My understanding is that in order for the milk kinship relationship to be
created that the recipient of the milk needs to be under 2 years of age. I'm
no expert on this but have taken an interest in the subject because of the
adoptive breastfeeding link.
I am sure that someone more knowledgeable than me will be able to assist. 
Karleen Gribble
Australia


-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Naomi Bar-Yam
Sent: Wednesday, 16 June 2010 9:45 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [LACTNET] Interesting Tidbit about breastfeeding in Saudi
Arabia.... (long)

Saudi Arabia: When You're Here, You're Family (Drink Up)

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/06/09/when-youre-here-youre-f
amilysaudi-style

i did some research on this a few years ago.
This is part of milk kinship laws that exist in various forms in many  
parts
of the world, particularly the mid East, far East and parts of Eastern  
Europe.
The system predates Islam and was incorporated into Moslem law. It goes
something like this:

Babies (and also children and adults) who nurse from the same woman
are treated as kin, as blood relatives. This is because it is believed  
that
the blood of the womb becomes the mother's milk after the birth of a  
baby.
When a woman feeds a baby who is not her biological child, she becomes
the baby's milk mother, her husband becomes their milk father and her
biological and milk children become milk siblings. They may not marry,
but they share sibling relationships throughout life. They help one  
another
out in business, milk children care for their milk mothers and fathers  
when they
get older, as blood siblings do.

             ***********************************************

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