Salma Hayek breastfeeds African baby

Bless her.... what a great thing to do helping in that way
Comment by Gill on February 11 12:49

I fed both my children for over a year and if ANY baby/young child cried near me, my breasts would start leaking in an effort to feed the child - so I DO understand Salma's instinct here... but I really hope she asked the Mother first. We don't see that happening and I don't know if it's intense inadequecy the Mother is feeling but she looks very unhappy sitting there as another woman does what she cannot.

Heartwarming and heartbreaking all in the same turn. Isn't life always these shades of grey?
Comment by Amanda on February 11 12:55

In the days before forumula milk was invented, it was not uncommon for women to do this, if the mother was ill or had died. And rich women would use a 'wet nurse'. I think Salma acted on the purest of instincts and I praise her for it.
Comment by Rachael on February 11 13:02

I think its amazing - what a wonderful thing to do, why is everyone so shocked, people used to have wet nurses all the time back in the day, my grandma used to do it at the local hospital when she was breast feeding her children. Salma is beautiful inside and out.
Comment by Sonia on February 11 13:04

What a wonderful act, breastmilk is the best food for any newborn and it's fantastic that Salma felt able to help. Many premature babies in the UK benefit from breastmilk donated by other mothers, this high profile act may encourage more breastfeeding mothers to donate their milk.
Comment by Sarah on February 11 13:09

She is a beautiful woman,inside and out. An earthmother..
Comment by jenanne on February 11 13:11

A perfectly natural thing to do, how lovely for that child that salma was able to feed him. I also think the publicity should help make people realise it is a natural human thing to do. well done salma!
Comment by juliemac on February 11 13:20

Good for you Salma. What better gift for a little baby than the nourishment it needs, when its mother could not provide it. Breastfeeding is indeed an art.
Comment by Heather on February 11 13:24

Good on you Salma - I salute her courage in doing this in public to raise awareness. I hope it doesn't happen, but I can just imagine the horrified comments and people who should know better judging her over this.
Comment by Elizabeth on February 11 13:42

Bloody good on her!! Wet nurses were the norm in this country not so long ago so why the media outrage? I think it was a beautiful thing to do.
Comment by Candice on February 11 13:45

Mum sees malnourished child mum feeds it- as long as natural mother doesn't object i see no problem, this is a generous and natural thing to do, It's not a game it's instinct and survival-Most mothers feel protective towards other babies as well as their own and knowing that Mother's milk is the best food for a baby made this totally the right thing to do. I think this a beautiful story.
Comment by Tess on February 11 13:54

Well done to her and why not. Shows her natural mothering instincts!!
Comment by Yvonne on February 11 14:00

I think its the most natural thing in the world and was what they did in victorian times when 'Lady's' employed 'wet nurses' for their off spring rather than feed them themselves as it was considered unladylike and was said to give you droopy breasts which is rubbish.
Comment by Sue on February 11 14:02

When I was breastfeeding I had loads of milk, I would have gladly donated some to sick and premature babies so that they could have the benefit of breast milk, but sadly there wasn't and still isn't, as far as I am aware, a facility to do this.
I praise Salma for acting from the heart, but I wonder where the baby's next feed will come from.
Comment by Mandy on February 11 14:26

Wow! Fantastic! A truly amazing woman -I felt really moved to hear about this and about her greatgrandmother's story. I found Amanda's comment a little odd as I guess the mother feels sad about her plight - not resentful of the kindness of a fellow mother

Comment by Linda on February 11 15:19

I love it. It's beautiful. I'm so glad I came across this.
Comment by TechChuff on February 11 15:20

In response to Mandy, you can donate spare breastmilk to a 'milk bank' the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has one (as do many others). A midwife collects your milk (they will give you special bottles and you freeze it) and it is pasteurised and given to babies on the Special Care Baby Unit. Very prem and very sick babies cannot tolerate formula as it has a corrosive effect on the intestine and breast milk will keep such babies alive. I thought it was a bit wierd at first but it isn't stranger than donating blood.
Comment by Laura on February 11 15:41

Good on Salma for promoting breastfeeding and for being generous and loving. This is a great story!
Comment by Joanne on February 11 16:45

I think this is great it truly is a kind thing to do the child looks so happy.
Comment by charlene on February 11 17:30

I applaude you Salma and its women like you that women like me look up to. God bless you and thank you so sharing what is natural and one of many God's gifts to us women.
Comment by dee on February 11 21:25

Salma, that was truly a beautiful gesture..you are a very kind and caring woman and I admire you. Be blessed, be happy and enjoy your baby too! x
Comment by Margot Murray on February 12 10:36

Many years ago 33 to be exact, when i was breast feeding my daughter, I had far to much milk, so i went on Daisy, and it was a pump that i put on each breast 1 at a time and it would express my milk, which was given to poorly babies, if mum had been to theatre, then nurse could feed baby with milk from Daisy, it wasn't just me lots of mums did it, and some who lived neat the hospital would go back to daisy and expressed. which is a kind gesture also, Mothers who gave didn't go as far as to put a strange baby on to her breast. but each to their own,the concept is still the same.
Comment by audrie on February 12 14:31

How generous and caring of her - I remember my mother telling me in her day other nursing mothers helped each other out and it was called bing a "wet nurse" and she was so glad to help out.
Comment by Lynne on February 12 17:24