.

All of that being said, I don't think I personally would be comfortable with it. I do view it as something special between my daughter and I.

 

[Piper84]

Love how so many people expect their LO to just take a bottle of formula if they are unable to BF for any reason. The only time I was unable to BF for 24 hours LO starved himself for 12 hours rather than take the bottle before finally taking a bit when he realised there was no other option. I wouldn't like to put him through it again.

I really wouldn't have minded a lactating friend or family member taking over in that time.

 

[summer rain]

In my religion anonymous donation of breastmilk where you have no idea of who it came from isn't allowed as breastfeeding is thought to create a kinship, but wet nursing is encouraged and is still common in Muslim countries. I see no problem with it xx

 

[OliveLove]

Yes, the only thing I'd worry about would be what she is putting inside her body nutrition wise.

 

[MrsStutler]

Nope, I couldn't do it. I got jealous just watching my friends/family breastfeed their babies after my son self weaned at 9 months. If I had to watch another mother physically breastfeed my baby I would probably have to be committed to a psych ward. That's just me though.

 

[Fortune Cooki]

I'd be jealous too and worried about the health of the donating mother. I have no idea how the health screenings go for individuals who donate milk or wet nurse, but from personal experience, blood tests are sometimes not accurate. There are several viruses that can be passed through breast milk. As awesome as breast milk is, if it's not my own, I'd do formula.

 

[aliss]

I don't personally consider it a shared act only between mother and child. If my sister was lactating, I would seriously give her the baby for a few hours and go to the mall & get my hair did.......... 6 months, I could really use a break from this bottle refuser, LOL.

 

[Fortune Cooki]

Love how so many people expect their LO to just take a bottle of formula if they are unable to BF for any reason. The only time I was unable to BF for 24 hours LO starved himself for 12 hours rather than take the bottle before finally taking a bit when he realised there was no other option. I wouldn't like to put him through it again.

I really wouldn't have minded a lactating friend or family member taking over in that time.

Yikes! Was he not taking a bottle that had your pumped milk in it or was it formula in a bottle that he wouldn't take?

 

[Piper84]

Love how so many people expect their LO to just take a bottle of formula if they are unable to BF for any reason. The only time I was unable to BF for 24 hours LO starved himself for 12 hours rather than take the bottle before finally taking a bit when he realised there was no other option. I wouldn't like to put him through it again.

I really wouldn't have minded a lactating friend or family member taking over in that time.

Yikes! Was he not taking a bottle that had your pumped milk in it or was it formula in a bottle that he wouldn't take?

We tried both. It was the bottle that bothered him, not what was in it.

 

[aliss]

Love how so many people expect their LO to just take a bottle of formula if they are unable to BF for any reason. The only time I was unable to BF for 24 hours LO starved himself for 12 hours rather than take the bottle before finally taking a bit when he realised there was no other option. I wouldn't like to put him through it again.

I really wouldn't have minded a lactating friend or family member taking over in that time.

Yikes! Was he not taking a bottle that had your pumped milk in it or was it formula in a bottle that he wouldn't take?

We tried both. It was the bottle that bothered him, not what was in it.

Mine did the same thing. I couldn't switch to bottle feeding now even if I tried! Unless I wanted to completely distress him.

Some babies hate boobs, some love 'em. I've had one of each. I wish I had a wet nurse for a break haha.

 

[Scout]

I didn't read the article, but if it was somebody that did this as their profession then I would if I couldn't get the baby to take breastmilk in a bottle. I'd assume a wet nurse would be screened and such, just like a gestational carrier is.

 

[Anthrogirl]

Like Aliss and Piper both experienced, my dd1 wouldn't take a bottle no matter what was in it. In the end, I never left her for more than an hour or two until she was 6 months old and started on solids, drinking out of a cup.

 

[trythisagain]

Omg...I saw the topic of this tgread and had an immediate flashback. I just had to share because...well...Im more or less scarred for life lol
Long before I met DH I was in a relationship with another guy. We had been togrther for 4 years and so I thought I had gotten to know his family quite well. They seemed nice...and normal...coupdnt have been further from the case.
His cousin had just given birth to a little boy about two weeks before. Absolutely adorable...so my ex's mom...we'll call her Petunia for arguments sake...asked me to come visit the new baby with her. Sure!! So off we went.
When we got there the baby was asleep. The new mother had been having issues getting him to sleep so when Petunia asked if she could hold him...mum said "as soon as he wakes up you can...Ive had the most awful time getting him to sleep!!" So sure...mum walks into the next room to let her hubby know that we had come to visit. Doesnt Petunia cover the babys nose to wake him up! WTF right!? Well it gets better folks...
Of course baby wakes up...and by now mum and hubby are in the room. Mum sees baby has woken up and true to her word...hands her to Petunia.
Well...Petunia kind of...sits there...staring at the baby for a few min. Looking at him kind of funny. Mum says to her..."something wrong???" Petunia replies "no no...nothing wrong..." and as she BEGINS TO PULL DOWN HER SHIRT...FLOPPING OUT A 65 YEAR BOOB...says "its been so long since my boys were this small...I breast fed all three. I miss it...I miss that feeling...would you mind if I gave it a try???"
Right then he hubby tosses his cookies and mum says "Wtf!?!? Time for you to go!"
Here I am all along...an innocent and extremely shocked bystander. I think my jaw actually hit the floor!!

.....But....she didn't even have milk! EWWWW that sounded perverted honestly. WTF is wrong with people.

Bingo. My point EXACTLY. Lady...that ship has sailed for you loooong ago. People are so bizarre. It blows my mind.
After this episode...the whole...someone else breastfeeding a baby that isnt their own just doesnt sit well with me. No offence to anyone who is ok with it...I think its a very personal decision. But me personally...after witnessing this memorable moment in history...it just freaks me out lol

 

[bassdesire]

I would definitely let a close friend nurse my baby. Not a stranger. I mean, I don't even see what the issue is (with a close friend, I see an issue with a total stranger). I have also accepted mom milk from friends while I had to go on a trip. Seems odd people would find opt strange, but maybe I'm just very liberal.

 

[pinklightbulb]

Mine refused bottles also. I'm on the side that I'd let another woman close to me BF my sons. Tbh I would do a mix of this and FF as in this day and age there is no way I would find anyone to EBF my kid if I can't.

 

[Annie77]

My friend and I had our babies days apart and she was militant about breast feeding whereas I breastfed but did not feel so strongly if u know what I mean. Anyway my friend got sick and GP told her to rest and give baby a bottle of formula. She couldn't express so I did offer some expressed breast milk for which she was grateful. She ended up giving him some formula as well as her illness went on for over a week.
Had it been the other way and I was sick, it would have been a nightmare as my dd refused a bottle. Would I have let someone else breastfeed her? If she refused ebm or formula by bottle or cup then I guess I would have to make that choice. My friend would have done it for me - in fact she keeps going on about how lucky I am getting to breastfeed again and how she is certain to be jealous when she sees me feed lo?!? I don't knowif I like the idea of her watching me feed then!