Woman, Mother, Wet Nurse: Engine of Child Health Promotion in the Spanish Monarchy (1850–1910)

Abstract

In Spain, the wet nurse increased the survival of children through care and breastfeeding of other women’s children. They had a great development together with the Spanish monarchy between 1850 and 1910. The aim is to identify the role of wet nurses in the Spanish monarchy and the survival of the royal infants (s. XIX–XX). A scoping review is presented to study documents about the wet nurse in the Spanish monarchy. Applying the dialectical structural model of care (DSMC). Recognizing five thematic blocks that shape the historical-cultural model. Books, decrees and databases were analyzed: Scopus, Scielo, Dialnet, Cuiden, Medline/Pubmed, CINAHL, Science Direct and Google Scholar, from January to July 2020. The selection process was rigorous because it was difficult to choose. They had to overcome medical and moral exams. The selected rural northern wet nurses emigrated to Madrid. The contract was regulated by laws and paid. Wet nurses were hired by the monarchy due to health problems of the biological mother and a need for greater offspring. The wet nurse wore a typical costume, a symbol of wealth. The northern wet nurses hired by the monarchists have been the engine that has promoted the health of infants through the breastfeeding process.

Wet Nurse or Milk Bank? Evolution in the Model of Human Lactation: New Challenges for the Islamic Population

“…The biological roles of the wet nurse were centred around breastfeeding, and took place within the family household that required her services. In contrast to the Christian wet nurse [ 17 ], only a few Muslim wet nurses are known to have nursed important historical figures [ 62 ]. The fact that doctors and religious scholars agreed that breastfeeding and sexual relations could not coexist made it impossible for women to continue procreating.…”

“…In the Catholic context, with a heritage of seven centuries of Muslim presence (VIII–XV centuries), the figure of the pasiega wet nurse appears, a peasant woman who is hired by the high bourgeoisie, the aristocracy and even the Spanish Royal House to breastfeed and care for children [ 17 , 18 ]. Thus, throughout history, different ways of ensuring breastfeeding and thus infant survival have been observed.…”

Una investigación cualitativa: La creación del título de Enfermería en España (1915)

“…Las estructuras que se aplican son 1) unidad funcional (UF), incluye normas, valores, creencias, conocimientos y sentimientos que dan origen a los sistemas sociales y que determinan el género y la división sexual del trabajo, tan decisivos en el surgimiento de estas profesiones donde lo fisiológico se fusiona con el trabajo; 2) Marco funcional (MF), relacionado con el lugar donde se realizan las actividades, 3) elemento funcional (EF), incluye los actores sociales, responsables de la gestión de los cuidados. Estos constituyen una herramienta adecuada para la ordenación y análisis de datos para obtener una visión global de los fenómenos históricos para la perspectiva de la historia cultural (Siles, 2016;Siles-González et al, 2020).…”

Queens and Wet Nurses: Indispensable Women in the Dynasty of the Sun King (1540–1580)

“…It is worth noting that the most privileged wet nurses were sought after by the aristocracy, becoming part of the families. This figure acquired an important role in the Spanish monarchy [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. The requirements for working as a wet nurse were also established by the Church, which, following its precepts, demanded that they be healthy, honest and honest with their families, as well as being pleasant to the infant [ 13 , 14 ].…”

“…This figure acquired an important role in the Spanish monarchy [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. The requirements for working as a wet nurse were also established by the Church, which, following its precepts, demanded that they be healthy, honest and honest with their families, as well as being pleasant to the infant [ 13 , 14 ]. Such was the relevance of this profession in society that it was already regulated by law in the 12th century, specifically in the Royal Charter of Castile (1252–1255), where the rights of children were protected, thus increasing their survival (Siles, 1996).…”