And yet, there it is, rumbling in the distance, the familiar cries of naysayers are heading our way. Brace yourselves, because we seem to have unsettled the beast.
Here is the original post that I shared on my Facebook page (which just happens to be a space dedicated to normalising breastfeeding - in all its forms):
If we filter past the shock-fueled cries of "gross!" there is a lot of love for this picture. Because the majority (of my audience at least) see this practice of wet-nursing for exactly what it is: a wonderful alternative to direct breastfeeding.
And if you are on the fence and need convincing, let me provide some more information. Allow me to quote from The World Health Organization's Global Strategy On Infant And Young Child Feeding, which lists these "best alternatives" to direct breastfeeding:
Expressed breast milk from an infant's own mother.
Breast milk from a healthy wet nurse or a human-milk bank.
Breast-milk substitute fed with a cup.
I understand the frustration, grief and anger that so many mums feel when breastfeeding doesn't come easily to them, or when breastfeeding feels like the hardest mountain to climb. I get it, I really do. But this innocent list wasn't compiled to shame mums. It was created, by the World Health Organization and Unicef, to provide information, clarity and facts.
A healthy wet nurse is one of the best alternatives to direct breastfeeding. And for mums who struggle to pump that elusive 59L of breast milk, or who are negotiating the phenomenon of Pumping Disappointment, the option of wet-nursing could be the perfect solution.
Jessica, the mum in the picture, told me:
Breastfeeding my friend's son came naturally to me. I started babysitting him when he was five-months-old and the first time she dropped him off to me I asked permission to nurse him, since I was already nursing my three-month-old. She responded with an enthusiastic yes, because he was having issues with the formula his previous sitter had been giving him. My friend struggled with breastfeeding in the beginning and succeeded for nine months. She was always very happy that her son had the nutrition and comfort he needed while she was working. Being able to breastfeed her little boy has created a special bond between us all, a bond I will always cherish.
For a society that has no issues drinking the milk of another species in their mocha cappuccinos, perhaps it's time to change our general stance towards human babies drinking human milk. For a society that holds formula as the "norm" for infant feeding, perhaps it's time to have another glance at the list above, a list compiled with only one "goal" in mind: to improve the health of our children and future generations.
Quite simply, you can't argue with the facts. Isn't it time to normalise breastfeeding, in all its forms?
This post originally appeared on Mama Bean Parenting. You can also find Mama Bean on Twitter and Facebook.
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