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The History Of Breastfeeding

From wet-nurses to ancient feeding vessels, the history of feeding babies is full of surprising and interesting facts. In the twentieth century, breastfeeding has been characterized by the tension between breast and formula feeding – a debate that continues today.

Ancient Civilizations and the Middle Ages

Although we know that breastfeeding is as old as the hills, there is little known about how long it was sustained for either in primitive or ancient times. Evidence points to breastfeeding being continued in infants until they were five, six or seven years of age in the Middle Ages. Ancient literature also talks of a “colostrum taboo” throughout Europe as late as the seventeenth century, with honey being given to newborns instead.

Vessels used for feeding babies have been found among the remains of ancient civilizations, although this is not believed by experts to have been for the feeding of any milk other than breast milk, presumably expressed by hand.

Wet Nursing

The practice of farming out the feeding of babies of wealthy families had all but died out by the end of the nineteenth century. It had, however, been around for centuries before this. It is interesting that wet nursing declined around about the same time as other, artificial means of feeding emerged.

As much attention was paid to the choice of a wet nurse as to the selection of a child-minder or nanny today. Their milk was examined for its texture and color, and their characters analyzed as it was believed that aspects of personality could be passed through the milk.

The 1800s – A Time Of Change

During the 1800s, breastfeeding for longer than one year was generally considered harmful, possibly for the first time. (This belief has, of course, since been proven completely unfounded.)

The first artificial baby milk was produced way back in 1850. In 1867, Henri Nestlé was mass producing artificial infant food, and by 1873 half a million boxes of Nestlé’s Milk Food were being sold in America, Europe, Mexico and Argentina. Until this point, only those who had access to a cow could give their baby cow’s milk – and many did!

Modern Times

Links between the advertising of baby food and a decline in breastfeeding led to an enquiry by the American Medical Association (AMA) in 1924. Enquiries such as this would continue in many forms for the next five decades.

By 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) had been formed to look into public health and nutrition all over the world. At about the same time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came out and recommended breastfeeding as the best way to feed a baby.

In 1975, Nestlé sued Bern Third World Action Group (AgDW) for translating a report about the effects of artificial baby milk into a publication with the title “Nestlé Kills Babies”. AgDW were found guilty of libel, but Nestlé were also told to improve their marketing practices.

1991 saw the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) formed, along with the first ever World Breastfeeding Week. Today, we are advised by midwives and health professionals all over the world that breastfeeding is the best way to feed our babies.

You might also be interested in:

Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
Diary Of A New Mum

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