Two mothers explain why they breastfeed each other’s babies
For most families, breastfeeding is a private part of early parenthood.
For sisters-in-law Holly and Becky Stevens, it has become a practical arrangement that has lasted seven years, with each woman breastfeeding the other’s children.
The pair, who have known one another for decades, discussed their unusual routine during an appearance on ITV’s This Morning.
What began almost by accident has since become something they regard as an ordinary part of helping each other through the demands of family life.
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It started when Holly’s son Freddy was just five days old.
Holly was out with her partner at the time while Becky looked after the newborn.
The baby started to cry, so Becky got in touch to tell Holly that she was already breastfeeding her own seven-month-old son, Foy.
Holly’s answer was simple: feed him.
Convenience and criticism of sharing breastmilk
Becky then fed the baby, and neither woman regarded the episode as particularly remarkable.
“It felt a natural thing to do, and it didn’t feel odd.”
The arrangement proved useful on other occasions, too.
Holly recalled arriving at Becky’s house while working and realising she had forgotten her breast pump.
Rather than interrupting the day, Becky offered to breastfeed.
When Holly later separated from Freddy’s father, Becky also helped with childcare, making it possible for Freddy to stay with her without Holly having to prepare bottles.
“Less to pack,” Becky said.
Seven years on, the arrangement has continued as both women have had more children.
Holly has since breastfed Becky’s daughter Pearl, while Becky has helped feed Holly’s children.
The women say the experience has also strengthened their relationships with each other’s families.
Holly believes she is particularly close to the children she has nursed, although she says that may simply be because she has spent more time with them.
Their approach has inevitably attracted attention.
Holly said some relatives regard the pair as unusually ‘earthy’, while criticism from outsiders has largely been ignored.
Wet nursing used to be common
She sees nothing inherently strange about one woman feeding another woman’s baby and pointed to the long history of wet nursing.
Wet nursing is the practice of a woman breastfeeding a child who is not her own.
It was once widespread, long before infant formula and modern feeding equipment.
Today, informal milk sharing remains uncommon but is not unheard of.
A 2025 study published in JAMA Network Open found that 3.7 per cent of mothers in its sample reported feeding their babies shared human milk during the first six months.
Most of those women had received milk from friends or family members.
There are, however, medical considerations.
Health risks of sharing breastfeeding
Dr Zoe Williams, This Morning’s resident doctor, said she could understand why the arrangement worked for the sisters-in-law but warned against treating cross-feeding casually.
“There are some safety considerations here,” she said, citing the possibility of transmitting infections and exposure to medicines, alcohol or other substances.
The US Food and Drug Administration similarly advises caution with human milk obtained from another person, particularly when the donor has not been screened.
Potential concerns include infectious diseases, medication or substance exposure and contamination during handling.
The CDC notes that some infections, including HIV, can be transmitted through breast milk.
For Holly and Becky, though, the practice is less a statement about parenting than a solution born from trust, proximity and convenience.
They know each other well, share childcare and have gradually incorporated feeding one another’s babies into family life.
As Holly put it, “Milk is milk.”
Jen Thomas