[klyrs]

My mom breastfed me in the 80s, but didn't produce enough milk. So, she had a wet nurse. This practice was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, and probably goes back even further. That women are taught that this is a biological imperative is astonishingly ignorant of human history. Humans are not solitary by nature. We evolved as a society. It should be no surprise that we have evolved to rely upon that. And, no surprise, wet-nursing occurs in other social mammals too, even cross-species, just as we supplement with cow's milk.

That said, it's great to hear that scientists are exploring the mindbogglingly complex hormonal interactions at play. We won't change the culture, failure to breastfeed will still cause shame for this perfectly normal occurrence. It would be good for new parents to feel less stress in regards to this aspect of childrearing.

[valarauko]

> That women are taught that this is a biological imperative is astonishingly ignorant of human history.

I'm confused as to what you're referring to here - breastfeeding, or wet nurses? Or that only the biological mother can feed the baby?

Wet nurses have always existed across the world, but outside elite society, they were the exception, not the norm.

[jelliclesfarm]

I too don’t understand why wet nurses aren’t a thing in our modern times. I suspect being bipedal has been an impediment for motherhood. Most mammals raise their young together communally. Human beings did not evolve to be solitary creatures and in our times, for nuclear families. Large extended families and tribal cohesiveness is how humans survived.

[garciasn]

1. Because 'stuff' can be transferred via breast milk and, in general, people cannot be trusted.

2. Because we now have formula, which was intended to allow society to move on in a way which allowed females more freedom after birth.

3. Because, to quote Lenina Huxley, "Eeewww, disgusting! You mean... fluid transfer?"

---

We ended up nearly unknowingly starving both of our children through breastfeeding. We only knew this happened after the second one ended up in the NICU for four days even though we were working with Lactation Consultants, Pediatricians, and Nurses who assured us our children were getting enough to eat.

My wife, instead, had to spend 2+ years pumping and exclusively bottle feeding because we didn't want to go with the formula route and we had the means to have her stay at home--something most parents cannot do.

[jelliclesfarm]

I am sorry that you had to undergo so much trouble. There should be better lactation consultants for sure. There are breast milk banks where donated breast milk saves scores of children everyday. I think today’s technology that freezes breast milk and allows women to bank the excess they express is the equivalent of wet nurses. It is the most noble form of charity and donation.

There are many organizations like La leche foundation and human milk banks. They usually direct their donations to premature and severely malnourished infants. Donation of human milk saves lives. Milk is pasteurized before consumption. It is also tested.

Web article link: https://www.forbes.com/health/family/donating-breast-milk-wh...

When it’s expired or when women don’t want to donate their excess milk, I have known some mothers turn it to cheese.

On a lighter note, there is a fetishized demand for breast milk soap. A lady on our Nextdoor forum sells them like hot cakes and I heard she bought herself a new car . We all had a laugh about it but I guess every dollar helps!