@Debra-

Thanks for the reply!  I think that I would be fine with any of my friends nursing my kids, and strangers, probably only in an emergency situation.  If it came down to my kids dying of dehydration (in some freak natural disaster situation), I would get over my inhibitions in a hurry!  :)    I once read of a mom that got stuck in a blizzard with her toddler and 7 year old.  She still nursed the toddler, and that's how the kids made it through the 3 or so days (not sure exactly how long it was, just that it was longer than a day) before someone found them. 

I can see why people might be squicked out by it.  OTOH, your friend was treating your child like she was her very own - what better person to take care of your child!

I am personally uncomfortable with it and wouldn't want someone to nurse my child, but as long as the two people involved have consented that is between them.

Oh my, for me, no way.  I love my friends and would do anything for them, but that would have crossed the line for me personally.  I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it for them either.

I guess my reasoning is that for me, breastfeeding my child is the time when we are creating our bond as mother & child so to think of someone else coming in and doing that same thing (As you pointed out, it's not life or death in this case) with my child stirs up some territorial mama bear feelings.  If my child's life were in danger, that's a whole other story and I might feel differently.

I would NEVER judge someone for choosing or allowing to do that though.  Everyone has a different comfort zone when it comes to their kids.

I think Its a good thing but would I do it? NO.. Unless I was in a place where a child was starving and there was no formula around..

I was fine with it until I heard a story on the news where a lady left her baby at day care with a bottle of breast milk and the day care lady accidently gave the breast milk to the wrong child... Long story short the child had to go through extensive tests to make sure he didn't contract Hepatitis..

So there ARE risks to breast feeding other children. It's not just milk, it's a body fluid..  If there is formula around that's what I will choose.. =)

My sister did that with my first once and it bothered me SO much!  Looking back on it, I don't know why in the world it bugged me.  She was doing me a favor by watching my son and he needed something so badly to calm him down.

Well for the child to get hepatitis the mother would have to have it (the one breastfeeding the child).

The close friends/family I would trust to "feed" my children that way I think I would be pretty sure didn't have any diseases.

 

As was said, not really different from wet nurses back in the day. Doesn't bother me at all.

 

However, as far as choices go, I like to be the one to feed (nurse) my babies! But, if a emergency came up I would be totally fine with a close friend/family member helping my baby in that way.

I guess the biggest issue for me would be the consent.  As long as the two parties consented then ok, there you go.

If I found out that someone had nursed my child without asking me, well then I would be peeved.