Will you breastfeed a calf?

This is a very nicely written article that hopefully will enlighten more people and rid them of their prejudice against wet nurses or the practice of wet nursing.

I once ranted about how some hospitals defeat the breastfeeding process (or at least, delay its success) and said in my post there that PGH and Fabella at least are better, because they generally make sure all babies who are hungry get attached to a breast, even if it's not their mother's... and every able and willing mother is breastfeeding, even if it's not their baby.

One or two commenters on that post found the idea repulsive especially since there is formula, after all. Why give the breast milk of someone else? I granted that the idea may seem controversial and unusual but i've always known that's how it's been done for centuries. That's how the human race survived, women came to the rescue of other women (same principle in employing the services of a doula).

Breast is best... so really, why give cow's milk?

Does this mean I would just readily let my son nurse from someone else? Maybe not... but it's kinda pointless to contemplate that since we're breastfeeding just fine. And I think, any resistance from my end would stem more from jealousy, that the magic and intimacy of breastfeeding him will be shared with someone else. Sort of like losing territory.

Then again, when you think about it... couldn't nursing from someone else's breast be more rewarding than being formula fed by someone else? After all, breastfeeding's benefits go beyond what you get from the milk itself. It's bonding time, it's touch therapy.

And one can always get/buy pumped milk anyway... but that takes away from the emotional and psychological benefits of breastfeeding.

Sometimes, i'd encounter requests for milk donation from people whose babies are born with congenital problems... and these parents know that breastmilk alone can fortify their babies to triumph over whatever medical malady it was that needed conquering. Why should it be different for healthy babies? Don't they deserve the best, or second best, just because they're healthy?

So... if the rumors were true that Claudine Baretto and Kris Aquino hired wet nurses because they had to get lipo and whatever... I only pass judgement on them prioritizing the beauty makeovers, but actually like that they did give the next best thing.

Anyway, this post does not hope to get all mothers exchanging babies with other moms when it comes to breastfeeding. But I really think it is an option that should be considered more and supported by the government and private sector.

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Hopefully, however, I have not yet become annoying in my breastfeeding advocacy.

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Oh, and I want to tell the author of the article that giving formula may have prolonged the pain she was dealing with. Hehe.