The real reason why 'Sister Wives' star Meri Brown breastfed one of Kody’s other wives’ children

While some may have assumed it was part of a regular ritual, Meri clarified that it wasn't done casually or for amusement, but rather out of necessity.
PUBLISHED DEC 25, 2024
A screenshot of Meri Brown from 'Sister Wives'. (Cover Image Source: Sister Wives / TLC)
A screenshot of Meri Brown from 'Sister Wives'. (Cover Image Source: Sister Wives / TLC)

On October 13 episode of Sister Wives Meri Brown made a shocking revelation— she breastfed one of Kody Brown's other wives' children. Her comment brings to light a rather controversial practice within their family. As per People magazine, while some may have assumed it was part of a regular ritual, Meri clarified that it wasn't done casually or for amusement, but rather out of necessity. Meri, 53, revealed in a confessional, "I actually breastfed one of our kids that was not my own child. It was something that was kind of medically necessary at the time, but it wasn't something that we did on a regular basis just for fun, just for kicks and giggles," the Daily Mail reported.



 

Christine and Janelle Brown, other wives of Kody, also dismissed the very idea of baby swapping, deeming it as 'disgusting'. The director of the reality show asked off-camera, "So, there is this rumor that in the church a lot of the sister wives would sit around and breastfeed and swap kids around." In response, Christine, in her confessional, asserted, "That is not true!" She added, "No, it was a joke. That is disgusting." Janelle, however, was more neutral. She said she had never breastfed any of the other wives' children, not because of any strong opposition but because she physically couldn't. "I have never breastfed another baby," Janelle said. "I never had enough milk. I would have been hard-pressed to do that." Her response was more practical than emotional."

 
 
 
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Robyn Brown, Kody's fourth wife, meanwhile admitted that breastfeeding other women's children does happen, not only in their family but also in their culture. She said, "Yeah, it's real. It is true. Women would breastfeed one another's kids." Robyn explained that such instances were driven by necessity. "It's not like musical babies," Robyn clarified. "It's more of, like, necessity and help and, you know, a community of women being supportive to each other about their children and stuff."

Meri played an important role in raising Kody's children from other marriages as she had only one of her own. However, her contributions were always overlooked, and Kody continuously made hurtful comments about her. In Season 19, Kody claimed Meri changed after marriage and became 'difficult to be around.' He even implied that her behavior pushed him to take other wives. "I knew pretty early on I couldn't live with her," he said in a controversial interview.



 

He also hoped Meri would just 'go away,' which showed how little respect he had for her. Meri who wed Kody in 1990, remained devoted nevertheless, until 2022, when she officially separated from Kody. Despite her strong religious beliefs against divorce, Meri finally chose to prioritize her happiness and independence, ending their 32-year marriage.

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