Two young mothers who breastfeed each other’s children are encouraging other women to share their milk.Stefani Tatavitto, 23, from Connecticut, regularly feeds both her own two-year-old son and her friend Chrystal Klein’s 19-month-old daughter while Chrystal works at a factory.
And when Stefani goes on a night out, Chrystal, also 23, returns the favour – nursing her friend’s little boy as if he was her own.
The friends – who met on Facebook five years ago – started their unusual arrangement when Chrystal’s daughter, Ariana, was just ten months old.
However, it does cause problems for Stefani’s son Gage, who lashes out in jealousy when Ariana nurses from his mother.
Neither women’s partners are fazed by the wet nursing and although Stefani nurses Ariana in public, passers-by are oblivious to the fact that the child is not her own.
Now Stefani breastfeeds Ariana up to six times a week, but Chrystal insists she isn’t worried about her friend forming a stronger bond with her daughter than she has.
Stefani, who also has a four-year-old son, Noah, said: ‘I don’t think it’s shocking to nurse another woman’s child – breastfeeding is natural.
‘I think it helps Ariana, it keeps her calm and helps her when she’s teething. It’s a big comfort and helps keep her settled.
And despite the bond that comes with breastfeeding, Chrystal isn’t worried about Ariana becoming overly close to her friend.Chrystal said: ‘I am not worried about my daughter becoming too attached to Stefani. ‘I believe my daughter realises that I’m mommy and Stefani is just offering her milk.
‘Whenever we are both with her and she wants milk, typically she will ask me to nurse.’I would say there are no drawbacks. I only see positive from this.’So far Stefani and Chrystal haven’t received any criticism for their arrangement, but they realise that some will regard cross-feeding as controversial.Chrystal said: ‘My family and friends don’t know that much about our wet nursing arrangements.When it comes to breastfeeding though my family is supportive with every decision I make.Some people might question it, because I know it’s not ordinary to wet nurse nowadays.
‘If anyone has ever brought up to me that if it’s unnatural that I allow someone else to wet-nurse my daughter, I would point out the fact that we drink milk from other animals. We don’t know what’s going into their body.’
Breastfeeding can spread infections, such as hepatitis and HIV, but Stefani and Chrystal trust each other and what they put in their bodies. Chrystal said: ‘My partner was sceptical because she’s unsure about what Stefani is putting into her body. Not Stefani specifically but just anyone wet nursing her’But we know Stefani has a pretty well diet and she doesn’t smoke or drink.We were both pregnant at the same time and we were tested for infections and both of us were clear.The fact that Ariana is getting milk from the tap, I mean that’s exactly how we should drink it.’
