Wet nurse

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A wet nurse is a woman who breast feeds a baby that is not her own.

1 Reasons for use
2 Historical use
3 Current use
4 See also

[edit] Reasons for use

A wet nurse may be employed if the birth mother of a baby is unable to breast-feed her infant for reasons such as:

drug use (prescription or illegal)
illness
death
insufficient production of breast milk.
unwillingness

Wet nurses have also been required following multiple births where the mother feels incapable of adequately nursing all of the children herself, though the breast would respond to demand, increasing in yields and volume to meet the need over a period of weeks.

Some wet nurses are also trained to serve as a midwife during childbirth.

[edit] Historical use

In Prophet Mohammed's history in late 6th century , it was reported that Mohammed took breast milk from a wet nurse named Haleema. It was a tradition in Arabia in that time to give babies to the wet nurses. Wet nursing was reported in France by Louis the XIV in early 17th century, part of it was to encourage elaborate court life. In the past, members of higher classes would have their children wet-nursed. This is an outgrowth of an old tradition -- noblewomen would not breast-feed, and could become pregnant again sooner, to ensure an heir, if they were not nursing their infants.

[edit] Current use

Through the recent widespread availability of infant formula, wet nurses are not as necessary in developed nations and, therefore, are not common there. The use of a wet nurse is still a common practice in many developing countries.

Through frequent stimulation of the areolae and nipples, a woman may begin lactating and, therefore, be able to nurse. This ability also enables women who have previously been pregnant to nurse children to whom they did not give birth.