Question to moms that BF or are BFing

Bee_Kay wrote: A few years ago, 2 of my friends that are sisters, both had sons about the same age (they are 2 weeks apart).

At the time, their babies were about 5 or 6 months old and we were all visiting and one sister was a walking milk factory (lol) and her breasts filled and her baby wasn't hungry so she got her sisters baby and BF him . I had never seen this before and I haven't seen it after (except on like the discovery channel).

Have you seen this done before?

mckayleesmom replied: No, but I know back in the days of slavery...the slaves sometimes nursed the babies...not the mothers....I think it was refferred to as a wetnurse....I might be wrong.

C&K*s Mommie replied: No! Personally, that would not have been something that I would have done. Unless it was absolutely dire imortant for the well being of that baby (like being one of the evacuees in Katrina), not just random.

coasterqueen replied: I have not seen wet nursing, but it's common more than you think. It was also done way back when in time. The rich (in whatever time period that was) would hire wet nurses to feed their babies because there was no formula back then and I guess they didn't feel right doing it themselves.

I, personally, couldn't do it, even for my sister or close relative UNLESS their baby was extremely ill. I'd nurse their child before I'd ever want them to give them formula because the breastmilk would be much better for them than the formula would.

I don't find it disgusting either, because it was done long before I was ever thought of, and the norm.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

Wet nursing has been around since the beginning of time-that is how Moses' mother was able to see him in the palace-she offered to nurse the child the pharoah's daughter had "plucked from the river" I guess it lost popularity because breastfeeding became more accepted.

mckayleesmom replied:
I know its been around longer, but I was just reffering to a documentary I saw about it before. It was about how slaves most of the time took on the task of breasfeeding their white owners babies.

Bee_Kay replied: I know wetnursing has been around for years, but *wow*.... it was just really strange for me to see it.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Oh no I was not saying you were wrong I meant yes you were right....sorry I did not mean to sound like that!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I really don't think I would have a problem doing it in circumstances like Karen suggested,(or if I were to adopt) but to just grab up someone else's child and start bf'ing them b/c my bb's were full Nope. That seems strange to me. But not for reasons to do with the child. I think it would be fine for a child to get another mom's breastmilk. I really don't think there is anything wrong with that at all. I often thought of donating my breastmilk to a bank. But, it bothers me b/c if I were on the flip side of this I wouldn't want to sit there and watch someone else bf my baby.

I'm probably not making much sense.

BAC'sMom replied: Too weird for me, I think I would have to pass.

coasterqueen replied:
Just thinking of Moses, religion, etc...I find it so odd that some, not all, but some think BF is weird, or that wetnursing is odd when it's such a part of our religious history and if someone who thinks it's odd is religious, how could you find it odd?

I don't mean you as in YOU and I don't really know your stance on the subject...I'm just saying this in general because I find it very puzzling.

BAC'sMom replied: I didn't mean BF was weird I BF ALL my kids and also worked fulltime. I just think wetnursing is strange, it would bother me if someone else was feeding MY child. JMO

coasterqueen replied:
Thank you for that. I agree, there is a SMALL part of me that thinks wetnursing is weird. I also know that if someone else had to wetnurse my child I would probably be devestated and would have some emotional issues with it. I would have to get over them if it was for the health of my baby though, but still very hard in deed.

I guess what I was meaning by my previous post was those who are religious, and I don't even know if you are or not and this is for me IRL, not anyone on this board, but I find it odd that those who are religious have such an issue or think it's weird to BF their own children OR to see/do wetnursing. I say this because my church has such an issue with me BF my child in church. I do it anyways, but still. How can they have an issue with it when it was so common in religious times?

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
Anything can seem odd when we think about it. Thinking about bf'ing can seem odd to some and is a lot of the reason why some moms don't give it a go. Thinking about bf'ing your child past a certain age seems odd to some...but if you are there, in that moment it's a lot different.

I guess what I'm trying to say is while it seems 'odd' to some, it may seem totally natural to others who are actually in the situation. I just couldn't see myself allowng anyone to bf my child...then again, circumstances change and who knows...if I were in the situation it might just be okay.

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
Karen that's just awful

Times have changed a lot. It is biblical, but still does not seem natural for some. That's all they had back in the day. If you couldn't bf your child, someone else did it for you. People just dont' think about it like that. Breasts are so sexual now.

jem0622 replied: Well, that would be called a Wet Nurse type of situation.

I did consider trying to keep my lactation up to donate milk, but don't know if I would nurse someone else's child for fear of invading their space as a parent. KWIM?

For myself, I couldn't do the physical nursing but would be glad to donate pumped milk.

ETA: We stopped attending a church b/c the usher, in a nutshell, told me that I was not allowed to nurse my oldest son in church. WTH? My DH was LIVID to say the least.

Bee_Kay replied: That's terrible that you BFing at church is frowned upon. (now there's a huge debate I've seen on TV: breastfeeding in public).

I see no problem with it at all.

There are some that say "I don't want (or want my kids) to see someone else's breast while in public or out to lunch".

In my experience, almost ALL of the women I've seen BFing in public are very discreet.... and if there is a little boobie that shows??? Big freakin deal.

I tell ya... people find way too many things to b***h about nowadays!!

BAC'sMom replied:

Which is a total shame! I know when I had my son I got totally dogged by my "friends" for wanting to BF my child. But I stuck to my guns. It was not easy as most people think; it was a challenge for me . I had to use a shield for a while got mastitis and was working full time. But boy am so glad I stuck with it, I BF when I had my other 2 children too.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
If I recall correctly, they considered it "unladylike" and thought that BF would ruin their figures. That was in the pre-Civil War era at least.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

I know several people who were/are wierded out by BFing-I don't feel breastfeeding is odd I bfed Tay for 2 years..

Karen~it is sad the your church frowns on you nursing but I am unsure by what you mean IN church. Do you mean in the service? I am a supporter of Bfing where ever the baby may get hungry and so is Bill however I know it would make him very uncomfortable to see another woman nursing with him around. I understand the arguement that breasts are made for babies to be fed but that is not their sole purpose and so I can see the feeling of uneasiness that people feel when they see a woman BFing. If it is just BFing in general then I think that is very strange!

coasterqueen replied:
Well when I first took Kylie there I was told I'd be more comfortable if I fed her in the private sanctuary attached to the regular sanctuary. That was their polite way of telling me it's not prudent to nurse during sermon. So I didn't go back for the longest time. Then I decided "forget them" and went back there and now I nurse Megan in church anytime I need to.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: My MIL nursed her nephew back in the 70s...that's the story I got. His mom (MIL's sister-in-law) was a single mom and worked full-time. MIL took care of her nephew and so it was just readily available. No big deal to them, nor is it to me, but I don't think I could do it unless rare cases of illness, etc. I have a sister and I'm not sure I can picture myself nursing her kids, but I could care less if someone else did it in my presence. Who am I to judge? MIL is from Holland, so I imagine wetnursing is more common in Europe nowadays. I'd have to ask her.

There was a huge lawsuit back in the early 90s or so about a DCP BF a mother's child at daycare without permission. It was in London. The mother asked to be called immediately if the baby needed to be nursed, but no one called. So when she got there, the DCP said "well she was fussing and I gave her my breast, now she's fine!" The mom was devestated and sued. I would definitely do the same thing!!

coasterqueen replied: Rae,

I've heard in places like Holland, Sweden, etc that they are VERY laid back when it comes to breastfeeding in general. A friend of ours was stationed over in Sweden and when he visited I asked him politely if he was bothered by me nursing in front of him (I only asked since I hadn't seen him for 10 years) and he said no and explained the situation over there. OMG, I told DH we had to move immediately. I wish the US was more like other countries when it came to things like this.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
ITA...I've always been a bit shy about my breasts, but it's nice to see my in-laws so relaxed around me when I BF Wil. My FIL thought it was strange I felt compelled to go upstairs to the nursery when he was around, but that's what I was used to with my own dad. My mom didn't BF her kids, so it's nice having that support from at least one side of the family. Not that my mom doesn't support me, but she just doesn't relate and gave me the "is he getting enough?" question all the time.

My MIL had two home births, totally natural of course. And cloth diapers all the way!! It was hard at first, being a new mom, having your MIL constantly tell you what she felt was best (since I got an epi), but now she respects what I do and I respect her. She's just amazed at how different things are these days!

TeagansMom609 replied: I would TOTALLY let my sister nurse my child. Call me weird, but its just my sister, its just a breast, and its just breastmilk. Anyone else, no.