(There are a million and one things I intend to get around to posting someday: millions of photos of Mallory, almost as many of Liam, a slideshow I’m working on of hospital photos, a copy of the birth announcement, pages from Liam’s birthday album and Mallory’s trading card album, nursery photos, photos of some of the gifts we’ve been lucky to receive, details of our lives that are (gasp!) unrelated to baby… the list is endless… but there are only so many hours in the day, and I’m enjoying using them to create these things right now… and to SLEEP... the posting will have to wait a bit. Bear with me… I am working on it!!)Over the past few weeks, I have spent an astonishing number of hours flopped out on the sofa with Mallory attached to me. (I guess this explains the staggering weight gain??) Anyway, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to channel surf and read over those many hours, and something that has surprised me to learn about is the rising popularity, once more, of the wet nurse. The link takes you to this week's issue of Time magazine. I've also seen segments on CNN and the Today show this week.
(This is one of those topics that would have grossed me out to no end before I had kids, but now that I’ve had them, almost nothing grosses me out anymore; those with queasy stomachs like my former self might want to stop reading for today.)
Although the idea of someone else breastfeeding my kiddo seems weird and gross and bizarre, I can see why people do it. It takes up a huge amount of time. It requires the sacrifice of a huge amount of sleep. And I understand that there are people out there who have trouble breastfeeding.
(OK. Actually, I don’t understand this. It’s hard for me to believe this when my own fountain runneth over, and when my kids are little pork chops who starting mowing down on Day 1 and never looked back. I know this makes me lucky and I’m not trying to insinuate that problems don’t exist, just that I totally can’t identify with them, and I’m happy not to.)
Still… $1000 per week? For that? Really?
I suppose that, on an hourly basis, it's not all that much. Considering that you'd basically be on call 24/7. And there are sacrifices to be made, too; less caffeine, less alcohol, far worse wardrobe selection. (Honestly, can anyone point me to a NICE nursing bra? Ick!!)
I don't have anything of consequence to say on the subject, really. I'm just surprised that I'm hearing about it as much as I am, and it's relevant to my life right now. It gets me half-wondering if I may be on the wrong career path. There's less opportunity for advancement, I'm sure; but I imagine there's also a lot less office politics to contend with.
Comments, Megan??? :)
6 comments:
You know that I am someone who usually keeps her ideas to herself but since you asked... I am a very strong believer in breast feeding. I nursed both of my girls over a year and that was back when you only got 6 months off. I carried a pump to work and used it on breaks and at lunch. I do not believe that there are many women who cannot breast feed. I think there are lots who don't because they don't like it or it is inconvenient. No one had more nursing issues then I did, bleading cracked nipples, mastitis, leaking, engourgement, I had it all but I managed.
So for someone to hire out this wonderful chance to bond with your child is pretty sad. Although not as sad as the person who never attempts to nurse because it is gross, a bother or because they don't want to be totally responisible for the feeding.
That article says that 70% of Americans are breastfeeding. That statement in inaccurate. 70% begin and then most stop after the first week. The USA has the lowest nursing rates in the Western world mainly because of their archaic materinty benifits.
Oh, and nursing does not make your baby smarter, smarter mothers breastfeed and IQ is hereditary through the mother's side.
Sorry, but you did ask...
Trading cards? Possibly a la Miss Fish? And a whole album! I must see these!! :)
ps - got our cards in the mail today and they are beautiful! Thanks!!
I guess I am just surprised, with formula as prevalent as it is, that wet nursing is back in fashion. If you're hiring a wet nurse, it's because you think breast milk has an advantage over formula. With as many pro-formula people out there as there are, I'm surprised that there are such large numbers of people now thinking that breast milk has a $52,000 advantage (more or less) over formula.
I was grossed out by breastfeeding before I did it, but as it is with everything, that all changes when it's your own kid and not someone else's. Which is why I am pro-breastfeeding for my own children, but I couldn't imagine doing it for someone else's.
Megan, I knew you would have $0.02 to add. :)
Jenn - not trading cards, exactly, but I'm using trading card pages to make it. I hope to make some progress on it tonight and have pictures soon!
If you are rich and of the it's not for me ilk, why wouldn't you hire someone to do what you don't want to? Isn't that why there are cleaning ladies?
I would be more then happy to have sold my extra milk. By the time I finished nursing I still had 3 months worth in the freezer. In BC you can donate breast milk to mothers who are going through chemotherapy and therefor cannot nurse. I think that's great! I would likely had an easier time nursing someone elses kid then let someone else nurse one of mine.
I think milk banks are a different idea entirely - when there are circumstances that prevent someone from breastfeeding. Such as chemotherapy. Or such as having multiples, or a delivery that led to establishing a breastfeeding relationship being extremely difficult. If I were in any of those situations, I'd probably have been a formula feeder.
I see where you're coming from with the cleaning lady comparison, but somehow this is just different. You know... bodily fluids and all.
Further proof:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070430.wlmilksharing01/EmailBNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
Post a Comment