# Why are there no wetnurses? (Poss TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566 "2005-03-08T20:37:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/1 "2005-03-08T20:37:03Z")
In [this Pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=304902), a mother’s lactation problems are discussed. Several posters mention the old use of wetnurses. But one never hears of them these days. Why is this? There’s clearly a need. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/2 "2005-03-08T20:45:12Z")
Why suckle the kid, when you can snare the rich father for a fee? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/3 "2005-03-08T20:51:26Z")
I think it’s been covered before, but: 1. There’s formula, which isn’t perfect but which is better than the milk from someone whose diet and drug use you have no control over. 2. There are milk banks for emergency cases. 3. Few women are probably going to be willing to lactate for several years just for money. And what about the logistics? Does she breastfeed or pump or both? What about night feedings? What if she gets sick? If the family wants to travel, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/4 "2005-03-08T21:38:16Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Why suckle the kid, when you can snare the rich father for a fee? Because breast is best. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/5 "2005-03-08T22:12:57Z")
To have a supply of wetnurses, you need a supply of poor women who have either recently lost an infant, or are willing (for money) to put someone else’s child ahead of their own as far as feeding goes. Those days seem to have gone (apart from there being alternatives which were not available several hundred years ago). ---
**Author:** ![biddee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@biddee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biddee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/6 "2005-03-08T22:16:30Z")
I know a few women on our breastfeeding board that donate milk to close friends or family and some have even nursed their friend’s or relative’s children while nursing their own. I know it’s not the same, but the need is really not there for wetnurses because as was already said, there is formula now and milk banks for women who’s babies cannot take formula or who have special needs. Wetnurses usually used to be hired by the upper class because the mothers were generally not very involved with the children. See this on how to choose a wetnurse: [Link](http://victoria.tc.ca/~tgodwin/duncanweb/documents/nurse.html) ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/7 "2005-03-08T22:18:13Z")
Id guess that its for the same reason you don’t see too many houses with maids/servigstaff etc. Cost. Think about it this way, you would need to hire a person full time for a relatively long period who would essentially have to either be in house or close enough to be the same. Their housing/food for this time would have to come out of your pocket. Costs too much considering that there are much cheaper alternatives such as formulas and all. ---
**Author:** ![biddee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@biddee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biddee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/8 "2005-03-08T22:29:36Z")
And here’s what the [La Leche League](http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVJulAug95p53.html) have to say on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-wetnurses-poss-tmi/293566/9 "2005-03-08T23:21:21Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Why suckle the kid, when you can snare the rich father for a fee? I wish I knew what this meant. Wetnurses used to live with the (rich) families they nursed for. How many families can do that nowadays? I’d have to have control over what they eat and drink and whatever they ingest, if we were to have a wet nurse.