Women having been nursing babies other than their own since time began. There seems to be a stigma in this modern era against nursing, nursing in public, and now nursing other babies.
We all saw the news about Salma Hayek in Sierra Leone nursing an African baby, to her credit, but it is just not something new. She did not invent the idea. In fact the story of baby Moses shows that it is expected that a woman would share her milk, since when Pharaoh's daughter found baby Moses in a basket in the river, Miriam who had been following the baby asked her if she would like her to fetch a woman who could nurse the child. So Miriam went and brought back Moses own mother to nurse him (unknown to Pharoah's daughter). This all happened to protect the baby from the infanticide that was occurring to the Israelite babies. So nursing a baby that is not your own has been done for centuries.
In this modern era some women seem to feel very strange about sharing their breasts with a baby, even their own baby, as though it is unnatural. The thing however that is unnatural is the contrary, not breastfeeding your baby. Something created so special and wonderful that almost any woman can do, is rejected and made to be something dirty or weird.
Despite the bad rap, many women to their credit, continue to nurse their babies, and to share breast milk with other babies in need. There are many things to consider though if you are sharing your milk or are on the receiving end. That is to make sure the milk is healthy and is being handled and stored properly. There are several helpful sites out there but below are a couple that I found most helpful, but do your own research.
Breastfeeding has gained the spotlight not just by Salma Hayek, but by the chemicals that are being found in breast milk. A certain Mary Brune started an organization call MOMS-Making Our Milk Safe, which has brought about a change in the California law. Starting in 2011 breast-milk samples from all over the state will be analyzed to see which communities are being exposed to which chemicals like perchlorate, a rocket fuel chemical, and others, as pesticides and toxic chemicals stay in your fat cells and eventually make their way to your breast milk.
Despite all of that, breast milk continues to be the healthiest milk for baby, providing nutrients and antibodies while adjusting to the needs of the baby and it is FREE!
For more information click on the safermilk link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6htxMJ4cfQs&feature=player_embedded
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