Adults in China are allegedly hiring wet nurses … for themselves! According to a Chinese newspaper, adults in poor health are hiring wet nurses for themselves at the rate of $1,900 to 3,200 a month through a company that also provides nannies, nurses, and tutors.
While it's likely this story is fabricated, the idea of adults intentionally drinking human breast milk is a fascinating one — and not altogether crazy. It actually makes more sense to consume the milk we were intended to drink as our bodies are not designed or equipped to process another mammal's milk. It explains why dairy gives so many people tummy trouble.
When it comes to a baby whose mother can't nurse him for whatever reason, another (human) mother's milk is actually considered the preferred option over infant formula (which is essentially processed dairy or soy milk). Unfortunately, there are only 13 human milk banks in North America so the milk is prioritized for babies with health issues. The wealthy have historically been the ones to hire wet nurses for their babies, so unusual as it sounds, why not have this as an option for an adult who is willing to pay a pretty penny for it?
The clients are wealthy individuals with "high-pressure jobs and who suffered from poor health." It would seem to me that the high pressure jobs are related to the poor health but who knows what kind of physical ailments they are suffering.
Breast milk is not a panacea but an adult consuming the stuff would benefit from it. Unprocessed human milk is full of more than nutrition – it is chock full of living cells, hormones and antibodies that protect babies. Research shows that breastfed babies have lower risk of respiratory infections, asthma, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and less severe acute illnesses.
What do you think about adults drinking breast milk?
Image via DaylandS/Flickr
