[headsonpikes]

You have a point with the 'stranger' aspect of this case.

I recall that women in a ranching area I lived in in the '70s would occasionally feed each other's babies.

Certainly, no one thought ill of it, or was even discomfited.

I can see why the mother would be upset, but where is the prosecutor getting the 'outraging public decency' idea ?

That seems a tad 'clenched' to me.

[ChicagoGuy]

I'm with you. I don't like the 'stranger' aspect either, but if people want it to be illegal, they should pass a law. Generic laws like 'outraging public decency' make things into crimes only after the fact and are extremely dangerous. (Imagine some democrat saying that attending a Freeper rally is 'outraging public decency'.)

[honeygrl]

"I can see why the mother would be upset, but where is the prosecutor getting the 'outraging public decency' idea ? "

I definitely agree on that one.. and I think a year of prison is too harsh. I'm not sure what would've been an appropriate action but prison time doesn't seem like the right thing.

[ChemistCat]

I think she was charged with the public decency law because they didn't HAVE any other law against it. So it'll be thrown out of court because it's too much of a stretch.

She put the infant at risk of getting any diseases she might have--but those can be tested for. If she's healthy, this is definitely a non-crime, just a nasty invasion of the mother's rights--which she had partially abrogated anyway. If she has HIV or something, good grief, what a mess.

Norse, a woman who delivers a baby produces colostrum for a couple of days--in fact, she begins producing it sometime toward the end of the second trimester, though she may not notice. Then the milk comes in. Boy does it come in. If she's not nursing, or not nursing often enough, for whatever reason, her body will eventually realize that and stop producing milk, but if the baby nurses well, the milk production regulates itself to the baby's needs. Most women can easily produce enough for twins, even if they are not very large-breasted. Sometime after the baby is weaned, production tapers off, but can easily be brought back for some time, making it possible for orphans to be fed by wet nurses.

Women who adopt can sometimes trigger milk production and nurse their adopted babies, even if they never had a baby themselves. They sell gadgets for that, to supplement with formula while encouraging the baby to nurse--baby never needs to take a bottle. Looks pretty cumbersome to me.

I babysat a very young infant once who would not take a bottle. For hours and hours I struggled with her--her mother was at the ER. Finally I made her THINK I was going to breast feed her, and slipped the bottle in there. Ha. Fooled the colicky little wretch. She was precious. But I wouldn't have PRESUMED to actually nurse another person's child, even though I could, at that time. Most of us know better, but I'm not sure why! It's sort of like kissing someone else's husband. Most of us see the line and don't cross it!

Hope that helps.