Wet Nurses under Scrutiny: Regulating Lactation in the Seventeenth-Century Casa Cuna

Abstract

abstract:Wet nursing was a central industry in the early modern period. Its widespread use can be seen throughout society, from royal and elite babies down to the lowest ranks, including orphans. Infant feeding and nutrition were a significant source of debate; before the advent of formula, breastmilk was the only option for young babies. Throughout the early modern period, humanists wrote about the benefits of mother's milk over that of a wet nurse. Sevillano humanist Luis Brochero echoes the preference for mother's milk and simultaneously demands reform for orphan care in his 1629 Discurso breve (Brief Treatise). His focus on this marginalized community is unique within the discourse of didactic texts about breastfeeding. In order to determine if any of the theoretical proposals endorsed by Brochero were implemented in practice, this article analyzes the seventeenth-century archival collection of Pagos a las amas (Payments for Wet Nurses) and the foundational Libro de los protocolos (Book of Protocols) from a foundling home, the Casa Cuna in Seville, Spain.