Wet Nursing

Wet nursing is the act of a lactating woman feeding another woman's infant from her breast. The womanly act of breastfeeding has always been important to the vitality of the human species. Wet nursing has a long history dating beyond ancient Roman times and it still remains a part of the current world, though less common in developed countries.

In the past, wet nursing was an acceptable practice used for a variety of reasons to ensure an infant's health; breast milk was necessary for survival. A wet nurse would be employed to provide the nourishment the infant needed. A mother may have been unable to feed her own child because of illness, death, or inadequate milk supply. More affluent households were likely to employ wet [Page 880]nurses so that the mother's fertility would return after childbirth and she could bear more children. When corsets were fashionable they would often damage breast tissue and nipples and a woman would be physically unable to breastfeed. Wet nursing did not begin to decline until the 19th century when animal milk was more safely formulated for infant consumption.

Though hospitals in the United States no longer employ wet nurses, it is still in practice. Today, breast milk is preferred over formula to provide the best nutrients to an infant. Mothers may want to provide their babies with breast milk, but are unable to do so for several possible reasons. Some mothers may need to take medication that would be passed through the breast milk and detrimental to the baby, the mother may be hospitalized or deceased, the mother may feel that she is not producing enough milk for the child, she may be working and not able to breastfeed, she may not want to breastfeed, her breasts may have been damaged because of breast augmentation or reduction surgeries, or she may have adopted a child. Cross nursing may also be used, where a woman breastfeeds both her child and another. Cross nursing arrangements are made by some mothers to breastfeed each other's child most commonly when in child care or babysitting. Organizations such as La Leche League International, a breastfeeding advocate, do not currently support wet nursing, as viruses can be transmitted through breastfeeding. Additionally, some believe there may be psychological harm when a wet nurse severs the relationship with the infant after they have likely bonded, or infants may become confused with a new person to feed from with cross nursing. In many undeveloped and developing nations, wet nursing is more common. Lack of alternate forms of nutrition and contaminated water supplies make wet nursing more critical for providing infants enough nourishment to survive and thrive. Wet nursing has had an extensive history and will likely continue for those with limited alternatives.