Breastfeeding Landmark in Ibarra, Ecuador

Just got back from Carnival Holidays. We went to Ibarra, 2 hours to the north from Quito. This means we had to cross the equator line to the North Hemisphere

My mom is from Ibarra and we have close relatives there, so it’s a common destination for us.

One thing I’m sure natural parents would love from Ibarra is this statue located at the city’s entrance. Public breastfeeding is obviously widely accepted there. We need more of this kind worldwide!

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Salma Hayek cross nursing

I’ve just watched the controversial video about Salma Hayek nursing another mom’s baby in Sierra Leona, and believe me or not it brought tears to my eyes. OK, I’m an easy tears to my eyes person

I’m not into celebrity chit chat at all since I don’t even watch TV nor have watched a movie in a long time. It’s just that I can’t stand being in front of a screen for long periods, so celebrity talk is usually a difficult thing to digest for me.

At least I knew Salma Hayek is a celebrity – I didn’t know she had a baby nor that she was a  nursing advocate. This explanation is just to make clear that I see her almost as I would see my neighbor or any other breastfeeding women on earth.

After watching the video I did a quick google search about the topic and found that many people left so negative comments –not that this surprises me at this point.

As Carrie wrote in her blog, “cross/wet nursing is controversial enough” and this is probably because of the sexual connotation of breastfeeding. Of course it depends a lot on the cultural context.

Here in Ecuador, Latin America and probably other countries you could find lots of people that consider breastfeeding no more and no less than a mothering activity. Period. That’s what I see there: a mom having difficulties nursing her baby, another more experienced nursing mom nearby, and a hungry newborn baby. What would I do? Keep reading for my answer, but I’m certain in that situation I’d get full and feeling the impulse to nurse the hungry baby.

We nursing moms feel the urge for nursing hungry babies

A hungry crying baby is not unremarkable for a nursing mom. In fact, I almost got mastitis once after taking care of a 5mo at a nursery room. My son was about 1year old and he was carried on my back when this little baby started crying. Her mother wasn’t there and I got the baby in a front carrier to calm him while the mother arrived. The baby then started looking for the breast (This must’ve been because of my milk smell, but I was surprised since he was bottle fed from the first day!) and I suddenly felt full of breast milk. I knew it was not possible to even think about nursing that baby, but guess what my impulse and mothering instinct were telling me? Nurse this hungry baby now!!!!!

The mother came back and it even took her a few minutes to prepare the formula before I was able to take my son from the back and try to nurse him. But, oh no!…he wasn’t interested in nursing and I was so full. I didn’t think this would cause any problems but the fact was that night I had fever and next day I had to spend in bed with mastitis symptoms.

I’m pretty sure Salma Hayek as a nursing mother was feeling this urge for holding and breastfeeding that baby, and if the situation allowed her, why not? I’d have done it if the other mother agreed and the baby was hungry.

I’ve actually nursed another mom’s baby
Later on, a close relative had a baby and she was experiencing difficulties with breastfeeding. I was visiting her and she was explaining me her difficulties nursing her baby and asking me for explanations on correct positioning. She told me she believed her baby was not able to suck correctly and actually asked me if I could nurse him to see if he was able to suck well. Her baby was also hungry and otherwise she’d have gone to prepare him formula.

This time I felt confident cross nursing was correct. Hungry baby and both mothers in agreement, even more she’s a close and beloved relative. So I nursed the baby for a while and the mother gained confidence that if she let the baby suck she will have her milk supply increased.

As Carrie wrote, I believe this is more common that we think. And quoting her question

Would you cross nurse another woman’s baby if she asked you? Would you want another woman to nurse your child?

My answer is Yes for both. My son was given formula at the hospital and I would’ve preferred 100 times if a friend of mine would’ve nursed him instead of those plastic PBA bottles filled with artificial milk.

What are your thoughts about cross nursing/wet nursing? Would like to hear your comments about the video as well.