Breastfeeding Website Needs Help

[anagrammy]

This is a serious request for help.  So if you are kind and/or a breast-man web developer,  you might be able to help my daughter.  She started the East Bay Breast Milk Bank, which provides free breast milk to low income mothers.

Many people know that breast milk is VERY expensive, so premature babies are sent home with it (if they are rich) and the other babies, after being given thousands of dollars of hospital services free, are left to fend for themselves.  My daughter, Beth, the singer (bethwaters.com) thought that was terrible and did something about it.  She started a breast milk exchange program which connects people with extra milk to people who need it.

Simple, no government involved, a marvelous picture of a possible new future without Big Brother controlling f**g everything.

They have a great website already but need some help maintaining and improving it so it can grow. If you are interested in donating your services in making this non-bureaucratic method of meeting a need, please email beth@bethwaters.com and let her know. 

I told her I had "friends" on my fav forum which had the ability to help her, so I'm counting on you guys!

Thanks

Anagrammy

[aldousburbank]

This is a great project, glad to hear of it!  Good going with the offspring BTW.

[b_dubb]

i am a web developer.  and i'll refrain from making a joke about 'free samples' since this is a serious effort.  but i'm not that good at restraint

[anagrammy]

Thanks you guys, I appreciate it.

I have eight living children, all mine biologically (I know- nuts).  I don't take blame so I can't take credit LOL.  I like to think I learned from my mistakes, but even that is open to question.  What I do know is my net out of all the heartaches and struggling is a full life and the incredible joy of some children that really love me and some grandchildren who think I'm the bomb.

I kind of picture that's what Art is doing these days- even though it's his own child, he gets to be the fun guy.  I hope so.

The link below is what they have, I think, and maybe a website too.  That's my daughter Beth and grandson Wyatt.  She performed in Berkeley last Friday and brought the house down.  It was her first local performance since she had children so all her major longtime fans were there and it was a fun time.  She sang her song "Red" which was so powerful and sensual it practically cracked the windows.  I'm going to send one of her CD's to COast but I have to find one that has "Red" on it.  That's a must.

Anagrammy

http://www.facebook.com/BayAreaBreastmilk

[The General]

This is a serious request for help.  So if you are kind and/or a breast-man web developer,  you might be able to help my daughter.  She started the East Bay Breast Milk Bank, which provides free breast milk to low income mothers.

Many people know that breast milk is VERY expensive, so premature babies are sent home with it (if they are rich) and the other babies, after being given thousands of dollars of hospital services free, are left to fend for themselves. 

I have to say, I had no idea a problem existed. 
If I'm doing my math right, there are approximately two breasts for every baby born.
Is it because they are premature, so the milk isn't there yet?  I don't get it.
I honestly don't understand, not trying to be a smart ass, but it sounds like a worthy cause.

I did my website myself, and it was practically free, with programs like godaddy's "website tonight" and homestead's free templates.  You can get a pretty good website for just the cost of hosting, which is really really cheap.  Mine turned out looking pretty nice and pro (I think), and I have NO website building experience.  So there's always the 'do it yourself' option.  It's practically free.

[onan]

I have to say, I had no idea a problem existed. 
If I'm doing my math right, there are approximately two breasts for every baby born.
Is it because they are premature, so the milk isn't there yet?  I don't get it.
I honestly don't understand, not trying to be a smart ass, but it sounds like a worthy cause.

I did my website myself, and it was practically free, with programs like godaddy's "website tonight" and homestead's free templates.  You can get a pretty good website for just the cost of hosting, which is really really cheap.  Mine turned out looking pretty nice and pro (I think), and I have NO website building experience.  So there's always the 'do it yourself' option.  It's practically free.

I'm not an ob-gyn kind of guy so my information may be lacking or (dread the thought) just wrong. Generally speaking, yes all women that are or have recently given birth can breast feed. There are a few caveats, some women just do not produce enough breast milk... I think it is roughly 5 percent of women capable of lactation. Sometimes there are health risks: HIV, other contagious diseases, mother is deceased... and so on.

Is lack of breast milk a major concern? well it kind of depends on your side of the issue. I happen to be on the side that says do what is best in each specific case. So its tough to make a policy.

Kudos to anyone making a website... I can barely play tic-tac-toe.

[b_dubb]

sharing milk between strangers seems awfully dangerous

[onan]

sharing milk between strangers seems awfully dangerous

probably not any more dangerous than drinking other milks. Ingesting a biological tissue is not the same as a blood transfusion. In essence the GI tract is not really an internal system. If you look at it simply it is a tube which passes through the body... an over simplification but essential to see the difference in what I suspect is a concern of infection or rejection.

[The General]

Maybe it's pasteurized. 
Seems like that would nullify a lot of the benefits of using it though.

[aldousburbank]

sharing milk between strangers seems awfully dangerous

Whut, you gotta problem with this milk I've been picking up at my Safeway?  Them cows is awful far away to get to know them personally.  Hey, didn't Major dEd Games warn us about something like this?

[aldousburbank]

If you look at it simply it is a tube which passes through the body... an over simplification but essential to see the difference in what I suspect is a concern of infection or rejection.

Hey now, that's not being very nice to George is it?  Let's try and keep it a little less graphic here ok?

[aldousburbank]

It seems to me that one of the most primary factors to consider would be the health and nutrition of the lactating mother.

Damn it, I'm posting way too frequently now.  Time to dig a hole...

[guildnavigator]

probably not any more dangerous than drinking other milks. Ingesting a biological tissue is not the same as a blood transfusion. In essence the GI tract is not really an internal system. If you look at it simply it is a tube which passes through the body... an over simplification but essential to see the difference in what I suspect is a concern of infection or rejection.

That's a really interesting way of conceptualizing the GI tract. What are your thoughts on the source of the milk and it's relation to infection/rejection or similar effects?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[onan]

That's a really interesting way of conceptualizing the GI tract. What are your thoughts on the source of the milk and it's relation to infection/rejection or similar effects?

Well any item introduced into a host has the possibility to expose a bacteria or viral infection. There is really no chance of rejection from tissue used as a nutrient. If some tissue were supplanted for a failing tissue then a possibility does exist.

In essence and this again is an ovesimplification but the less complex the nutrient the less likely there would be any type of allergic reaction. Not always true but almost always. There are case studies of allergic reactions to different temperatures of water... sounds silly and honestly never bothered to read much about them.

So back to mother's milk, as a nutrient it is complex but much less so than that of goats or cows. I am not a "baby interested" kind of guy so my knowledge on feeding them is lacking. Babies digestive systems are fragile and underdeveloped so the formulas are a bit taxing but better today than 20 years ago. Mother's milk even from another mother is signifcantly less demanding on the infants digestion.

[anagrammy]

There are numerous reasons why mothers need breast milk.  Premature infants are kept in neonatal units now for weeks, sometimes months.  Their mothers try to pump their breasts, but mechanical and manual pumping is not as stimulating to the milk ducts as the infant's actual suction, so it's hard to get the milk production going.  First time mothers almost never can manage it and even experienced breastfeeders find their production declines over time without the stimulation of a real infant.

Also, many mothers have to go back to work six weeks after birth and they are trying to pump during lunch and breaks.  Milk left in the breast reduces production, so they too dry up.  Some of the infants involved are sick and the mothers have worried themselves into nervous wrecks, so they have inhibited production due to tension. 

Based on the comments on the breastfeeding site, the mothers worry about good nutrition more than anything.  There is no way to screen for that anymore than you can screen for good nutrition in your blood donor when you are rushed into emergency after an accident.  Most mothers are pathetically grateful for the lifesaving properties of breast milk particularly for premature infants when life hangs in the balance. 

Experienced breast feeding mothers whose babies are weaning are able to provide free breast milk and save lives of premature infants and infants whose mothers are too sick to breast feed, or who must take medication which precludes breastfeeding.

I know, TMI, but you asked ....

Anagrammy

[The General]

Awesome, actually.  Thank you Anagrammy for the great explanation. 
Not having raised any kids (yet) I just didn't know!
If I could produce breast milk, I'd send some in.

[anagrammy]

Aw shucks, General, I can't believe I found a topic for which you did not already nave enumerated factoids!



Anagrammy

PS.  Of all the good causes in the world, this one shines for being apolitical and having no overhead whatsoever.  Everybody is a volunteer and everything is done online in the open.  Wouldn't it be nice if that becomes the future of charity in the (really) Brave New World that's coming?

[HAL 9000]

Premature infants are kept in neonatal units now for weeks, sometimes months.   Their mothers try to pump their breasts, but mechanical and manual pumping is not as stimulating to the milk ducts as the infant's actual suction, so it's hard to get the milk production going.  First time mothers almost never can manage it and even experienced breastfeeders find their production declines over time without the stimulation of a real infant.

Also, many mothers have to go back to work six weeks after birth and they are trying to pump during lunch and breaks.  Milk left in the breast reduces production, so they too dry up.  Some of the infants involved are sick and the mothers have worried themselves into nervous wrecks, so they have inhibited production due to tension. 

Based on the comments on the breastfeeding site, the mothers worry about good nutrition more than anything.  There is no way to screen for that anymore than you can screen for good nutrition in your blood donor when you are rushed into emergency after an accident.  Most mothers are pathetically grateful for the lifesaving properties of breast milk particularly for premature infants when life hangs in the balance. 

Experienced breast feeding mothers whose babies are weaning are able to provide free breast milk and save lives of premature infants and infants whose mothers are too sick to breast feed, or who must take medication which precludes breastfeeding.

I know, TMI, but you asked ....

Anagrammy

Well, I can't help but jump into this one. Allow me a brief introductory statement: Neonatology is my life. I deal daily with infants from less than one pound to big ol' fat IDM babies - with almost every known anomaly one could witness in a baby. Sick babies (or sick adults for that matter) must have proper nutrition to get well. Our efforts with providing appropriate nutrition are extraordinary. Premature babies, especially VLBW babies' intestinal tracts very often cannot tolerate ANY form of enteral feeds, hence they may be nourished via IV hyperalimentation, sometimes for months at a time. Indiscriminate early feedings of premature infants, and occasionally premature by only a few weeks, can develop a very often deadly condition known as NEC - necrotizing enterocolitis.

Perhaps my saddest moment every at work, was a baby who was born only a few weeks prematurely. He only needed a little supplemental oxygen for perhaps 3 days, and was well enough to begin feedings. I had seen a thousand other babies with his same condition (TTN), and all went home perfectly fine. The poor mom was very frightened for her little guy - seeing lots of tubes and wires can be scary for parents, but his case was very routine.

I had a few discussions with mom, trying to reassure her that, assuming everything goes well, he'll be perfectly fine, and will be home in perhaps a couple of weeks or less. We started our slow feeding protocol, and he was doing great after a few days, eating like a little piggy. We keep a very close eye on our babies, and palpate and auscultate their abdomens before every feeding. His nurse went to lunch, and he was fine. Before his next feeding, she observed his abdomen, and it was extraordinarily distended and "loopy." An x-ray was taken and showed severe neumotosis.

He was rushed immediately for emergency surgery - our peds surgeon opened him up, examined his entire intestinal tract, and closed him back up. His intestines were dead. We kept him alive for a couple of days, while family members could assemble from around the U.S., (Something I'm certain would not be allowed under Obamacare/socialized medicine BTW). Once family arrived, we provided a room for the family, and our team disconnected the baby from life support, and the little guy died in his mother's arms. After as long as they needed, we then brought him back into the Unit, where I assisted the mom with giving him his last bath, and dressed him up in cute donated clothes and hat to say their last goodbyes. I have NEVER since been so reassuring about a baby's outcome with first vocalizing HUGE caveats before my likely prognosis.

I had a similar situation with twin preemies - both about 2.0-2.5 pounds or so, but doing quite well. Both were feeding via an NG tube, taking only a few ml's every few hours. They also, without signs or symptoms, suddenly developed NEC, and they both went to surgery within hours of one another, and also died within hours of one another.

Why do I tell these stories? To put infant care/nutrition into some perspective. Of course, I support breast milk as the ultimate perfect food for babies, assuming the mom is healthy and not taking medicines which can be passed through breast milk.

Our institution has a VERY strict breast milk (BM) policy, where mom's who pump and store their milk are carefully labeled and then thawed for their infants - HOWEVER, due to health concerns, TWO NURSES must examine the container, and sign and verify that the label matches the baby before feeding the baby, either by bottle or feeding tube. This is INCREDIBLY labor intensive, but was instituted because ONE baby received a few ml's of another mom's milk.

Though of course rare, HIV can be spread via BM. Because the tube from your mouth to your anus (alimentary canal) is "clean" and not sterile, the collection of BM by mom's via a breast pump is also only a "clean" procedure, not a sterile procedure.

We had a few well-meaning nurses (some of whom were a bit extreme - affectionately known as breast-feeding Nazis) who wanted to either start a milk bank, or start contributing to one. The costs were prohibitive, in addition to the potential health risks. There is no way to monitor how well the breast milk is collected initially by the donor, all the way through transportation and storage to insure safety.

There are risks for everything, I know. BM is not "pasteurized" or in any way cleansed. Blood is thoroughly tested against numerous pathogens, and is by process, infinitely safer than without testing. Of course, no process is perfect, but blood it is as good as is reasonably feasible.

Again, I 100% support mothers breast feeding their infants - but make no mistake - I would never allow one of my own infants to consume breast milk from an unknown source.

I laud the effort, but not the outcome. While I need no lectures from some folks on the benefits that natural antibodies in breast milk provides a baby, my personal opinion is the risks outweigh the benefits. Enfamil and Similac also produce beautiful healthy, smart babies. I respect the right of those to analyze their own risk:benefit ratio, but too often, it comes without full, unbiased, knowledge.

If I might make one more analogy, albeit more adult-themed, I would posit that most females would HOPEFULLY be very careful about allowing protein-rich body fluids from males into their mouths, without being very certain there are little to no pathogenic risks for infection. Of course, the same would apply to males, putting your mouths in places that are enjoyable by women and men alike, without exposing yourself to undo risk for STDs and other pathogens.

I'd say that's enough for tonight, would we not all agree? I hate being so loquatious, but it's just part of me - deal with it!

[anagrammy]

Thanks for jumping in, Hal, that was very illuminating.  The infants you described developed their complications spontaneously, right, despite receiving the best care available in Neonatal?  I was wondering if any of the mothers had breastfed them when they weren't supposed to (I'm familiar with the extremist approach). 

In your view, then, the risks outweigh the benefits due to sanitation risks and the possibility of HIV transmission (or other illness?)  Are there any circumstances in which you would feel the benefit was worth the risk? 

And lastly, couldn't the risk be minimized by a certification program where breast milk was identified (and not mixed) and regular donors trained in sanitary collection methods?

Appreciate your input--

Anagrammy

[HAL 9000]

Thanks for jumping in, Hal, that was very illuminating.  The infants you described developed their complications spontaneously, right, despite receiving the best care available in Neonatal?  I was wondering if any of the mothers had breastfed them when they weren't supposed to (I'm familiar with the extremist approach).

We always encourage moms to breastfeed or at least provide breast milk when possible, so that when their babies are healthy enough to take enteral feeds, they get breast milk. The point of my two simple examples were only that, despite our best efforts, some babies die unexpectedly from NEC, for which there is no one cause, and in fact, in most cases, we'll never know what caused their NEC - though certainly being premature (hence weakened immune systems), and feeding too much to quickly can contribute - too much too quick can rob the gut of precious blood supply, among other complications. We have a very strict protocol so tiny babies start out with as little as 1ml every few hours - just a few drops - to get their gut used to having something passing through.

So strictly speaking, mom's do not nor could not breastfeed their babies "when they're not supposed to" - cuz we'd never let that happen at my institution. Babies don't develop the whole suck-swallow-breathe thing until about 32 weeks or so - and because of the risk of NEC, we start out quite slow - essentially non-nutritive for a short time. I think I'm also trying to get across that, within reasonable measure, breast milk, despite all those good antibodies, would likely not make the difference between life and death for most babies who develop NEC. It's just really, really shitty bad luck. I will say that there is one hospital in our service area (about 60 miles away), for which, when we hear we're getting a "belly baby" - we're pretty sure they fed too much too fast. It's just happened too often to be a coincidence. I would also hasten to add that, I/we would NEVER lay blame on a mother for harm to her baby, except in extremely rare instances - drug abuse for example (in which case social services would intervene) or the RARE case where a breastfeeding Nazi has taught the mom to EXCLUSIVELY breastfeed no matter what - and in only a few days time the baby dies of dehydration because breastfeeding wasn't going well - but the mom just wasn't educated properly about monitoring for wet diapers every day, etc. Again, this is an extreme example, but I've seen dead babies because of the breastfeeding-only issue, whereas such dehydration deaths are almost non-existent when at least the OPTION for supplemental formula exists.

In your view, then, the risks outweigh the benefits due to sanitation risks and the possibility of HIV transmission (or other illness?)  Are there any circumstances in which you would feel the benefit was worth the risk?

I do want to stress it is my PERSONAL view the risks outweigh the potential benefits for the reasons I cited. I am also pragmatic enough to know that the risk of HIV is minuscule, but I would have no way of following the "chain of custody" with respect to pathogens in a breast milk bank. I respect others' right to come to the opposite conclusion.

I don't want to beat this horse into the ground, but doesn't it sound reasonable too that, as adults, we would most likely (unless inebriation or horniness got the best of us), that you would not want to "satisfy your man" nor would I want to "satisfy my woman" (if I had one - hahahahaha!) unless we were reasonable sure we're not going to "catch something." For me, those are adult decisions which affect only ourselves, vs. exposing our innocent offspring to an unknown risk, low though it may be.

And lastly, couldn't the risk be minimized by a certification program where breast milk was identified (and not mixed) and regular donors trained in sanitary collection methods?

I'd completely concur that proper education and not mixing milk would definitely minimize risk. I'd also like to point out that I recognize that women who are willing to share their breast milk for the benefit of others are infinitely higher on the Bell curve of learning than any random woman we might pluck out from society - so I concede that the risks are probably inherently less by the nature of the people that participate, than from a randomized population.

And so, while we as adults might put our mouths or other body parts at risk of infection for mere [OK, mere is too strong a word ] sexual gratification, I'm thinking I would be 100x-1000x more concerned about unknown body fluids from another person for my offspring.

I also know that breastfeeding is pretty much free, but collecting, packaging, transporting, storing, and distributing breast milk via a milk bank can be terribly expensive. I applaud the effort, but it ain't anywhere near free.

I know WIC and other programs are not free either (at the taxpayer level), but it is difficult NOT to qualify for infant feeding programs... and the formula is guaranteed sterile.

Additionally, there are many other organizations willing to help those in need - even with infant formula. I'm guessing that, despite your personal experiences, maybe it would still be OK for a Mormon to contribute money for those less fortunate to buy infant formula... at least the goal of appropriate nutrients for the baby would be cared for.

Oh - and thanks for the reasonable questions and retorts - when I give advice or opinions regarding medical topics, especially when it involves womens' medical issues, I almost universally get my virtual ass verbally ripped by women on other forums - so I usually now tread very lightly on womens' issues. You guys are a very chauvinistic (in the dictionary term sense) and one impenetrable group to crack!

[aldousburbank]

As Paul Harvey used to say, here's a strange- Breast Milk Ice Cream Causes Hepatitis Fears In London, http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/international/breast-milk-ice-cream-causes-hepatitis-fears-in-london-20110301-ncx

Personally, I heart breastmilk.  All my babies recommend it.  My last child, due to placenta previa, was delivered in a neonatal ICU unit.  Since that day I have had a tremendous respect for the women and men who devote their work to these tender creatures in tenuous situations. Thumbs up to you Hal9000!

[Agent : Orange]

Wow Hal your stories are amazing. I never thought I'd read (let alone post) on a thread about breastfeeding. Overall REALLY interesting.

I'm also concerned with the idea of a milkbank but I don't know about the real risks being a childless dude. That having been said, it does seem like a possible potential transmission vector for nastiness. Are the women screened before contributing milk at all?

[anagrammy]

There is a movement here in the Berkeley area for a more personal human world, a movement away from government and banks of all kinds (hah!).  This group simply connects a woman who needs breast milk with a woman who has a surplus.  They figure it out between themselves about whether they approve of the donating woman and how she/they collect or transport the breastmilk.

In the future, we will be surviving based on our support of one another.  I am hoping the internet will help us connect in these ways and leave money and the government out of it. Selling breast milk is illegal, so the two women work it our in the growing underground economy way--under the table or trading.  The liability and risks are all on the women themselves and I agree with Hal that a generous lactating mother is probably not going to be in a high risk category.  Personally, I would feel better myself knowing the donating mother, maybe visiting in her home once (just to make sure it's clean, not a crackhouse, etc). 

Thanks for the amplification, Hal, that cleared up a few more questions.  Regarding the rudeness of women on various forums, I would guess they are angry at men in general and have an intense feeling of ownership of female issues.  Sometimes people use anonymity to vent and let off steam in ways that they are unable to do in person and maintain relationships.

Whereas, we who have no significant other can be polite! 

Anagrammy

BTW- Discovering little pockets of people engaged in unusual (to us) activities is why we are/were all Coast fans.  As an armchair anthropologist, I am happy as a clam as my activitist daughter is participating in creating this whole new Human First movement (that's my name for it, not theirs.  I keep forgetting what they call it)

[haloedorchid]

I love your posts, HAL. Why would the aforementioned women on other forums need to rip you a new one? Everything you said regarding breastfeeding seems very reasonable and not inflammatory at all. I think it must be what Anagrammy mentioned -- the need for ownership over all things female health-related. That's too bad, because they are selling themselves short.

[anagrammy]

It seems to me that health was bifurcated when the abortion issue moved to the front and women claimed the right to make decisions about their own bodies.  This morphed into the two separate-but-equal areas:  women's health and men's health.  I rather think we are all the human race and what affects women's health is everybody's business, as is what affects men's health.  We are human beings first, part of the human race, and men or women second.  Every voice is important on all both gender's health issues.  Just because you happen to have a penis doesn't mean I can't have some ideas worth mentioning about it. And vice versa.

Anagrammy

[Evil Twin Of Zen]

We always encourage moms to breastfeed or at least provide breast milk when possible, so that when their babies are healthy enough to take enteral feeds, they get breast milk. The point of my two simple examples were only that, despite our best efforts, some babies die unexpectedly from NEC, for which there is no one cause, and in fact, in most cases, we'll never know what caused their NEC - though certainly being premature (hence weakened immune systems), and feeding too much to quickly can contribute - too much too quick can rob the gut of precious blood supply, among other complications. ... et cetera

sorry for the edit, but i must say that i found your information riveting. i did some reading on NEC. now i don't have squat for knowledge in your field, but wanted to understand. Wikipedia may or may not have been a good place for me to start, but it led to several informative points i wondered about concerning NEC. i read that it can involve cluster outbreaks in NICUs with no common organism identified. most common area of the bowel affected is near the ileocecal valve. ok, had to look ileocecal valve up. it's the junction between the small and large bowel. the ileocecal valve is distinctive because it is the only site in the GI tract which is used for Vitamin B12 and bile acid absorption. again, i dunno much about this and i'm sure it has been investigated by many that are expert in it. my searches continued in finding out about vit B12 what it does, what it affects and so on and so on as such reading can do.
i understand your examples and was just wondering if this unique function of the ileocecal valve and anything in common with the supplement or anything added to the breast milk has been studied? this may sound silly in my ignorance, but if this area of the ileocecal valve is a common location of NEC could it be bypassed or tested in infants for unususal function in what it absorbs or affected by what is absorbed?
sorry if I'm wasting time here, really. i would be interested if you could direct me to any published paper on current studies. Thanks. 

[Evil Twin Of Zen]

This group simply connects a woman who needs breast milk with a woman who has a surplus.  They figure it out between themselves about whether they approve of the donating woman and how she/they collect or transport the breastmilk.

i believe wet nursing has a long history. seems to have worked for Romulus and Remus.... oops that was a she-wolf. sorry. 

[Agent : Orange]

i believe wet nursing has a long history. seems to have worked for Romulus and Remus.... oops that was a she-wolf. sorry. 

Isn't a wet nurse essentially someone whose sole duty is to nurse? My point here is that a wet nurse is not just picked from some stranger off the street. I couldn't imagine giving a child something from a total stranger who hadn't been screened in any way.

[anagrammy]

In the days before the internet, ancient Rome specifically, women who were lactating would go hang around the fountain waiting for clients, i.e., mothers with hungry babies.  No doubt they secured a regular gig if the baby liked them and the mother looked them over for sores or whatever health signs they considered important.  Typically, they would nurse the babies on the spot.

Anagrammy

[The General]

In the days before the internet, ancient Rome specifically, women who were lactating would go hang around the fountain waiting for clients, i.e., mothers with hungry babies.  No doubt they secured a regular gig if the baby liked them and the mother looked them over for sores or whatever health signs they considered important.  Typically, they would nurse the babies on the spot.

Anagrammy

Meanwhile the men were busy in the bath-house. 
Some things never change.