Breastfeeding Practices and the Culture of Wet Nursing in Morocco: Ait Baha as a Case Study
Keywords:
Breastfeeding, Culture, Islamic Interpretation, Kinship, Wet Nurses, WomenAbstract
The practice of wet nursing is as old as humankind. It was a common practice in Morocco before and after the invention of the infant milk formula during the late 19th century. Today, the practice is sporadic in the country. However, those women who once adopted the roles of wet nurses and those who placed their children in the wet nurses’ care remain with us. Accordingly, this study aims to unveil dimensions related to wet nursing in Morocco by examining the roles, experiences, and understandings of wet nurses, and by conveying the historical, social, and economic circumstances that have influenced the practice of milk sharing in Moroccan society.
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