Historically a fixture of imperial and aristocratic households. The
乳母 sometimes wielded substantial influence — Emperor Xizong of Tang's wet nurse
王氏 (Wáng Shì) was granted noble titles. Today the word survives mainly in historical/literary contexts; modern usage is
奶妈 (nǎimā) or
月嫂 (yuèsǎo, postpartum nanny).
