Hi all,
In our nurses' break room, I found a booklet from 1926, called Infant Care.
It is from the US government, and contains some amazing statements.  In it
we can see the roots of all our cultural difficulties with breastfeeding,
i.e., the notion of a strict q4 hour feeding schedule.  But there is also
much wisdom, for example:

"There is no food "just as good" as mother's milk.  Mother's milk prevents
certain diseases and protect the baby from others.  The death rate of
infants who are breastfed for the first months of life is much lower than
among babies who are artificially fed during this period.  If every mother
realized how perilous the first months after birth are to her infant, and
how great a protection breastfeeding is, few babies would be artificially
fed, and as a result, the number of infant deaths would be greatly
lessened."  (and I thought "artificial feeding" was one of our trendy
lactation buzz-words!)

"Every wet nurse should nurse her own baby.  Her peace of mind will insure
better breast milk.  Also, if the baby to be wet-nursed is small and weak it
may be an advantage to have the wet nurse's breasts emptied afterwards by a
more vigorous child.  Professional wet nurses in hospitals often furnish
enough milk for several babies at a time, so there need be no fear that a
wet nurse cannot supply milk for two if she has good breasts, if her life is
properly regulated and her diet ample."

"the feeding of a premature or delicate infant is a most serious problem.
Until the mother's milk is established, every effort should be made to
secure a few ounces of milk from some other woman nursing her own child or
to obtain a regular wt nurse.  The wet nurse's baby should accompany her and
should be used to stimulate the breasts of the premature baby's mother."

I had so much fun reading this, I had no idea wet nursing was a commonplace
as recently as the 1920's.  I was wowed by the lactation knowledge shown in
having the stronger baby stimulate the breasts of a mom who had delivered a
premie.
Warm wishes to all from

Martha Johnson RN IBCLC
Eugene OR

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