Would you let another woman breastfeed your baby?

[Ummi2boyz]

That's really interesting.

I wouldn't mind at all. Might seems weird because we are not used to it anymore. Never foret that formula has been there for what? 50 years? A bit more?? That's the way women used to feed their babies when they couldn't do it themselves for thousands of years.
My mum was nursed by her mum and her auntie. Because the 2 women got pg every 2-3 years, one or the other always had milk.
Dh was nursed by a neighbour for a few days. That woman is now his "milk mother", and her children are his "milk brothers and sisters". He loves her dearly, but of course not as much as his own mother.
I also used to work with pg young mothers. One of them was from Myaotte (near Comorros), and when she had her baby, her own mum had a 2 year old whi she was breasfeeding, so the new grand mum took the baby and breastfed him when her daughter was too tired to do so.

We can only get comfortable with things that we are used to.

 

[princesspreg]

No and no and no.

 

[DLA]

Some of you are better women than me! I would always prefer my child to have BM over formula but it would be very difficult for me to see another woman BF my child. I have no problem with the actual "different breast milk" part. It's the fact that breast feeding is so near and dear to me, it would bother me seeing someone else do it. Of course if that were the only way, I would absolutely let this happen. But selfishly I don't like the idea.

 

[rowleypolie]

I don't know, I would like to think I would have no problem with it, although it would upset me if I couldn't bf my own baby. Wet nurses were very common in my culture not even 3 generations ago so I am sure I would make it work. I honestly would have NO problem nursing someone else's baby. And I even offered to a mom who dried up after a few weeks due to a medication issue (she was weirded out by it) the only problem I would have is that your milk adapts as baby gets older and so the fat content is different when you have been nursing 2 years than when you just had a baby. After 6 months or so I think it would be fine

 

[Glitter_berry]

No and no and no.

This has nothing to do with the topic my 2 cents worth will come later. But OMG, your baby is the most beautiful child I have ever seen those eyes, that hair, those cheeks. Cuteness overload.
( apart from my bias opinion of my own kids of course )

 

[Glitter_berry]

Would I ever let someone breast feed my child? No.

Would I accept expressed breast milk? If it was screened and my baby was a premie or sick little baby and for some reason I couldn't express the milk. Then yes.
( although I got medication to help with my production last pregnancy so it would have to be for the reason of me having no milk)

If I had an otherwise healthy baby, who was coming home with me. I would stop at the shop and pick up some formula and some bottles and go from there. Yes breast is best. But breast is not the only way.
My husband assumed I would go straight to formula this time because of my feeding difficulties last time. ( which I will be breast feeding) So of my husband doesn't see a problem or my doctor with formula feeding.
NOONE could guilt me enough into letting another woman nurse my child.

So in short. No.

 

[summer rain]

That's the thing though not all babies can have mainstream formulas, a lot of babies are allergic to it and the alternatives though they can be life saving, aren't very palatable, are very expensive (and in the UK this means they are loathe to prescribe them) and you can't just buy them from the corner shop. All of mine have had some type of allergy or intolerance to cow and goats' milk based formulas, and issues with soya as well so if I couldn't breastfeed the new baby for whatever reason donated milk or wet nursing would be by far a preferable option xx

 

[Dragonfly]

if I had no other choice like some situation where my baby needed it then yes I would let someone else do it. Staving baby or someone else feeding not a hard choice. But if we can get donor milk I would use that instead so I could feed with a bottle.

 

[Toms Mummy]

My son was tube fed donated milk for the 1st 10 days of his life, it was half and half my milk and topped up with donated milk. I was offered formula 1st but it really bothered me, but then again the thought of my baby having water really bothered me as it is so alien.

Therefore, I would happily accept donated breasmilk, or the offer of a close friend/relative breastfeeding my baby. I would happily do the same but I'm unsure about the idea of hiring someone to come in and feed my baby. But then again, like other pps, my baby never took a bottle. So I guess I don't know the answer unless I was faced with the decision x

 

[Barhanita]

My mother breastfed our little neighbor, as his mother didn't have much milk. I think I am ok with it, but would prefer not to ever do it.

 

[cupcakekate]

No, definately not x

 

[Feronia]

If I couldn't breastfeed and another women who I knew offered, of course I would let her. I would prefer her to pump and have me feed my baby, but if that wasn't an option (some women can't get much milk using a pump), I would be happy that my daughter was getting breastmilk. I would prefer this a million times over than disadvantaging her with formula.

 

[Dtswife]

I would rather a woman of my choice breastfeed my child at her breast than use donated milk. I would rather use donated milk from a bank than formula.
I would also have no issue nursing someone else's baby.
It's food, at the end of the day.

 

[Lisasmith]

I have no problem with it. I would feed another persons child and if it came down to it I would let another mum feed my baby.

 

[Mummy2bexxx]

If I couldn't breastfeed and another women who I knew offered, of course I would let her. I would prefer her to pump and have me feed my baby, but if that wasn't an option (some women can't get much milk using a pump), I would be happy that my daughter was getting breastmilk. I would prefer this a million times over than disadvantaging her with formula.

I think you should rephrase your last sentence...

 

[AllieM]

Ick

 

[Feronia]

If I couldn't breastfeed and another women who I knew offered, of course I would let her. I would prefer her to pump and have me feed my baby, but if that wasn't an option (some women can't get much milk using a pump), I would be happy that my daughter was getting breastmilk. I would prefer this a million times over than disadvantaging her with formula.

I think you should rephrase your last sentence...

Why? People are fine if you say advantaging a baby with breastmilk, but they're not fine if you say disadvantaging a baby with formula. It's the same thing, except the first one is what formula companies want people to be saying, because it represents breastfeeding as just an "option" and not the normal way to feed a baby.

This article does a much better job at explaining the semantics behind this and why "breast is best" only benefits artificial feeding companies. I'm not trying to start an argument, but I won't rephrase my feelings on the matter.

 

[Mrs.Mcguin]

Would I ever let someone breast feed my child? No.

Would I accept expressed breast milk? If it was screened and my baby was a premie or sick little baby and for some reason I couldn't express the milk. Then yes.
( although I got medication to help with my production last pregnancy so it would have to be for the reason of me having no milk)

If I had an otherwise healthy baby, who was coming home with me. I would stop at the shop and pick up some formula and some bottles and go from there. Yes breast is best. But breast is not the only way.
My husband assumed I would go straight to formula this time because of my feeding difficulties last time. ( which I will be breast feeding) So of my husband doesn't see a problem or my doctor with formula feeding.
NOONE could guilt me enough into letting another woman nurse my child.

So in short. No.

My thoughts exactly. Breast milk is best. I don't think anyone here is disputing that so I'm not sure why other ladies on here were debating this when it wasn't even up for debate...but like some others said...I would not personally let my baby be breast feed by anyone else. And like glitter berry stated..unless my baby was premie and other circumstances arises, I would formula feed over letting another woman breast feed my baby.

I breast feed my son. But when I had my second baby...I chose formula right from the start for personal reasons. I didn't even attempt to get a milk donor...to be honest, I didn't even know it was possible at that time in my life.

I will be breast feeding with this baby...because I know breast milk is best and my circumstances are different now...but I certainly don't think any mother should be made to feel guilty if she chose formula.

I think it's wonderful that there are women out there willing to breast feed other babies..just like I think it's awesome that they allow people to chose to pay to sky dive...it's not everyone's preference but its there as an option to those that want to do it

 

[Wildfire81]

Most likely no, since it has been proven that HIV can be passed through breast milk. I think that in most instances women would not be at a lab while breastfeeding, and will not have lab results in front of them, so there is a small risk.

 

[Mrs.Mcguin]

Most likely no, since it has been proven that HIV can be passed through breast milk. I think that in most instances women would not be at a lab while breastfeeding, and will not have lab results in front of them, so there is a small risk.

This is a very good point. Just diseases in general. They might believe its fine now...but just like what they did with blood transfusions back in the day...you get that call 20 years from now telling you that you have to go in to get tested because new studies prove it wasn't safe.

I'm paranoid like that