Question

wet nurse

Accepted Answer

a woman hired to suckle a child of someone else

But before the introduction of the feeding bottle in the 19th Century, women who were unable or unwilling to breastfeed turned to another option - a wet nurse.

A wet nurse whisked him to England for three years.

My sister loved him, she bore his children, swaddled them, fed them at her own breast — Elia wouldn't let the wet nurse touch them.

The child would then be swaddled and – for wealthy infants – passed to the care of a wet nurse.

Wet Nurse Child Swaddled Woman Hired Suckle Introduction