# GOT (breast) MILK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 1999, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592 "1999-08-15T23:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 1999, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/1 "1999-08-15T23:21:00Z")
Can human breast milk be made into other dairy products like cheese, yogurt or ice cream? Are there any cultures where this is practiced? * * * TT “Believe those who seek the truth. Doubt those who find it.” --Andre Gide ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 1999, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/2 "1999-08-15T23:28:00Z")
## Other than as a novelty item, I doubt it. The whole point of dairy animals is to convert stuff humans _can’t_ eat- grass and such -into something they _can_eat: milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. Feeding “milk maids” so they can produce human milk would be a waste of resources. Point and Click: How Custer discovered he’d run out of ammo. ---
**Author:** ![Pooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dbc845/32.png) [@Pooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pooch)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 1999, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/3 "1999-08-15T23:48:00Z")
I think ‘Mothers Milk Ice Cream’(for infants) would be a great idea. We could manufacture the ice cream overseas in some country where labor is cheap and breast milk is plentiful. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 1999, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/4 "1999-08-15T23:58:00Z")
Another important aspect of breast feeding is that the infant aquires certain types of antibodies from its mother’s milk. I like the pun about cultures, though, if that’s what it was. ---
**Author:** ![Leslie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Leslie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leslie)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/5 "1999-08-16T01:40:00Z")
But the question is \*\* can \*\* you make cheese, yogurt or ice cream out of breast milk, not should you. I’ve often wondered the same thing myself. I remember expressing breast milk and noticing the layer of “cream” that would rise to the top. ---
**Author:** ![lvick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@lvick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lvick)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/6 "1999-08-16T02:33:00Z")
I would be pretty surprised if it couldn’t be done, probably with the same cultures we use for cow milk, but I agree that it’s probably impractical, Larry ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/7 "1999-08-16T02:43:00Z")
Sure you could, but has anyone (other than myself) ever tasted breast milk? I think I would pass on the cheese. 🙂 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![HeadlessCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@HeadlessCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadlessCow)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/8 "1999-08-16T02:46:00Z")
Someone, I believe it was Philip Jose Farmer, wrote a story about an alternate reality in which women were bread and treated like cows. The women were raised in farms and bred for stupidity and docility and their ability to create milk. The milk was supposedly used for all that cow milk is used for here. While I admit that this is exactly proof it is possible, it at least suggests that other people think it is. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/9 "1999-08-16T02:56:00Z")
> [@](#): > > …wrote a story about an alternate > reality in which women were bread… This explains the yeast infections. Sorry about that. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Pooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dbc845/32.png) [@Pooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pooch)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/10 "1999-08-16T03:01:00Z")
I’ve tasted it…yummy! I think ice-cream is the ticket. Planet Hollywood could get some wholesome stars breast milk and make milk shakes. I’m sure some Japanese tourist would pony up several hundred dollars for a perky strawberry Meg Ryan shake or a sultry chocolate Kim Bassinger shake. For the live fast die young crowd–an Orange Madonna Freeze. ---
**Author:** ![topolino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@topolino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/topolino)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/11 "1999-08-16T03:46:00Z")
No idea if this is an urban legend but my coworkers, men who think this is a GREAT idea, say that there is some cheese produced in Europe from human milk that sells for a fortune. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/12 "1999-08-16T04:45:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Someone, I believe it was Philip Jose Farmer, wrote a story about an alternate reality in which women were bread and treated like cows. The women were raised in farms and bred for stupidity and docility and their ability to create milk. If it’s the story I’m thinking of, it was written by Piers Anthony. I believe its title was _In the Barn_. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/13 "1999-08-16T08:32:00Z")
Yes, Just look on the shelves of a supermarket in any industrialized nation. Boob cheese, boob yogurt and hell, big ol cartons of boob milk are just sitting there, available for consmption. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/14 "1999-08-16T11:26:00Z")
I wonder if you could get away without Pasteurization/ Homogenization etc. How about instead of adding Vit. D we add caffeine, I always thought that that would be the key to increasing milk sales myself. The problem is instead of buying it off the shelf there will be women on every street corner selling it ‘Direct from the source’. Hey don’t they do that now? ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/15 "1999-08-16T13:56:00Z")
Let’s not forget the allure of breast milk is primarily the attractive containers and the usual delivery method. ---
**Author:** ![GregAtlanta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@GregAtlanta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GregAtlanta)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/16 "1999-08-16T16:43:00Z")
Soooo…what does breast milk taste like? I’ve always wondered, and can’t remember from my days as a wee little guy with complete access. Anything at all like cow’s milk?? – Greg, Atlanta ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/17 "1999-08-16T22:49:00Z")
I’m curious about another aspect of breastfeeding: How late can a mother nurse her children? According to Isaac Asimov in “The Human Body,” a woman will lactate only as long as “milk is regularly drawn from the breast.” One woman I know (age 46!) gave birth, but told me her baby’s appetite was more than the mother could handle, so she quit nursing and started using formula. Do nursing mothers usually ‘call it quits’ after age 2 or so? Or have some managed to continue to lactate indefinitely? I admit to knowing absolutely NOTHING about this topic. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/18 "1999-08-16T22:55:00Z")
As long as there is a demand for breast milk, the body will produce it. There are some women for a variety of reasons who cannot produce adequate supply for their child. Usually this can be caused by dietary, medicines, multiple births or just a hungry eater. I have heard stories of women breast feeding their kids well after two. In this country. These women are nuts. When they can’t get Bobbie or Suzie to leave home at thirty, it will be a little wonder why. These are the same women who wear matching outfits with their daughters. After the first year (or earlier) a child can switch over to cows milk, provided the family doesn’t have any milk allergies. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/19 "1999-08-16T23:22:00Z")
## Main Entry: wet nurse Function: noun Date: 1620 : a woman who cares for and suckles children not her own. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 1999, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592/20 "1999-08-16T23:55:00Z")
I’m pretty sure it could, however impractical. I am still nursing my seven month old and if I pump a bottle (for her future consumption) the most I can get at a sitting is about 5 ounces. I guess that would make a slice of Kraft, maybe. :o) BTW, my husband says it tastes like regular milk, only sweeter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-breast-milk/2592.md?page=2)