Skip to main content

Would You Nurse Someone Else's Baby?


Last night at work, I was talking care of a "non-English speaking" family...a culture that "breast and bottle feeds" their babes.

An entire room full of people...and no one would, could, (wanted to?) feed the baby...so, I stepped in.

Grabbed the bottle, because mama kept telling me, "no milk!" when I asked her about putting the baby to breast. (And, yes...I did educate her that, indeed, she had what the baby needed...)

So, I snuggled this babe in, and moved to stand against the wall (remember, I said "a room full of people? Yeah, not kidding. Room. FULL. of people.)

Night was falling...and one of the men in the room spoke very clear, very fluent English (I thought)...I was standing near him and he said,

"You'll nurse the baby tonight?"

Ahem...ahhhh, wha'? Me, "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that, what did you say?"

He, "Do you nurse the baby tonight?"

Lemme say, never in my 11 years of nursing have I been propositioned to nurse a baby.

Me, *picking jaw up off of floor, staring blankly at him*...unsure of what, exactly, was happening...

He, sensing my confusion, "Will you take the baby to the nursery tonight?"

*exhale, breathe, laugh, giggle* Me, "Ohmigosh!!! I thought you were asking me if I'd nurse the baby!!!!"

And, the entire room full of non-English speaking visitors (but obviously English understanding...) BURST into laughter!

Hysterics!

What a moment...still giggling about it...

"Will you nurse the baby..."

Is it weird that...under different circumstances, I think I would?

I mean, NOT as a nurse (hello loss of job)...but, perhaps for a close friend or family member (and, considering...if I was lactating...which I am not, and probably will never *sniff, sniff...sob* be again) in need?

Hmmmmm...food for thought. *snort*


Comments

  1. That's hilarious:)

    This story made me think of a story I read in people magazine, and saw on the news last year...

    http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/01/marquette.moms.nursing.moses/index.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have nursed a baby other than mine. Also one of my sons was nursed by someone else when I wasn't at home to feed him (he refused to take bottles). I was okay with it and so was the other person who fed my son.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is very interesting... right now I don't know if I could do it but I don't have kids so I am sure it would change.

    However, your post is hilarious and made me laugh out loud!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is HILARIOUS. I am so glad that's what he meant! I thought it was going to turn into a MUCH MORE AWKWARD story! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would, for a close freind, family, or in some kind of extreme situation.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hilarious!! I think if I were in your situation my face would be drained of ALL color!! :P

    But yes, I agree with you. Regarding nursing someone elses baby... I think (er, know) I would nurse a hungry child of a good friend/family member if it was needed. Heck, if I was still lactating and came across an abandoned infant/child who needed substance I would.

    To each their own... but my answer is a resounding LOUD YES... i would! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes, I believe I would also, depending on the circumstances though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes, I believe I would also, depending on the circumstances though.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You are HYSTERICAL LADY!!!!! ( I must meet you :) )

    ReplyDelete
  11. I read a story about a man whose wife died during delivery and the other women on the floor nursed his baby...depending on the circumstance, I think maybe I would. For a close friend or family member. But I think the condition would have to be somewhat extreme. Not just because they couldn't nurse. That'd be weird...I think...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ha ha ha! I can totally picture it!

    I responded to your forum question, and I'll respond here too. Yes, I would donate milk to anyone. As far as actually nursing, I guess it would have to be family. Just my thoughts :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. When I was nursing my babes and producing waaaay more milk than they could eat, I considered donating the extra to a milk bank. I ended up just freezing it and using it later when I produced less.

    As far as nursing someone else's baby, I'm not sure I could have done that. And since my wells have dried up, there's no chance of knowing now. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think for a close friend I would. Or an extreme situation. Not that I CAN but I would.

    ReplyDelete
  15. LOL

    I could have fed the world w/the amount of milk I produced. I thought about donating it- but never had the time to go through all the strict requirements to do that.

    I used to think EW, NO! But, I don't know, after nursing all three of mine, it just doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

    Milk fairy has left, though, and no more babes for me, so it's all hypothetical for me.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a good laugh for a Saturday morning. And, yes I probably would nurse someone elses baby provided it was a friend or family member.

    ReplyDelete
  17. In a heartbeat for one of my sisters if the need arose. My twin and I have talked about this several times, especially recently as we had babies 6 weeks apart. We've joked about it, but also talked about it seriously if something ever happened to one of us.
    Funny story though :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is funny to me because when my little brother was a baby, my grandma died. My mom was so busy with planning the funeral and everything (she was an only child so no other siblings to help her) and she was very overwhelmed. Because of this, he cousin breastfed my little brother for her. she had a daughter two weeks younger than my brother and had plenty of milk to spare. My mom was not all for it at once or anything, but she needed the help.

    However, every time we're at family functions and my mom's cousin is there, we'll look at my brother and say, "remember when..." He does not find it nearly as funny as the rest of us!

    ReplyDelete
  19. hahahaha! Oh this story is too funny!!! I think I would be ok with pumping my extra milk and donating to someone who needed it but it would have to be someone I knew very well to actually nurse their baby for them.

    ReplyDelete
  20. In an emergency, who wouldn't? But I am so very thankful, I won't be asked to.

    ReplyDelete
  21. bahahaha! That's hilarious! But seriously, I would never nurse someone else's child. That weirds me out too much. Even if it was like, my niece or nephew. Gross. But I am easily grossed out, so I might be in the minority.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh, how funny! I can't imagine what I would have done in that situation -- probably a lot of stammering...

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am not even kidding..I just had a dream last night that someone handed me their baby and I nursed it and was so excited that I had milk after all these years!! So this post hits home for me! Apparently I would nurse someone's baby!! haha

    ReplyDelete
  24. That is so funny!!! No, I couldn't nurse another baby!

    ReplyDelete
  25. My mom and her friend used to nurse each other's babies off and on when they babysat for each other. I personally don't think it's that weird but I can see how people might.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hahahaha That's funny!

    I would nurse a close friend or family member's baby if they needed me to. I don't see anything wrong with it.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Bwaaaahhhhh LMBO! I wish I could have been there!

    nurse someone's child, yes, if I could still lactate, I would be honored to help someone out. But, *tear* I cannot and will not.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Very funny. I sadly would not nurse someone else's baby. I don't know I just.... anyway. I was at work last night too but no one was asking me to nurse their baby I was just trying to keep people's BP in a normal range hehe!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Yes, I would, if the situation ever arises. And I take comfort in knowing my friends at LLL would do the same for me.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I think I would. Although I am dried up and no more babies for me! When I was babysitting a baby younger than my son and I was still nursing my son, the baby was so irritable and to me, it seemed to comfort her it would have been something natural to nurse her... I didnt... but being a nursing mother, it seemed like what I was "supposed" to do... but, not being my child... I never would have. If there was a child in need, such as an infant in Haiti or what not, you bet your butt I would whip it out and help that baby. No doubt about it.
    I think i would be more comfortable nursing an infant in need vs. a friend's baby.

    ReplyDelete
  31. My good friend and I discussed this when I faced a near death experience while still nursing my son. I don't think I'd prefer it, but given an extenuating circumstance I would - and she said she'd do the same for me. What are friends for? :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh my gosh! I would have been so confused too!

    And I think I would nurse another womans baby too, depending on the circumstances. If she specifically asked me to, and there was a need, and I could - no questions, I would do it.

    I would also do whatever I needed to do in order to nurse an adopted baby.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Yeah I think I would too if it were family or freind that needed someone to nurse thier baby.

    ReplyDelete
  34. If it was an extenuating circumstance I would, for the child's sake.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Could have been so awkward! I couldn't nurse my own kids so I'd have to say no to someone else. Anyway if you want come check out the sunshine award I left you on my blog. Cause I always smile after I read your blog.

    www.erinamundsen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. New follower from Friday Follow!

    ReplyDelete
  37. That's hysterical!!

    Happy Friday Follow ... on Sunday! I'm your newest following friend. I'd love for you to drop by my blog sometime & follow me. While you're there, you can enter to win a 10x10 Photographic Print by Red Leaf Photography that is amazing!! I hope to see you around soon!!

    http://savingsandstewardship.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I probably would have had the same reaction, so don't feel bad LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Too funny!

    I LOVED nursing. I MISS it sooo much! I really wish I would have been able to nurse longer with my twins. Looking back now I wish I would have sucked it up and dealt with the lack of sleep and exhaustion...but what's done is done. :( I would probably (if I could) nurse another baby. I had a friend (who OBVIOUSLY didn't have kids) ask me if it felt sexual. I told her not in the slightest!

    I can only imagine the look on your face! hehehe

    ReplyDelete
  40. What a funny story. My mother once nursed someone elses child. A bit weird, but it was important that the baby ate. Not sure if I could do it.

    ReplyDelete
  41. That was a funny story. Thanks for sharing it. I watched a show once a few years back about people that adopt and they had these contraptions that helped the baby breast feed, it like attached to her breast with this little tiny tube that fed the baby the milk until her milk came in. They said it that your body would automaticly start to produce milk if the baby was sucking on the tube and breast at the same time. I thought it was really bizarre at the time, but then I have always looked backed on that and thought wow what a way for that baby and the new mom to bond. It might be a little odd, but it would work.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Great story!! I've thought about that in the past and I would probably nurse someone's baby if the circumstances were right.

    ReplyDelete
  43. ehee..that was funny:)gotta love that post. I probably would if it was an emergency.following your awesome blog from friday follow!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Funny because I posed this very same question in Mckmama's and my own blog frog communities. Overwhelmingly people said they would indeed given the right circumstances. As for me, I agree. Given the right circumstances, I absolutely would.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love comments! And, I welcome your thoughts that aren't in agreement with mine...as long as they are respectful!

Most Popular Posts

Coming soon...

Come here looking for the tutorial? It can be found here:  Halo Braid Tutorial!  Let me know how it goes! I had something in mind to try on Baby Girl's hair the other day...my best bud, Dr. J, did something similar to it on Belle once, and I was trying to replicate it. Instead, I got this: Isn't it pretty?! It didn't take nearly as long as it looks and isn't nearly as intricate as it looks! Vlog tutorial coming soon...(for those of you waiting, I'm sorry it's taking me so long!)

Halo Braid Tutorial!

How appropriate, "halo braid", no?! ;) Finally, I have this ready for you...I apologize for the delay! This braid looks intricate, but is really quite easy and quick to pull off...the original video (prior to the warp speed braiding...watch the video to see what I mean) was just a bit over 8 minutes long...not too shabby! So, here you go...right in time for you to try it out on your little girl for Easter!

Crock-Pot Fajitas

You! Yes, YOU!! You must stop whatevertheheck it is that you are doing, and make this recipe. Right now. Tonight. Well...wait. You should probably finish reading this post first...you know...so you know how to make it... But then...STOP! STOP everything, make this, and thank me later! Oh, hold it...wait just a sec (again)...actually, I got this recipe from Melissa...yes, the Melissa of this story ! And this story ...which, well...is the same story, just told two different ways! ;) So, you can thank her...I guess. Well, in any event...prepare your tastebuds to be tantalized! You'll need this: And, this: You'll also need chicken breasts or steak, but since photographing your "main ingredient" is, like, soooo passe, I've left it out. ( Ahem... ) Just keepin ' up with the times, friend. So...slice up those peppers and onions into cute little strips... And...try your best to not slice up the little fingers that are sneaking away pepper strips... (Lemme just inte