Breast milk is amazing, it’s full of antibodies, and helps babies develop, and there have even been studies recently that show breastmilk can help cure some kinds of cancer.

Recently on the website LittleThings an Australian mom named Meg Nagle posted a picture on Facebook of her breast feeding her nephew while her sister was away at work, and the baby was very hungry. Meg had the milk, and didn’t think twice about it. It should also be mentioned that Meg is a lactation consultant who happens to know a thing or two about the subject, and also got permission from her sister beforehand. Oddly (please note the sarcasm here) people lost their minds over it, and it caused a firestorm of Internet remarks, some that were supportive, and many others that were not.

So why do people have such strong opinions about this? Wet nursing as a concept has been around for hundreds of years, and women donating their milk to infants in orphanages, or simply to other mothers who for whatever reason can’t breast feed, or produce enough of their own milk. Breast milk is amazing, it’s full of antibodies, and helps babies develop, and there have even been studies recently that show breastmilk can help cure some kinds of cancer. So why does the idea of a woman who is not the baby’s mother breastfeeding them freak us out so much?

Maybe it’s because in America boobs are sacred, sexual, hidden images for the most part, and viewing them as a source of food for a newly born human isn’t sexy. Americans LOVE our sexy, but not if it’s served with a side of breast milk. A friend of mine just the other day asked me after I remarked on how sad my breasts will be after I’m done nursing my baby in a few months said, “well, yeah, but you don’t really care about that, right? I mean, their real purpose is to feed your child, and you did that!” She’s right, I did do that. I fed my daughter from my breasts just as I was supposed to. Good job boobs! But if I’m being honest with myself, I still don’t want my once perky, small nippled, perfectly sized C’s to look bad! My husband is a big fan of my boobs, and I worry he won’t be attracted to me after they stop producing milk and I wake up with what can only be described at “porn star D’s”. Will my breasts resemble a hastily discarded sock puppet, thrown to the side by a child who has no interest in playing with is anymore? Is that even a thing? Even the thought of that makes me have panic sweat. Oh great, so I’ll have pancake boobs on top of my flop sweat. Not sexy.