http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BREAST_FEEDING_CHARGE?SITE=KTVK&TEMPLATE=LATESTNATIONAL.html

What do you think of this? Do the charges of "outraging public decency and public morals" fit here? I understand about the fear of transmitting a virus like HIV or exposing the baby to any medications or chemicals in her system, but does it go against public decency?

When I first heard about this, I put myself in the mom of the infant's shoes and know I would be upset if I learned someone else had nursed my child without my knowledge or consent. Then, I put myself in the woman's shoes and thought, she was only trying to comfort a crying baby. It doesn't make what she did right, but I would like to think it was a lapse in judgement rather than a moral issue. While I don't agree with the woman taking it upon herself and nursing the child, I don't know that this is an appropiate charge. I'm just not sure.

By Jackie on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 11:49 am:

Oh my, that would make me mad!!!! I would never, I mean NEVER allow anybody else to breastfeed my child, and I dont care how much my baby was crying. In my opinion, breastfeeding is a very personal thing shared between mother and baby, not baby and who ever is happens to be breastfeeding at the time. I have heard stories about other people breastfeed family members babies. I would NEVER do it for another child. When my daughter was a baby and I was breastfeeding, I never had any desire to do that for another child, Im sorry its kind of gross to me to think of another childs baby nursing on somebody who isnt their mother. But hey, thats me.

By Feona on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 07:02 pm:

Of course there used to be wet nurses years ago.

I remember hearing stories of sisters breastfeeding each other's kids.

Of course now it is not done because of Aids virus or any virus.

By Palmbchprincess on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 08:04 pm:

Feona is right about the wet nurses. And yes, we do live in an age of diseases. I had thought about this while breastfeeding my kids, and Amy was breastfeeding Michael. If she had my kids, and had nothing else to give them I would not be upset if she thought to nurse them. But for some stranger to nurse them, NO WAY!!!! Obviously, I never put anyone in the situation where they would have to, I always left Amy and Mike with lots of formula and it wasn't an issue. But I do think the charges are a bit harsh. I think this woman simply thought with her heart and not her head. She should be reprimanded, but to be charged the way she has will ruin her life, over a relatively harmless mistake. JMO!!

By Ginnyk on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 08:35 pm:

Actually, Crystal, I doubt she thought at all. I agree, charging her is absurd, and I suspect it will be thrown out of court very quickly (but cost her some legal fees in the process). But, you don't feed another person's child anything that person doesn't give you permission - in advance - to feed them, and that include's breast milk. I think she just didn't think, or, if she thought, she didn't think about what the baby's mother might think. And to talk about it later is simply stupid.

I also think the baby's parents are being simply absurd about the whole thing. No harm was done, and they are making "a federal case" out of what was a thoughtless if well-meant act.

By Claire on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 09:09 pm:

I have to say that I disagree about the charges being absurd.

I am a nursing mother and to tell you the truth I would be livid if someone else nursed my baby without my knowledge. I would not be comfortable with anyone else nursing my child.

For those who think the charge is harsh - would you feel the same if she shared some other body fluid with this child? IMHO there is NO difference.

In this day and age it is just not safe. HIV/AIDS can be transmitted though breast milk.

Count me in as one who would make a federal case out of it if it happened to my child.

By Colette on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 09:49 pm:

I am with Claire on this. I would completely freak, but I would be charging the day care providers as well because they are supposed to be in charge.

By Nanaoie on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 09:58 pm:

1 word from me .EWWWWW

By Sunny on Thursday, June 5, 2003 - 10:43 pm:

Claire, would you be more upset about the actual act or the exchange of bodily fluids? I only ask because there are milk banks where nursing mothers can donate extra milk. I know they need to go through a health exam first, but their milk is still used to feed young infants.

I stated in my original post that I don't agree with the mom nursing the baby without the mother's consent, but as a nursing mom myself, I can understand her wanting to comfort the baby and I don't think the charges in this instance fit the "crime".

By Claire on Friday, June 6, 2003 - 08:46 am:

Sunny I can understand the urge to comfort a crying baby.

I believe there is a difference in using a milk bank where the milk has been screened and someone I don't know and I have no idea of their medical status nursing my baby.

I would never in a million years be okay with it (someone actually nursing my baby) and I cant understand why this woman was so thoughtless to interlope on this relationship.

IMHO she MUST have known that it was not acceptable to do so or she would have acknowledged her actions from the get go or asked permission. That alone speaks volumes and raises red flags for me personally.

Nursing imho is much more than feeding a baby and while I know that the woman was trying to comfort which is another aspect to the nursing relationship, I can't get past the fact that she knowingly did this without consulting the mother.

Imho the nature of the relationship between a nursing mother and her child is not one that I feel comfortable sharing with someone else. If this had happened to my family - yes I would want her charged and I would expect her to undergo medical testing.

By Sunny on Friday, June 6, 2003 - 09:45 am:

I understand everything you're saying and, like you, would not be comfortable with a stranger nursing my son without my consent or knowledge, then again, I was always very fortunate to be able to stay home with them and not be put into this kind of situation. I've always been very possesive of the relationship I had with my kids when I was nursing them.

By Mommyathome on Friday, June 6, 2003 - 02:17 pm:

Completely, totally, 100% against this. Give me a break! Just because someones baby won't stop crying doesn't mean you can breastfeed it. And to think the parents were paying for this babysitting service. I cannot believe this lady would do such a thing.

Who would have thought that when you drop your baby off at daycare/babysitters that you would have to state "and please don't breastfeed my baby".

I would be completely outraged and hope that she is found guilty of whatever it is she is charged with. And, I agree with Claire, she needs to get medical testing.

Common sense should say that you don't breastfeed other peoples babys. That is way too intimate and personal.

Yes, it is nice of her to be concerned about a crying baby, but come on....you don't offer your breast to a strangers baby. Especially without the knowledge or consent of the baby's mother.

I would be so so so upset. I would be furious.

JMHO lol

By Tercoclu on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 01:06 pm:

When I had my firstborn 37 years ago,I had so much milk that the nurses would pump me and feed the preemies in the nursery...I never breastfed anyone's child but I think that the milk those preemies got was worth it.

Just an opinion

By Feona on Friday, June 20, 2003 - 06:38 am:

There used to be milk banks where you could donate milk. I don't think that is the case anymore.

Looks like there is a 10% chance of a baby getting aids from breast feeding from Aids infected mother.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/background_briefings/aids/429664.stm

By Kaye on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 12:57 am:

I think this is an interesting case. I have to say that I babysit alot at my church and have had several tiny nursed babies. They do get so upset and unhappy and really start trying to feed. Although I would never feed a baby, I can see where if I were nursing my baby and dealing with that, my milk letting down, etc, that the thought would cross my mind. Again I would never do it, and this other mom had to know. I mean come on we have all seen that child at the store, at the playground, at McD, that need more attention than he was getting from mom, but even the most innocent of things we typically don't do. But who would walk up to a child eating the meal mom set in front of him and replace it with what you saw more fitting?! On a side note...a friend of mine gave birth, night two in the hospital she put the baby in the nursery so she could get a couple hours of sleep, she had watched one too many shows about sleeping with your baby in your room being a kidnapping hazzard. Well she wakes up, wants to check on her baby and walks to the nursery. Her baby isn't there. She freaks, gets the nurse. They gave her baby to another mom by accident and she was breastfeeding her son. Talk about outraged! What a horrible experience!

By Mylittleanimals on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 01:19 am:

I find this to be VERY disgusting! Actually, we were just tlaking about this a few weeks ago. At another group I belong to, the one lady was saying how her and her friend had a baby at the same time and they both breastfed and sometimes they would take turns feeding. My sister breastfed, I didnt, and there would be no way in heck that I would ever want even my sister to breastfeed my children! GROSS!