Salma Hayek breastfeeds african baby

[luvmy3]

Which is a prefectly reasonable expectation here. I would have felt the same.

In Africa however, this situation comes up when the mother is dead, or has health compromised in such a way that her body no longer produces milk. One of the images I have seared into my brain is a starving child trying desperately to breastfeed of his dying mother. In impacted areas in Africa it's not a choice of formula, pumped milk (whose buying the pump, bottles and nipples), it's a choice of life or death.

Yes I realize that, I wasn't making reference to what Selma had done, or should have. I was just speaking directly to the pp about her situation.

 

[Buckalew11]

I can tell you, there were no bottles or pumped milk in my sister's life. She felt so strongly about this.

however, Selma, had the mother's permission, I think. So, yes, very different indeed. And like I said, I chose not to BF and yet, if I was ever in this position, I would gladly do it for a starving child.

 

[themarquis]

ITA now that I'm older - but I was in my 20's then, and everyone around me was also in their 20['s and the kid was screaming - it was a freak out - and honestly my heart wasnt in that place - it was a very confusing night and I think I was very hormonal new mom of a month old baby!! (dont want you to take things out of context - but my memory isnt what it used to be!! I also breastfed all 3 of my babies - and there is an 11 year span between #2 and #3 I was much more relaxed with #3 than #1)

but like I said - it NEVER came to that!! but honestly the "what ifs" came into play later - and we all decided if the mom had died in a horrible accident it would've been ok for me to be the lactating mother!!

and back in the 1800's mind you those aristocrats didnt nurse - they paid a lactating person to come in to nurse their babies (again, this was all part of that discussion many moons ago!)

I definitely got from your earlier post that you were confronted by a situation where there was a hungry, screaming baby, with no milk in sight, and your first urge (which obviously might not have been a terrific idea) was to *pop it out and feed that baby!*.

Re: the 1800s, they were called wet nurses and there is a really fascinating history about it! Actually, most "upper class" ladies sent their newborn babies off to the "countryside" for a few years! They would hire a poor woman to feed and care for the baby, usually for the baby's entire infancy and toddlerhood. I think sometimes they didn't get them back until they were four or five. (can you imagine?) The reason was that it was considered gross to breastfeed and only lower-class women would do it.

 

[Aisling]

that is just too weird for words.

Call me weird, I would have done the same thing.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Who needs water?? There are plenty of ready to use formulas on the market.

And those are the most expensive kinds. Somehow, I doubt they are readily available in poor parts of Africa.

Let's see...I'm in Africa with no bottles and no formula and I'm still lactating. A baby is very hungry and crying for food.

I can't imagine *not* feeding him.

Absolutely!

 

[TomLovesBecky]

I'm queasy about a STRANGER feeding a random child her milk. I don't like using the child to promote her cause.

Seems to me like she was HELPING the child. And it's a fantastic cause, so who cares how she promotes it, as long as no one is being hurt?

 

[TomLovesBecky]

ITA.

I don't find this weird at all. I can honestly say that if I had been in that situation I would do the same.

If I were lactating at the time, so would I!

 

[PaulaSB12]

Who needs water?? There are plenty of ready to use formulas on the market.

All at a price that the parents can't afford, you do know that the formula is watered down to make it last longer causing health problems for the child. You are looking at this the wrong way there are no shops selling nipples bottles etc that would be needed. Breastfeeding is the only healthy option but firms like nestle are telling the women wrongly that they can't produce milk so buy their stuff instead totally wrong to exploit them in that way.

 

[Arielx2]

Who needs water?? There are plenty of ready to use formulas on the market.

How are they going to wash and sanitize the bottles?

 

[sandramaac]

That doesn't happen (transmission from saliva to breast). Not only does saliva not transmit HIV, but there is also no access to the bloodstream from the nipple.

Interesting that that was your first thought.

First, let me say I saw this video yesterday, and what she did was wonderful. There seemed to be no hesitation on her part, and very natural.

However, to say there is no access to bloodstream from the nipple and the areola area would be misleading. Why not take a small nic to the area and check if it bleeds. Well, I can almost guarantee it will. Therefore there is bloodsupply to the area. If she has any sort of dryness or cracks to area as many nursing mother do, then there is access to the bloodstream. Also, why studies show that HIV/AIDS looks as if it is not passed through salivia, the child could have any number of surface openings in the mouth, and lip area, due to poor nutrition and dehydration. Therefore it is then contact through blood. I do feel she did something very unsafe, and put her own child in jeopardy. She should have pumped and offered the milk by bottle. It would have been just as meaningful.

 

[Freyja]

Let's see...I'm in Africa with no bottles and no formula and I'm still lactating. A baby is very hungry and crying for food.

I can't imagine *not* feeding him.

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Planogirl]

All at a price that the parents can't afford, you do know that the formula is watered down to make it last longer causing health problems for the child. You are looking at this the wrong way there are no shops selling nipples bottles etc that would be needed. Breastfeeding is the only healthy option but firms like nestle are telling the women wrongly that they can't produce milk so buy their stuff instead totally wrong to exploit them in that way.

I would bet that firms like Nestle are well aware that these women can't afford their formula. I doubt that the donations are being done to get these women to buy anything.

Personally I think that ANY donation is a good thing whether it's formula or pumped milk or a real person. These people can't afford to be choosy.

 

[beattyfamily]

It amazes me that anyone can get grossed out by drinking of human breast milk but it's perfectly fine for us to drink cow's milk.

 

[Planogirl]

It amazes me that anyone can get grossed out by drinking of human breast milk but it's perfectly fine for us to drink cow's milk.

I don't think anyone is grossed out by the idea of human breast milk but like someone else pointed out, we don't drink directly from the cow. That seems to be the issue for some.

I personally don't care but just wonder about the point of doing this. Whatever it was, it seems harmless though.

 

[Tinijocaro]

The point was to offer a hungry baby some nourishment.

BTW, who is this women anyways? I've never heard of her before.

 

[lil mermaid]

I can see myself doing the same thing, honestly. She had milk, a tiny helpless baby was starving, and her maternal instinct kicked in.

I think the video was beautiful.

And how GORGEOUS is Salmka Hayek?

 

[J3nn78]

I too could not imagine not feeding a starving baby if I was able to.

For those that said it would not make a difference anyway? How do you justify that? If you walked past a starving older child and you had food with you, would you not give it to that child because he would be hungry tomorrow anyway without you?

I don't get that "it does not matter because he will be hungry tomorrow mentality" Go on living in your selfish little bubble.

Do what you can to help others in the moment and for as long as you can. EVERY little bit makes a difference.

I thought that was a beautiful video.

Was there something similar after the tsunami where a female police officer/rescue worker Breastfed a baby who lost thier mother???

 

[Planogirl]

I too could not imagine not feeding a starving baby if I was able to.

For those that said it would not make a difference anyway? How do you justify that? If you walked past a starving older child and you had food with you, would you not give it to that child because he would be hungry tomorrow anyway without you?

I don't get that "it does not matter because he will be hungry tomorrow mentality" Go on living in your selfish little bubble.

Do what you can to help others in the moment and for as long as you can. EVERY little bit makes a difference.

I thought that was a beautiful video.

Was there something similar after the tsunami where a female police officer/rescue worker Breastfed a baby who lost thier mother???

If you're referring to me as selfish, that was not my intent. I have actually dealt with things of this nature and see other solutions as being more meaningful and helpful. I am certainly not in a bubble. I see nothing wrong with what she did but it looked like a publicity stunt at first glance. Others say it wasn't so that's cool.

Maybe it would be wise to know what other people deal with and see before jumping to conclusions. Just a thought.

 

[J3nn78]

I purposely did not name names. But I do not see how you can say it does not matter and that the child will just be hungry tomorrow. Maybe selfish is the wrong word, but either way trying to brush it off as no big deal for that reason is just plain wrong in my book.

 

[luvmy3]

I purposely did not name names. But I do not see how you can say it does not matter and that the child will just be hungry tomorrow. Maybe selfish is the wrong word, but either way trying to brush it off as no big deal for that reason is just plain wrong in my book.

It was a very nice gesture for her to breastfeed that child but the truth is it won't matter in just a couple of hours when that baby is hungry again and there still isn't any food to give him. What happens when Ms.Hayek isn't there then?