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A wet nurse is a woman who breast feeds a baby that is not her own.
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
- insufficient production of breast milk.
Wet nurses have also been required following multiple births where the mother has proved incapable of adequately nursing all of the children herself.
Some wet nurses are also trained to serve as a midwife during childbirth.
Historical use
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.
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.
Though it is not widely known in developed countries, a woman who has never been pregnant may produce milk. 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.
External links
See also
Personal care and service occupations | Child care occupations | Infant feeding
Дойка | Amme | Ama de crianza | Imettäjä | Amma (yrke)
"Wet nurse"