Saturday, August 18, 2007

Would you nurse someone else's child? Let someone nurse yours?

Ok, time to do what I always do. Pick myself up, dust myself off and stop having a pity party. It's not going to help anything. I've learned a valuable lesson...... caring mothers are capable of ANYTHING if they feel like they have lost a couple bucks.... even deactivating websites of dead children, yes even that.

Ok. moving on. Would you nurse someone else's child? Most of us will imediately say no, myself included. But really think about it and you might surprise yourself.

When my friend was pregnant my littlest pack member was 3 months old. She had always had trouble nursing her kids before but I convinced her that it was well worth it to just give it one more shot.

When her daughter was about...... 6 weeks old or so and not gaining the "ounce a day" they thought she should my friend thought that the babys latch was the problem. I watched her nurse and couldn't SEE a problem at all except the baby seemed to pop off a lot for a 6 week old.

That's when my friend, exasperated dropped the bombshell on me.

"Kat........ will you try nursing her and see what the problem is?"

I went through about a 6 second speed monologue in my head that went something like this... "WHAT?! I can't nurse your child! A child is suppose to drink his MOTHERS milk not someone else's! You are insane! I would NEVER let another woman nurse my child, no WAY..... OH MY GOD!"

The words that came out of my mouth, instead, was a pretty meek "ok" Gulp.

She handed me her baby and I proceded to nurse her. It wasn't as uncomfortable as I'd imagined. The baby nursed very well and fell promptly into what I call the "milk coma". I never was able to define a problem myself, but lo and behold from that day forward she nursed from her own mother like a champ! Who knows! I think it may have had something to do with a boost in moms confidence that her daughter WAS in fact able to nurse just fine.

So, would you ever nurse someone else's child? Under what circumstances? What about letting another mother nurse yours?

2 comments:

Misty said...

I have nursed my friend's crying newborn when I was babysitting. She had no problem with it. Nor would I have a problem with my friend nursing my baby. I know each mother makes milk specifically to her child, but I'd rather have a friend nurse my baby than a bottle of formula. (And I am not anti formula at all...just pro breast milk.)

Cara Cole said...

My Mom nursed 3 children. When my sister was a baby she watched her friend's twins while she worked and they didn't take bottles... I could do it every once in a while, but not on a daily basis.