Photo of Woman Breastfeeding Her Friend's Son Gets Slammed

• comments
• 
• 

A photo of a woman breastfeeding her friend's son has gone viral on the Internet, receiving both positive and negative comments. According to Fox News, Jessica Colleti, from Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, has been breastfeeding the son of her friend, Charlie Interrante, along with her own son. 

Controversy was sparked when Colleti posted a picture on Facebook of herself breastfeeding both boys. She posted the picture on the Mama Bean Parenting blog page saying: 

"My son on the right is 16 months and my friend's son (Mateo) is 18 months. I watch her son while she works and have been feeding them both for a year! So much love between these milk siblings, it's a special bond between us all."

ABC 6 explains that Colleti volunteered to feed Interrant's son after finding out that her friend could not breastfeed herself and that Mateo did not take kindly to formula milk. 

Colleti informed ABC 6 that she has never breastfed any other woman's child. She added that it felt quite natural feeding her friend's child. 

"...[Charlie] was always very happy that her son had the nutrition and comfort he needed whil she was working. Being able to breastfeed her little boy has created a special bond between us all - a bond I will always cherish," she said.

Since breastfeeding Interrant's son, the two woman have moved in together and seemed to have really become a family. 

Interrante believed that her son will not react badly to the pictures of him being breastfed by Colletti when he gets older. She said Mateo will see Colletti as a sort of second mom. Interrant added that she will always be open about the relationship Collieti and Mateo form. 

While both moms have no issues with their breastfeeding arrangement, others on the Mama Bean page have not been so accepting of their situation. There were some moms who applauded the creative decision of Colleti and Interrante, but others were not so kind. 

One commentor said: "I found this picture disturbing." While another read: "Nothing wrong with breastfeeding, but why not cover up? Besides these two children are old enough to eat solid foods." 

Despite the decreased popularity of wet nurses, the World Health Organization does approve of getting a wet nurse if the mother is unable to breastfeed her own child, reports Fox News.

The global healthcare agency also recommends breastfeeding up to 23 months of age.WHO states that breast milk, regardless of who it comes from, is the perfect food for the growth and development of infants. 

However,Kathleen McCue, a lactation consultant, told ABC 6 that there is a risk with wet nurses. Although, if the wet nurse is screened and healthy, there should be no problem with her breastfeeding someone else's child, added McCue.