wetnurse

/ˈwɛtˌnɜrs/
verb
  1. To act as a wetnurse for a baby.
    • In some societies, women would wetnurse for neighbors in need.
    • She agreed to wetnurse her sister's child for the first few months.
    • The queen employed a peasant woman to wetnurse the prince.
noun
  1. A woman employed to breastfeed another woman's baby.
    • Historical records show that wetnurses were common in many cultures.
    • The wetnurse cared for the baby as if it were her own.
    • In the 18th century, wealthy families often hired a wetnurse for their infants.