Breastfeeding a stranger’s child

I'd feed someone else's baby if the circumstances required it. A hungry baby is a hungry baby, there's nothing else to it is there?

Another milk donor here. Yes I’d feed a stranger’s baby if there were no other option- wouldn’t think twice. It’s an unusual situation though.

The context is important. Nothing else available in a remote small airport with a starving baby.

HIV and lots of other infections can be transmitted through breast milk. I would therefore never let another woman feed my baby. Donated breast milk is different, because I guess that it gets tested. I would also be pretty mad if someone just breastfed my child, because many people who have HIV don't even know it for a couple of years, because there are no symptoms. Your best friend could have it, too. It's just not safe.

Even if that baby would starve without it? Sounds like there was no other option in this circumstance.

In the circumstances you are describing I think if you could you definitely would, my friend felt a real urge to feed someone else’s baby once (she didn’t!) because it looked malnourished, her body was certainly willing to do it.

I’m sure 99.9% of people with the ability to breastfeed wouldn’t consider doing it if they knew they had something transmissible

It’s what they don’t know is the problem, not what they do know.

It's much more disturbing that a baby would go hungry because someone doesn't like the idea of another mother breastfeeding the baby.

I don’t think it’s disturbing. People used to do it all the time (wet nurses). And it’s more natural than drinking cows milk. I doubt I will ever be in this situation but I would be happy to breastfeed someone else’s baby if they were hungry and there was nothing else available. Why would I just sit there and watch a child suffer when I can help? That would be far more disturbing.

I donated to a milk bank which supplied the NICU one of my DCs spent four months in.

I’d feed a hungry baby that wasn’t mine without a second thought if there wasn’t an alternative.

I’m sure 99.9% of people with the ability to breastfeed wouldn’t consider doing it if they knew they had something transmissible.

Do you drink cow's milk? Or eat cheese?

Humans are the only animals to drink milk after infancy and not even our own mother’s milk so if we cut the supermarket out we’re essentially sucking on a cow’s breast

No, we are not. What’s come out of the cows breast has gone through a process of pasteurisation, to make it safe for consumption. Same with milk powder used in baby formula (I breastfed but just pointing this out for someone who said cow breastmilk is in baby formula), it has also gone through a pasteurisation process prior to being dried/powdered.

Human milk that has gone through milk banks has been both pasteurised and screened - look it up. It is safe, and there is zero issue. Milk from Janet down the road, who knows.

This

Compelled?????

Opted to under various circumstances perhaps, but compelled.

Are you saying she was forced to?

I think it’s wonderful. Maybe you’re thinking of breasts in a sexual way and that’s the reason?

Humans are the only animals to drink milk after infancy and not even our own mother’s milk so if we cut the supermarket out we’re essentially sucking on a cow’s breast while her poor baby has been removed for veal which I know gives more people the ick.

Look up ‘wet nurse’.

I would have done if asked and a hungry baby, and parent was completely on board with it. I don’t think it would feel that odd to me, and as we know it used to be very common.

It's just feeding a baby.

I remember discussing this with my NCT group when we all had newborns and were all breastfeeding. We all had to answer if we'd rather feed another baby or have our babies fed by someone else. Consensus was rather feed another baby but either would be OK if needed.

I would do this to help someone if I could.

I come from a culture that this is normal and my sisters have all breastfed my baby
Really don't see the issue and comes in handy as I exclusively breastfeed

I did once, my friend took her husband to hospital and left her baby with me, was only a few weeks younger than mine and only 3 months old. Didn't bother me, she asked me to.
My Nan fed a neighbours baby back in the 40's. The mother died and Nan had a baby. My Mum said she could remember the neighbours children bringing it around in a red metal trolley thing. Nan did say she didn't like doing it much but it was what you did, you helped out.

I think in some cultures this is much more normal. I watched a documentary on this years ago and children raised at the same breast were considered milk siblings in Middle East. In the U.S. there was a bf circle who would routinely feed each others babies, tribes of people in South America would feed any hungry child who wanted a milk cuddle.

I did bf all my own dc though till 2. So 6 years of bf, last lot were twins with a dairy allergy so definitely by the end I’d lost any ick factor or of intimacy between mother and child. It was just a pretty practical way of getting nutrition into a child. I never bf anyone else’s child but I’d of helped out had the circumstances warranted it. You could also express into a cup and syringe / spoon feed in a pinch.

I would if there was no alternative but I think I’d feel very awkward. I breast fed both of mine until 18 months and enjoyed it all.

I think that's a lovely thing to do under the circumstances. Sounds like it's just given you the ick but it wouldn't bother me.

Beautiful.

I'd do it in a heartbeat.

My friend breastfed my hungry baby when I was stuck in a transport situation unexpectedly. Baby was hungry, she had milk. Life went on. She said it was an amazing experience actually. I still haven't told my son.