Would you bf a child who isn't yours?

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Further to that post about wet nursing, would you breast feed someone else's child?

I had this conversation with my sis and we both agreed that we would be happy to feed each others lo's and probably close friends lo's.

However, we wouldn't want anyone else feeding our lo's! Not sure if it is the eeewww factor, or control freaks in us!

What do you think?

I loved breastfeeding but it would never occur to me to breastfeed someone else's child so no I couldn't, unless in an emergency.

I think I would, depending on the situation and possibly on whose baby it was. I would possibly also be happy with a close friend feeding ds2. Wouldn't really want anyone else feeding ds2 (2.8) though, tbh. Feeding an older child is so different from feeding a baby.

wouldn't want anyone feeding ds1

Yes, my friend and I have had our babies at very similar times and we had an arrangement that if the babies woke when the other person was babysitting then we would feed them if necessary. It never actually happened though as the babies never woke!

I have done this. 15 months ago a very close friend had a baby and was having problems latching on - she was bleeding and sore, he was crying because he was hungry and she didn't want him to have formula, so on two occasions with her full permission I breastfed him. It did feel very slightly weird, but she was happy that he'd not had any formula, it gave her a bit of a break from painful feeding and we made sure she got some help with positioning and attachment so that in the long term she was able to feed him herself.

I'd do it again without hesitation.

I would, especially if it was a cute little newborn baby that still had its head bobbing reflex.... awwwww, little newborns. I would not mind someone else feeding ds unless they were a really heavy smoker as I'm not sure how well he'd get on with the nicotine.

When I say "I would" obviously I mean I would but only if I had permission.

No. I would happily donate milk, but i wouldn't like to feed another child directly from my breast.

And again, i would have no problem with my baby drinking someone elses EBM but would hate the thought of her suckling on someone elses breast.

I would donate (was refused) but would rather have my lo's have formula than donated milk unless premature and really in need.

(fizzbuzz - impossible to say what you would do in those circs (unless you have experienced something similar) I guess? Hadn't the woman in question recently lost her baby?)

you'd really rather give formula than breastmilk? why?

NO WAY!!! Unless it was a dire emergancy, like we were trapped under rubble after an earthquake.

I BF mine for 9, 15, & 9 months.

I wouldn't be happy with someone else feeding my baby, unless it was an emergancy, and then I expect I would be increadibly grateful.

It's not that I would mind so much my baby having someone elses breast milk(no weirder than cows), it's the intamacy involved during breast feeding that I would object to.

do you not think that that intimacy wouldn't be the same with someone elses child thouhh?
I mean, you've got a special bond with your baby that no-one else fcan replicate.
If I fed someone else's baby then I don't think I would feel that same sense of intimacy, love and closeness that I do with ds. it would be me providing milk to a hungry baby.

Yes. thats how i feel too Lynette ...

I honestly don't see it would be any more or less than a cuddle.

I would like to say yes, but when I was having problems bf, if my SIL had bf dd I think I would have been so jealous. But I had problems letting anyone else bottle feed her because I was scared she would loose the bond with me so I had my hangups! . On the other hand, I can easily imagine bfing my nieces.

Daisymoo, that's amazing. Really lovely of you could help your friend out in this way. And amazing of your friend to be happy for you to do it and not feel inadequate.

I wouldn't.

But when I was bfing ds2 and I was away from him at work (I work in an infant/toddler clothing store) I would see other babies and get the urge to bf them.

"Haven't read whole thread but this reminds me of a story in the newspaper here in Spain about some African immigrants who washed up on a Spanish beach somewhere filled with holiday makers (happens every week here). They were exhausted and dehydrated and there was a woman with a baby of about 9 months. She was too weak to move never mind feed him and the baby was crying. A Spanish woman on the beach picked him up and fed him. It made the front pages. I remember it really choked me up."
(I posted that on thisthread under my former name)

That is choking SM.

A friend had to go back to work for financial reasons when her ds was 4 months. She had been exclusively bfing and the baby would not (and I mean really would not) accept anything except the breast. He would not take anything all day and bf at night. His dad was looking after him in the day and got terribly upset and worried (understandably) that the baby would get dehydrated.

I was really tempted to offer to feed him as dd was the same age and was breastfed. But I didnt as worried it would freak them out.

I'm not sure if I could. I'd probably want to donate EBM instead.

Apparently my Nan fed one of my older cousins once - just the once - but that was probably a bit of one-upmanship on her part at having overflowing boobs compared to her step-sister/sister in law.

oh my god, never really thought about it! i think i could do it in an emergency, but i wouldnt want someone else feeding dd