A South African Supermom is going viral on social media after sharing a photo of her breastfeeding her helper’s baby.
Johannesburg, South Africa – Mandi Barensché is a supermom who is becoming well known on South African social media for breastfeeding her helper’s baby. She originally shared the photo to a group on Facebook, but it has since gone viral inspiring many South Africans with the act of unity.
“My sweet helper (who I consider my friend, my sister and my family) has been struggling with PPD and pure exhaustion with this little guy keeping her up all night with colic.”
“I have expressed for him a few times when Mom was still establishing her supply and now he just gets directly from the source.”
“My 20 month old little girl doesn’t mind sharing but has to have boob at the same time. #ItTakesAVillage”
“My 15 year old son took this pic and said Mom, please share this on the internet. Show the world because this is love”
The act of breastfeeding someone else’s baby may be somewhat controversial but only for those not in the know. It’s actually called ‘Wet Nursing’ and is a global practice.
A wet nurse is a woman who breast-feeds a child that is not her biological child. Although specific wet-nursing practices differs among countries, diverse customs produced largely identical results. Across space and time, maternal nursing produced the lowest infant death rates while wet-nursing prompted significantly higher infant mortality.
Wet nurses may have a healthy breast milk supply from breastfeeding they own child, or they may stimulate a supply of breast milk specifically for another woman’s child.
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Wet-nursing is also used by women who are attempting to create a strong breast milk supply when their own babies can’t nurse because they are premature or sick.
Having a healthy baby nursing at the breast will do just that.
Also, women who wish to breastfeed an adopted child may cross-nurse to stimulate their breast milk supply. As long as proper infection precautions are observed, this is an excellent option.
Social media moms have been sharing the post thousands of times, finding inspiration in the unity and beauty of moms, helping moms out.
“This South Africa is true love. There are ordinary human beings sharing unconditional love each day! #ittakesavillage #lovehasnocolour #chooselove”
“There’s nothing shocking about breast-feeding someone else’s child, except our outrage about it.”
“In a time when racial divide is rife, it is beautiful to see South Africans from different walks of life coming together to help each other”
And Mandi has been so surprised and thankful for the support.
“It’s not even a great photo – but the message and unity it has sparked is quite incredible.”
“She helps me raise my children, and I made a promise to her that when she was pregnant that I would help her raise hers too. We are a team. We are family.”
What a beautiful story! You can leave a message to Mandi, in the comment section below.
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This is the best thing on the internet! ❤ #momshelpingmoms
Hi Mandi
What a beautiful and simplistic act of love!
Well done, amazing! Organizations like Milk Matters should also be praised for their work they do with donated breast milk for prem babies etc
Love you Mands!! What a super woman you are ❤️
Now thats ubuntu. Well done. Very special.
Im speechless…great1 indeed
Awesome!! Very rare sight indeed. Well done mommy
Wet nursing should be encouraged especially with all these diseases that affect the biological mother leaving the infant to be fed with formula feed. Breastfeeding is the best nutrition especially in the first hour of any baby.
Well done super mom. You have created milk kinship.
Please help! I am looking for breast milk to purchase, or even better, a wet nurse, for my cousin’s newborn baby. His partner passed away shortly after she gave birth and he is desperate to give the little baby boy some genuine milk. PLease help! Contact me on 084 525 4003 – he is located in Sedgefield, so anywhere near Plett or Knysna or George. PLEASE!
Hi Taryn,
The local hospital should be able to connect you with a milk bank.