Hiring a wet nurse - the legalities?

[Floweryfields]

Finding this a very interesting topic.....

[Phteven]

There is an household staffing agency in L.A. that provides them.
I think that US working conditions are rather different to Australian ones but still, it's interesting to know that there is at least one organisation providing wet-nursing as a formal employment option.

[MrsBexie]

wow... I want a wet nurse! But it kinda freaks me out too!! I don't want my baby sucking someone else's boobs! lol..

So if it is $50 a litre then they wouldn't get paid very much a day!

[Phteven]

So if it is $50 a litre then they wouldn't get paid very much a day!

That's if they are getting paid by the litre but I would assume that they are also paid for their time and unless they are a single Mum the rate of pay would also need to reflect the hardship of being away from their partner.

ETA - Since it would be discriminatory to pay people less if they were single then I guess the pay would have to be the same regardless of marital status. Even for a single Mum there might be hardship in being away from one's support network.

[LionsandBears]

If it's a contract agreement where there employment is more than x%(i forget what x =. i think it might be 80) as your wetnurse, then legally they are an employee and entitled to accrue leave, personal leave etc. You'd also have to pay super.

As for hiring a person for the product of their body, I have no idea what Australian law would be. If she produced less than the required amount etc. I suppose that's one reason why in Australia, it's generally a volunteer position, like surrogacy or being a blood donor.

Would you provide meals? Would you decide what she could or couldn't eat? Eg if bub had an intolerance?

Interesting question.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

This sounds like I'm making a joke but I'm really not - what about nipple injuries? Would that be covered by Worker's Compensation, if the baby wasn't attaching properly and caused split nipples or mastitis etc?