Breasts have fascinated the world since prehistoric times. They are a part of the female anatomy that does not leave anyone indifferent. Whether small, opulent or non-existent, the way breasts are viewed has evolved over centuries and cultures.
How was our modern bra born? Since when do we get our boobs redone? Did you know that breasts were the working tool of hundreds of women in the 19th century?
To dive into the history of breasts, Sidonie Bonnec receives Isabelle Motroteditorial director of the magazine chat. The special issue “Special breasts, tits in all their states” is to be discovered on newsstands.
Wet nurse: breasts as a work tool
In the 18th century, a new profession developed: that of nanny on site. To be able to exercise it, women had to leave their infants to go and breastfeed, sometimes for several years, the children of crowned heads and the French and European upper bourgeoisie.
To recruit them, employment offices go from hamlet to hamlet to meet young mothers from poor families. The wet nurse is chosen on three criteria: her beauty, her youth and the quality of her milk. For this, they observe the chest of the candidate and even go so far as to taste her milk.
The nannies are highest paid servants. They are very well fed, wear expensive costumes, follow the family when it moves and even receive gifts when the child loses a milk tooth. Their job also allows them to learn and emancipate themselves.
In the twentieth century, the job of nanny began to run out of steam with the beginning of the First World War which disrupts the links between the countryside and the city. In 1920, the commercialization of powdered milk put a definitive end to this practice.