Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Puritans on Breastfeeding


... American puritans, during the first two centuries of their existence here, used to argue—often from the pulpit—that mothers ought to breastfeed their babies (instead of giving their babies over to be fed by wet-nurses)...
~Ina May Gaskin, Author of Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding, Birth Matters; A Midwife's Manifesta and Ina May's Guide to Natural Childbirth
http://www.inamay.com/

3 comments:

Bruce B. said...

Never understood why a Mother would want to turn their own baby over to a wet-nurse. Seems to be an excellent book, based on the review.
13 hours ago · Unlike · 1 person

Jim S. said...

Why should women be ashamed or embarrassed by the crown of motherhood given her by the Almighty, Himself? ...something that no man or stranger can do properly ...a bond that no one can truly replace: God's gift of the family, a mirror of the fellowship of the Trinity!

Karen B. said...

Breastfeeding promotes parental bonding, it releases the whole "love cocktail" of hormones that promote bonding - so why would someone want their baby to be more bonded to somebody else?? But then again I'm sure most women nowadays who hire a wetnurse do it out of necessity because they cannot breastfeed.