When Did Wet Nursing Begin?

Wet nursing began as early as 2000 BC and extended until the 20th century. Throughout this time period, wet nursing evolved from an alternative of need (2000 BC) to an alternative of choice (950 BC to 1800 AD). It became a well organized profession with contracts and laws designed to regulate its practice.

Why were wet nurses created?

Wet nurses were hired to work in hospitals to nurse babies who were premature, ill, or abandoned. During the 18th and 19th centuries, congenital syphilis was a common cause of infant mortality.

Does wet nursing still exist?

“Wet nurses still exist but not many people talk about it and when it does happen it's much less of a paid position like it was centuries ago,” Gourley says. Today, wet nursing (or cross nursing, as it's more commonly called) is a much more casual affair.