And in order to nourish and nurture the children born from the union of man and woman, our Creator designed the female anatomy for breastfeeding an infant. As the patriarch Jacob put it in Genesis 49:25, it is “the Almighty who blesses [us] with…the blessings of the breasts and of the womb.”
In ancient Palestine, since 2.000BC, children were considered a blessing, and breastfeeding a religious obligation. Breastfeeding used to last long enough, almost up to two to three years and provided the infant with protection from various diseases, and above all from dysentery which was common and often fatal.
Mark 7:27 in Other Translations
27 And he said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 27 Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Breastfeeding was an everyday, common occurrence in Biblical times because it is God's design for nourishing an infant. He who created mankind as male and female designed them to procreate (Genesis 1:27-28).
Once a child is born, one of the most important things a mother can do is breastfeed, and many religious texts treat breastfeeding as a right and responsibility and as an act of love, sacrifice, and kindness. For example: The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years… (The Holy Qur'an – s.
In her book Inventing Baby Food: Taste, Health, and the Industrialization of the American Diet, Amy Bentley argues that distaste for public breastfeeding in the US began with the sexualization of female breasts in the 19th century and was accelerated by the rise in processed baby food occurring around the same time.
Consistent Compassion
What's really interesting is that this word often portrays God as a parent who deeply cares for his children. Compassion is the response God has when he hears his people cry out to him, much like a mother responds to the cries of her infant.
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Your sons hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you.
Proverbs 5:18b says “…and rejoice with the wife of your youth.” Verse 19b says, “… Let her breast satisfy you at all times.” This scripture does not say that it is the breasts of only a young girl that gives a man satisfaction.
Isaiah 66:11
That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
Bible Verses About Mothers
Isaiah 66:13: "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you." Isaiah 49:15: "Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?" Proverbs 31:25: "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."
Our work will often be behind the scenes, but we can always rejoice that God sees our efforts and blesses us for them. Each person who belongs to the body of Christ has been given certain gifts for ministry, and nursing falls under two of them.
A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, or if she is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself.
Phoebe was the first nurse mentioned in the Holy Bible. Commissioned by St. Paul as a deaconess serving the church, Phoebe is said to have exemplified early Christian ideals of charity and selflessness. She gave care to sick strangers, orphans and travelers under her own roof.
But, not one to follow tradition too strictly, the Queen set her own standard and breastfed her four children, something which her daughter-in-law Princess Diana also decided to do as well, and later the Duchess of Cambridge.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or older.
In Mongolia, breastfeeding is celebrated and public breastfeeding encouraged with 65 percent of babies being exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding also tends to continue until after the second birthday.
Most Muslims see breastfeeding as the God (Allah) given right of the child according to the rules of Shariah (Islamic Law). The religious laws regarding breastfeeding are all from the Quran and give parents a degree of flexibility and choice.
There is a huge variation in practice regarding the maximum age limit for breastfeeding, depending on which school of Islamic jurisprudence the family chooses to follow. The opinions of Muslim scholars fluctuate, but generally range between two and seven years.
With “dry” breastfeeding your baby does not actually drink significant amounts of milk, but he is able to smell and taste the droplets of milk that remain in your breast after pumping.
We are to care for them and their well-being, and treat them as God treats us, His children – with love, care, and compassion. We are instructed to care for all of the children of the earth, out of a spirit of love, care, and mercy – the same that God has shown us.
As an angel, the nurse is viewed as a caring, comforting, female servant of god (Price, 2010). Alternatively, as a hero the nurse is envisaged as an individual with divine powers or ancestry (Wikipedia, 2020).
Regardless of religious affiliation or views, providing well-rounded care as a nurse can be viewed as a spiritual calling; compassionate, holistic care that focuses on the body, mind, and soul has the ability to take fear, pain, or despair and turn it into hope, comfort, and peace.
A godly mother is generous.
Sometimes her generosity comes in the form of encouragement. Her desire is to offer words that build others up rather than tear them down. Her example of generosity toward her family as well as to others sets a pattern for her children to follow in her footsteps.
They feel safe. They feel valued and important. The bond a baby has with Mom is the baby's first relationship." "Mothers tend to be the primary caregivers, and if children don't feel loved, they internalize that and feel unlovable," Esposito says.