Hi All:

This thread seems to have run its course before I caught up on my lists.  But
there is something eating at me.

Although the Sexually Transmitted Disease issue was mentioned, I am curious
as to how you all implicate it (or not) in your decision-making.  There is
much validity to the idea that maybe wet-nursing is a better idea than
donor-milk (certainly easier & cheaper!).

Years ago, LLL began saying that we could not recommend cross-nursing because
of possible transmission of disease.  At the time, I thought it was just an
over-reaction, as my family, friends, & I had all happily nursed each others'
babies when in a pinch.  Plus I had lots of warm, fuzzy stories such as had
already been shared, about grandmothers and such.

However, since then--especially after I started doing marriage counseling--
this has really begun to concern me.  Currently, in the United States at any
given time 1 in 4 adults between the ages of 15 & 55 has an STD.  One in 5 of
that age group has a viral (i.e. incurable) STD.  I had thought that it was
enuff to know your wet-nurse & her lifestyle.....until I began to counsel
women who had ONLY had sex with their husband who, charmer that he was, gave
her an STD.

So, we know that some of these get into the milk...we also know that there's
protection in the milk....but if it isn't mom's baby & body doing the dance I
worry that we know far too little and that the risk may be bigger than we
should encourage anyone to take.

Thoughts?

Nancy