Bubby pot for infant feeding, possibly by Wedgwood, English, 1770-1835

This tiny teapot was used for feeding infants. It was made by famous Staffordshire pottery firm, Wedgwood. Before dried and condensed milk were introduced in the 1860s, mothers or wet nurses used a combination of breastfeeding and other foods to feed their babies. The latter included a liquefied mixture of bread, flour, milk and sugar. This teapot was known as a ‘Bubby pot’. It was filled with liquid food. The child sucked upon the perforated spout like they would on a baby’s bottle today. The spout was often covered in cloth.