A History of BreastFeeding
I'm currently learning about sexuality and child-rearing in the 1500's-1800's and I've found out some interesting stuff, so I thought I'd share and trace the evolution of breast-feeding ideas from the 1500's until now. If anyone has any details to add (particularly from the 1850-1950's) please jump in. These are often said to be old wives tales but they actually came from doctors and religious leaders.
1500 - 1700
-Breast milk is produced from the blood of the womb that is carried to the breasts and pales.
OR
- Breast milk is the blood of the breasts turned white.
- Menstruation while breastfeeding corrupts the milk, therefore when a women resumes her menses she must find an alternative through new wet-nurse or start the baby on solids.
- To continue to breast-feeding while pregnant will deform the baby in the womb.
1600-1800
THE BAD
- A baby should not be brought to the breast on their first day of life.
- On the second day they should be breastfed by another women until the 8th day as the milk produced by a woman after birth is "wheyish, foul, turbid and curdy and therefore inferior".
- New mothers should have their breasts drawn of the useless whey either by some old person (eww!) or some lusty sucking child. If these weren't available expressing it into a cup was the next best thing.
(I wonder how much of the high mortality rate had to do with not allowing babies their mother's colostrum).
- Not being able to breastfed your own baby was because of sin.
- Some wet nurses passed on venereal disease to their charges.
-Sex while breast feeding makes the milk sour.
- If a child would not wean when the mother/nurse wanted it to, they would coat the nipples in something bitter or try and make the child feel ashamed of still wanting the breast.'
- Opiates were given to unsettled babies so that they would sleep.
- If a babies teeth had failed to come in by 8 months they would cut the gums with nails or a penknife. Some babies died.
- Failure to thrive was believed to be the result of witchcraft.
THE GOOD
- Stroking babies back while feeding will aid in digestion.
- The child should be fed when hungry, and mother's were to heed their babies cries.
- The use of wet nurses except in cases where a mother wasn't able to feed her own baby were frowned upon (I wouldn't have guessed that, but there was a big campaign by the clergy, of course it was about "duty" rather than because it was best for mum and bub).
-Brest feeding one's own child made for strong mother/child bonds.
- Weaning was not to begin until 12 months, but it was preferable to feed until 18months to 2 years.
- Weaning was best left to warmer months, as the child was less likely to get ill.
- Babies where to be put in their own space (i.e. cot) but someone was to stay near it or take it with them so the baby didn't wake up alone.
THE UNUSUAL
- Principals and character where shaped by the mother's milk.
- Wet nurses should feed babies that were the opposite sex of what they themselves had birthed.
Anointing the gums with the brains of a hare or sucking on a wolf's tooth were common treatment for teething.
Additions in GREEN
I'm now up to the industrial evolution, so it will be interesting to see how that changed things. :)
