A friend of mine is VERY convinced of the benefits of breast feeding her newborn. (This isn’t a debate. Please don’t start one.) However, because of some medicines she’s going to have to take to combat a high blood pressure condition, she soon won’t be able to continue doing this.
Is it still possible to hire a wet nurse in this country? She’s checked the local milk bank, but because of limited resources their supply is limited to sick and premature babies.
If it matters, we’re located in a metropolitan area in north Texas. I’ve googled a bit, but all I seem to be able to find are sites of a … um, mature … nature.
I seriously doubt it. The logistics would be pretty complicated, at least with a very young baby. When wet nurses were used, they were either live-in servants or the baby was shipped out to live with them.
The legal issues involved these days would be pretty serious, too, I would think. For example, how would you know that your wet nurse wasn’t compromising her own milk in some way–drinking, drugs, HIV, who knows?
Turek,
are you in the DFW area?
I live in Fort Worth and I have found that the breast feeding center at the Downtown Harris to be very helpful.
Our nearest milk bank is in Austin. DFW is making plans for one, but it’s not certain when that will happen. Right now milk donated in DFW is sent there.
Cher3,
The very reasons you list are the reasons milk banks are not around as much any more. Once I have extra milk (I am currently breast feeding) I plan on donating to the milk bank. I will have to undergo a physical and take tests to make sure all is well with me, healthwise. If one hires a wetnurse, it’s a risk.