A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another person's child, usually in exchange for payment. The term comes from the idea that the baby would be fed with milk directly from the breast, or "wet-nurse." This practice has been used throughout history as an alternative to bottle feeding, especially when a mother was unable to nurse her own child due to illness, death in childbirth, or other reasons. Wet nurses were often highly respected and valued for their ability to provide proper nutrition and care for the infant.