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A wet nurse is defined as “a woman who breast feeds a baby that is not her own”. It was a very common practice among the upper class, mostly aristocrats, during the 17th century. The use of wet nurses is a pretty ancient practice and is found in many cultures over the centuries. Here in the United States wet nurses were used throughout all social levels in the southern states during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
I had no idea that the practice of using a wet nurse was experiencing a resurgence until I watched a segment on the Today Show last week in which they discussed a rise in the use of wet nurses. Apparently with a growing number of women returning to work very soon after their babies are born coupled with the continued information showing the benefits of breast feeding has resulted in a rise in the use of a wet nurse. Some women are simply doing it as a favor to a friend, where a friend will step in a breast feed a friends baby in an emergency situation. In other cases though mothers are hiring a wet nurse to step in and take over the role of breast feeding their baby.
The cost of hiring a wet nurse to breast feed your baby can start as high as $1000 per week and goes up from there. Mothers are citing many factors that lead to their choice to hire a wet nurse including not having the time to do it themselves because of their work schedule, feeling the benefits of breast milk make this a better choice than opting to formula feed, and not being able to breast feed due to health issues or personal choice.
As with anything else there are those who support the use of wet nurses and those who do not. I’m not sure which side I would come out on. I think breast feeding is very important and every woman who can should at least try. However, I’m not quite sure about the use of wet nurses and doubt that I would ever consider doing it. There are so many other options including adjusting your schedule so that you can continue to breast feed even when you return to work, pump and give your baby breast milk from a bottle, and purchasing breast milk from a breast milk bank.
What are your thoughts? Would you ever consider hiring a wet nurse? I’m very interested to see what other’s think of this practice.
Finding out your family medical history, especially as it pertains to pregnancy can be very important in making sure you and your prenatal care team are on top of any potential issues. Usually the best person to get this information from is your mother. I’m sure your mom is super excited about your pregnancy and loves to talk about it every time the two of you have any type of conversation. Talking to your mom about her pregnancies and your grandmother’s pregnancies is very important and you should be sure to work it into the conversation.
A few of the topics you want to address with your mother are:
Family history of preeclampsia or high blood pressure: A woman’s chances of having high blood pressure or preeclampsia during her pregnancy are higher if there is a family history of either. Ask your mother if she or your grandmother had either preeclampsia (also known as toxemia) or high blood pressure during any of their pregnancies. If you do have a family history be sure to advise your doctor or midwife so you can be more closely monitored.
Family history of diabetes: any family history of diabetes, gestational or regular, puts you at an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes during your pregnancy. Ask your mother if she had gestational diabetes during any of her pregnancies or if she is aware of any family history of diabetes. Talk to your doctor if you do have a family history, likely your doctor will send you for a glucose screening earlier in your pregnancy than is typical.
Family history of premature birth: premature births tend to run in families, so if there is a family history of preterm delivery you are at an increased risk of having a preterm delivery yourself. Ask your mother if all of her pregnancies were full term and if she is aware if your grandmother’s pregnancies were full term as well. There isn’t much that can be done if a family history if identified but it is good for your doctor to be aware of the family history so you can be more closely monitored and your care adjusted as needed.
Family history of depression or mental illness: having a family history of mental illness or depression can put you at an increased risk of suffering postpartum depression. Being aware of a family history can allow you the opportunity to discuss this with your doctor and spouse, and also to educate yourself about the warning signs.
These are just a few of the things you definitely want to be sure to discuss with your mother. If you become aware of a family history of any of these or any other common pregnancy complications, be sure to discuss this family history with your prenatal care provider.
Doctors, midwives, and moms all agree that one of the best exercises to do during pregnancy is swimming. Water exercises allow a pregnant woman all the benefits of cardiovascular exercise without the extra pressure on your joints. Imagine how great it would feel to enter the water and all of sudden have all that extra weight feel like it isn’t even there.
There are several different types of water exercises.
Swimming: I think we are all familiar with swimming 
. Basically you can make swimming part of a routine that includes other activities or your main cardiovascular activity. Swimming is a great source of aerobic exercise and is also easy on your joints.
Water Step Aerobics: this is a form of your regular, run of the mill step aerobics but done in the water. It is usually done in a class type setting with an instructor. You will do things like walking or running in the water, and other aerobic type activities.
Water Weight Training: this is basically the use of water weights, which are usually foam weights, under water. The water creates the resistance. There are classes, but this is something you could easily do on your own.
If you have a pool in your backyard daily water exercises can be a great way to stay in shape, or get in shape, during your pregnancy, and as a postpartum exercise routine. If you aren’t so lucky most local pools are great alternatives. Local pools and recreation centers often offer water aerobic classes. You may find they have ones specifically for pregnant women, but any regular water aerobic class will do the trick.
You should always discuss any exercise routine with your doctor or midwife prior to getting started. You should also stop any exercise program and call your doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms or have concerns.
I caught an episode of ABC’s new show about pregnancy, Notes from the Underbelly. The show is about a newly pregnant woman and her husband looking into the way each of them deals with this new news, the changes that take place in their lives and their relationship. It is a half hour comedy show that really was pretty good. It of course amplifies all the things that happen during pregnancy, but that is what makes good comedy right!!
I recommend checking out an episode, if you are pregnant or have ever been pregnant you will surely relate.
Food cravings and aversions during pregnancy have always been a bit of mystery. Not a lot of research has gone into what causes them, or why pregnant women must have certain food but can’t stand to be in the same room as others. The only thing we know for certain is that they exist.
One theory is of course, you guessed it, hormones. Hormones seem to be the culprit for a lot of the idiosyncrasies of pregnancy, especially those that don’t seem to have any other cause. The most likely hormonal culprit is progesterone. It has been found in studies of women taking birth control containing progesterone to cause cravings in those women as well.
Another interesting theory I have heard batted around a bit, in fact my doctor was talking to me about it at my last prenatal appointment, is that food cravings and aversions are something left over from our ancient ancestors. Apparently food cravings and aversions were necessary to make sure that women in the early human days got enough of the right nutrition to support their pregnancies, and steered clear of foods that were harmful. I thought it was a pretty interesting idea.
Nutritionists also believe that the heightened senses during pregnancy could also be to blame, particularly when it comes to food aversions. This can be particularly true of foods that trigger your morning sickness. A strong smell could send any pregnant women running for the nearest toilet. The heightened senses could also be responsible for making some food smell and taste a lot better during pregnancy as well.
The likely answer is that many things feed into what causes food cravings and aversions, and they will likely remain a mystery.
I have had my own little cravings and aversions experiences since the start of my pregnancy. I find myself craving odd foods, and believe me, nothing with do but the exact thing you are craving. For example a couple of weeks ago I was desperately craving mash potatoes. I had French fries to see if that would help, since I had some in the freezer already and didn’t have any potatoes (or the time to make them). The fries didn’t help at all. It was very satisfying a few days later to pile those mash potatoes on my plate!! My food aversion right now it to Mexican food, which unfortunately happens to be my husband’s favorite food. I just can’t win.
What foods did you crave during your pregnancy, and what foods sent you running for the nearest toilet?