http://www.millersv.edu/~english/homepage/duncan/medfem/wetnurse.html

Wet Nurses

Laura A. Reynolds

The following passage is located on page 105 in Women's Lives in Medieval Europe by Emilie Amt:

"When choosing a wet nurse, she ought to be young and have a pink and white complexion. Let her be not too near to prospective parturition nor too far removed from preceding parturition. Let her not be dirty. She should have neither weak nor too heavy teats, but breasts full and generous, and she should be moderately fat. Let her not eat salt, sharp, acid or styptic things - leeks, onions, nor the other kinds of things that are mixed with foodstuffs such as pepper, garlic and colewort. Especially have her avoid garlic. Let her beware of anxiety and guard herself during menstruation. If the milk is diminished, let pap be made of bean flour or rice flour and a bread containing milk and sugar be given to her to eat. The milk will be increased if a decoction of the seeds of fennel be drunk. If however the milk becomes thick, the nurse's nourishment will have to made lighter. Compel her to excercise and she should be given vinegar syrup and light wines. If the milk becomes too thin let her nourishment be thick and substantial and have her rest more. If the child's bowels be loose, let foods which cause constipation be given to the nurse."


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