Human milk, the root of human life

Breastfeeding is our very first introduction to food, a primal human connection, and the foundation of our life-long wellbeing. The taste of breastmilk changes depending on what we've eaten, starting out our kids' love affair with food, with the land, their own bodies, their own health.

It is both an urgent public health and a climate justice issue, and the astonishing contents of human milk, as well as its minute carbon footprint, show us why.

Breastfeeding protects infants against all sorts of short term illnesses; colds, ear infections, lung infections, tummy bugs and more, but it also protects against longer term diseases like certain cancers, obesity, diabetes, eczema, and malnutrition.

What’s less well known is that it also protects women. Breastfeeding reduces our risk of breast and ovarian cancers, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and postnatal depression for instance.

The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, continued alongside other food and drinks until at least the child’s second birthday.


But an estimated 843,000 infants die globally each year because they are not being breastfed and protected by the components in human milk, alongside 20,000 women who would survive breast cancer. ​It also takes 5000 litres of water to produce 1kg of breastmilk substitute, as well as thousands of shipping miles to assemble the basic ingredients and packaging.

Women have good reason to be drawn to breastfeeding...

Human Milk, Tailor-made for Tiny Humans "advert"

Most mothers want to breastfeed

but many are interrupted by social and environmental elements, many of those being myths or fallacies that are ingrained in our cultures.

One of those is that frequent feeding, more often than the books tell us our babies "should" feed, means you're not making enough milk. And that's bollocks. 

The responsibility must not rest on individual mothers to work this stuff out by themselves. 

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Knowledge of how human milk and breastfeeding work is key to everyone understanding why breastfeeding matters so much, and to breastfeeding mothers being actively supported. 

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Mothers report to us that learning about their milk has deepened their choice to breastfeed, their confidence, their connection to themselves, to their baby, their body, and often to the people they rely on for support.

We believe every mother should be perceived as a Goddess, because that's what she is.

Mothers

Feast your eyes on the mind blowing science of your own milk. You don't need to eat or live in any special way to produce it. Your body is truly remarkable. We hope it inspires and empowers you.


If you're struggling, have a look at our 'Is This Normal?' page. You might find that all is as it's meant to be.

If you need dedicated, one to one help right away, our 'Find Breastfeeding Help' page lists qualified support ready to help you right this minute.

Healthcare Providers

Healthcare providers around the world use our resources to train staff and support the parents they work with. These are free of charge to ensure equitable access.


When a mother approaches a healthcare professional for help with breastfeeding, it's critical to know why it matters, how to help her, or where to refer her. 


We're here to help you to do that.

Download Resources
  • Mothers talk about the science of breastmilk and how inspiring it is to them
Woman breastfeeding a baby on a couch in a living room setting

Mama... This is just a little of what you're doing for your child, with every single feed

Your body picks up on infections in your baby's body and environment, and makes the specific antibodies your child needs to fight off that infection, delivering them through your milk.

Ever wondered why your little one wants to breastfeed more often when they're poorly?

It's comforting, for sure, but they're also receiving thousands to millions of antibodies per feed. And the more they feed, the more they receive, and the better they can fight that infection.

Our babies know what they're doing, and they have no blueprint for manipulation whatsoever.

Human milk contains Leptin

Leptin is a hormone that signals to our brain when our tummy is full, protecting us against over-eating.

Whilst breastmilk contains leptin, it also helps your baby to begin their own leptin production.

It appears that molecules called Micro-RNAs switch on the gene in your baby’s body that oversees the production of leptin, assisting in your child’s life-long appetite regulation.

Human milk contains oxytocin

Oxytocin is a hormone that induces feelings of well-being, connection and relaxation. It’s the one that’s released in our bodies when we hug or kiss someone we love... and when we breastfeed. 

And it’s in your milk too, adding to the feelings of love and safety that your little one experiences in your arms.

Oxytocin also causes the milk-ejection reflex, or letdown. It’s carried through your bloodstream to your breast, where it causes contractions that bring your milk into the ducts, and to your little one through roughly 4 to 18 openings in your nipple.

That’s one of the main reasons someone might suggest you breastfeed skin to skin, or look at pictures of your baby when you’re expressing away from them; because this is likely to produce more oxytocin in your system, helping your milk to flow.

Your milk contains lysozyme

Lysozyme is an antibacterial and antiviral enzyme that increases in concentration when our babies are 6 months old, when they become more mobile and evvvverything goes in the mouth, and again after a year, when walking widens how far they can start to adventure... Your body is so damn clever...

Breastmilk kills cancerous cells

Alpha-lactalbumin is the most common whey protein in human milk. It has pain relief and anti-microbial abilities, and anti-viral actions against HIV.

When Alpha-lactalbumin binds to oleic acid (also found in breastmilk), it changes shape to become what is known as HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumour cells).

HAMLET causes the death of cancerous cells when studied in the laboratory.

Woman sitting on a couch breastfeeding her baby in a living room.

A protein in breastmilk called lactoferrin also has an anti-tumour effect and has been found to significantly inhibit the growth of some cancerous cells.

Lactoferrin also binds itself to the iron in your baby's body, preventing pathogens from feeding on it and growing stronger. It's also known to inhibits infection by Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Cytomegalovirus (Herpes family), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Adenovirus (causes the common cold), Poliovirus, Enterovirus (diarrhoeal virus), and others.

Your body is phenomenal. Follow your gut.

Did you know

that your milk contains painkilling and anti-inflammatory properties? I didn't. And I worried and felt stressed during the times when my son suddenly seemed to want nothing but boob for days.

Then his teeth came through. Or it turned out he had a cold. Or nothing and it just passed. And when he hurt himself, cuddles and milk just sorted it out.

It always made sense that he'd want to be close when he was under the weather, but sometimes, I resented it because I found myself wondering if this was in fact normal, or whether I had perhaps made that proverbial rod for my back.

Then one day, when he was 16 months, I learned that my milk was giving him painkillers and anti-inflammatory components. And it all fell into place. I was still exhausted, but I didn't resent or worry about his increased feeds during colds or teething etc. I felt proud and amazed.

But also angry that no-one had ever told me about just how incredible my body and my milk was. Angry that the default advice was to mistrust my own child and my own body.

So that’s why we're telling you. Because you really are incredible, and everyone needs to know it.

Claire, Human Milk founder.

Human milk protects your child in many different ways

Your milk contains Leukocytes. These are white blood cells that locate infections and diseases and defend your baby against parasites, cancer cells, debris, viruses, fungi and allergens.

Woman breastfeeding her baby on a couch in a home setting, wearing a human milk t-shirt

Milk leaving your breast is what causes more milk to be made

Let your baby feed whenever they want to, especially in the early months when your milk supply is being established.

Our tummies are incredibly tiny when we're born, and little and often is normal. This is also what gets your milk production going.


Periods of seemingly never-ending feeding are normal too. They're known as cluster feeds and growth spurts.

Babies are all different. Settle in with your favourite TV series. Trust your gut, trust your baby, ditch the clock.

Baby in a white onesie sitting on her daddy's 's lap with colorful toys nearby.

You know the way we take probiotics to support our health, in drinks, yogurts, or capsules? Well breastmilk feeds the naturally occurring ones in your baby’s gut. 


Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a group of complex sugars, and the third most abundant component of breastmilk.


Over 100 different HMOs have been identified in human milk so far. Which ones are found, and in what concentration, is unique to each mother. Genetics, how many children the mother has had, the age of the nursling, and even the seasons, have been found to influence this unique HMO set in each woman.


Many HMOs cannot be digested by humans, but instead act as food for bacteria in your baby’s tummy. These bacteria help your baby to resist infection from harmful bacteria, and to develop a normal gut microbiome.The microbiome plays an enormous role in making sure the gut and immune system develop properly. 


HMOs can also trick bacteria and viruses into binding to them, instead of the gut wall, preventing them from infecting your baby. Some HMOs have the potential to reduce the risk of diarrheal diseases, one of the most common global causes of infant mortality under age 5.


One HMO called DSLNT has been linked to a reduction in the risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is a potentially fatal disorder, most often affecting premature babies.

Natural term weaning

The biologically normal age for humans to breastfeed until is anywhere between around 2 and 7+ years old.

This is only surprising in cultures that tend to interrupt breastfeeding early, often having lost the knowledge of what our biological norms are, in favour of cultural norms.

The concentration of fats and proteins increase as the baby grows into a toddler, along with increased levels of antibacterial and antiviral components such as lysozyme, which is an anti-inflammatory and destroys bacteria.

Lysozyme increases in concentration from about 6 months old, and keeps increasing after the first year.

The concentration of Lactoferrin also increases over time. Lactoferrin inhibits the growth of some cancerous cells. It also helps our babies to absorb their own iron stores, whilst binding to the iron in our baby’s body which prevents it from being available to harmful microorganisms that need iron to survive.

Lactoferrin also kills the bacteria strep mutans, which causes tooth decay and cavities.

Our body’s immune system takes around 6 years to become fully mature, so the support of the protective factors in human milk could play a part in the timescale of natural term weaning.

We acknowledge that many mothers find it difficult to establish breastfeeding in the first place, that breastfeeding is a multi-layered investment on the part of a mother and that natural term feeding might not feel like - or be - a possibility for many.

Or you might simply not want to. We're not here to tell anyone what to do.

We also acknowledge that lack of information about our biology contributes to the lack of support for mothers when they want to establish - or continue - breastfeeding, but cannot find the help they need from people who understand why it matters so much, or what is normal.

Trust your baby, trust yourself. Do it your way.

You really are utterly incredible.

References

References

Research supporting the information in our advert, education, and social media content.

“Nature has been researching your milk for hundreds of millions of years”​

  • Capuco AV, Akers RM. The origin and evolution of lactation. J Biol. 2009; 8(4): 37.

  • Oftedal OT. The mammary gland and its origin during synapsid evolution. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2002; 7(3): 225–52.

  • Oftedal OT. The origin of lactation as a water source for parchment-shelled eggs. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2002; 7(3): 253-66.

  • Oftedal OT, Dhouially D. Evo-Devo of the Mammary Gland. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia. 2013; 18: 105-120.

  • Capuco AV, Akers RM. The origin and evolution of lactation. Journal of Biology. 2009; 8(4): 37.

  • Goldman AS. Evolution of the mammary gland defense system and the ontogeny of the immune system. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2002; 7: 277–289.


“Your milk contains ingredients that kill cancerous cells”

  • Gustafsson L, Hallgren O, Mossberg AK, et al. HAMLET kills tumour cells by apoptosis: structure, cellular mechanisms, and therapy. J Nutr. 2005; 135: 1299-1303.

  • Håkansson A, Zhivotovsky B, Orrenius S, Sabharwal H, Svanborg C. Apoptosis induced by a human milk protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1995; 92(17): 8064-8.

  • Hallgren O, Aits S, Brest P, Gustafsson L, Mossberg AK, Wullt B, Svanborg C. Apoptosis and tumor cell death in response to HAMLET (human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells). Adv Exp Med Biol. 2008; 606: 217-40.

  • Hakansson AP, Roche-Hakansson H, Mossberg AK, Svanborg C. Apoptosis-like death in bacteria induced by HAMLET, a human milk lipid-protein complex. PLoS One. 2011; 6(3): e17717.

  • Kataev A, Zherelova O, Grishchenko V. A Characeae Cells Plasma Membrane as a Model for Selection of Bioactive Compounds and Drugs: Interaction of HAMLET-Like Complexes with Ion Channels of Chara corallina Cells Plasmalemma. J Membr Biol. 2016; 249(6): 801-811.

  • Jiang R, Du X, Lönnerdal B. Comparison of bioactivities of talactoferrin and lactoferrins from human and bovine milk. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2014; 59(5): 642-52.

  • Hill DR, Newburg DS. Clinical applications of bioactive milk components. Nutr Rev. 2015; 73(7): 463-76.

  • Vogel HJ. Lactoferrin, a bird's eye view. Biochem Cell Biol. 2012; 90(3): 233-44.


“Your milk contains stem cells. These are cells that create and repair the body, and are being researched worldwide to cure conditions like Alzheimers and diabetes.”

  • Sinem Gülcan Kersin, Eren Özek Breast milk stem cells: Are they magic bullets in neonatology? Turk Arch Pediatr. 2021 May 1;56(3):187–191. doi: 10.5152/TurkArchPediatr.2021.21006

  • Shailaja Mane, Satvika Taneja, Jyothsna Sree Madala, Sharad Agarkhedkar, Meghna Khetan Study of stem cells in human milk. 2022 Mar 31; 14(3):e23701. doi: 10.7759/cureus.23701

  • Cregan MD, Fan Y, Appelbee A, et al. Identification of nestin-positive putative mammary stem cells in human breastmilk. Cell Tissue Res. 2007; 329: 129-136.

  • Hassiotou F, Beltran A, Chewynd E, et al. Breastmilk is a novel source of stem cells with multilineage differentiation potential. Stem Cells. 2012; 30(10): 2164-74.

  • Briere CE, McGrath JM, Jensen T, Matson A, Finck C. Breast Milk Stem Cells: Current Science and Implications for Preterm Infants. Adv Neonatal Care. 2016; 16(6): 410-419.

  • Twigger AJ, Hepworth AR, Lai CT, Chetwynd E, Stuebe AM, Blancafort P, Hartmann PE, Geddes DT, Kakulas F. Gene expression in breastmilk cells is associated with maternal and infant characteristics. Sci Rep. 2015; 5: 12933.

  • Choi SS, Lee SR, Lee HJ. Neurorestorative Role of Stem Cells in Alzheimer's Disease: Astrocyte Involvement. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2016; 13(4): 419-27.

  • Lilly MA, Davis MF, Fabie JE, Terhune EB, Gallicano GI. Current stem cell based therapies in diabetes. Am J Stem Cells. 2016; 5(3): 87-98.

  • Cheng SK, Park EY, Pehar A, Rooney AC, Gallicano GI. Current progress of human trials using stem cell therapy as a treatment for diabetes mellitus. Am J Stem Cells. 2016; 5(3): 74-86.

“Your body identifies bacteria and viruses found in your baby's body and environment. You then produce antibodies specifically tailored for those infections, and deliver them to your baby through your milk. The more milk she drinks, the more antibodies she receives.”


“Your milk appears to switch on a gene in your baby’s body, which produces a hormone called Leptin. This hormone tells your baby when his tummy is full, protecting him against over eating.” and "Your milk contains Leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite by telling our brain when our body has received enough food to generate the energy we need. Moreover, molecules in breastmilk called MicroRNAs influence the expression of our babies’ genes. It appears that these Micro-RNAs switch on the gene in our baby’s body that produces our baby’s own leptin, assisting in our child’s life-long appetite regulation." 


“Your milk contains Oxytocin, a hormone that induces relaxation, and feelings of well-being in your child and in you.”

  • Unvas-Moberg K. Oxytocin linked antistress effects: The relaxation and growth effect. Acta Physiol Scand Supp. 1997; 640: 38-42.

  • Groer M, Davis MW. Postpartum stress: current concepts and the possible protective role of breastfeeding. JOGN Nursing. 2002; 31: 411-417.

  • Winberg J. Mother and newborn baby: mutual regulation of physiology and behaviour - a selective review. Dev Phychobiol. 2005; 47(3): 217-229.

  • Strathearn L. Maternal neglect: oxytocin, dopamine and the neurobiology of attachment. J Neuroendocrinol. 2011; 23(1): 1054-1065.

  • Vargas-Martínez F, Schanler RJ, Abrams SA, Hawthorne KM, Landers S, Guzman-Bárcenas J, Muñoz O, Henriksen T, Petersson M, Uvnäs-Moberg K, Jiménez-Estrada I. Oxytocin, a main breastfeeding hormone, prevents hypertension acquired in utero: A therapeutics preview. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2017; 1861(1 Pt A): 3071-3084.

  • Jonas W, Woodside B. Physiological mechanisms, behavioral and psychological factors influencing the transfer of milk from mothers to their young. Horm Behav. 2016; 77: 167-81.

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"Human milk contains Gangliosides, molecules critical to normal brain development. They help nerves to repair themselves, and cells to communicate with each other. A decrease in the levels of gangliosides in the brain has been reported in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease."

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"Human milk contains Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An omega-3 fatty acid with an important role in nerve tissue and brain development, particularly with association and short term memory. It also plays a role in the formation of the retina (part of the eye), skin and testicles. The more the mother consumes, through for example certain fish like salmon, or through supplements, the more DHA is found in her milk".

"Lactoferrin kills the bacteria streptococcus mutans which can cause serious infections, and causes tooth decay and cavities. This does not mean that breastfed children can’t get cavities. Other factors, such as genetics, play a role. But there is no evidence that breastfeeding causes cavities or decay, despite what some dentists tell distraught mothers. In fact, there is evidence that breastfeeding up to 12 months reduces the risk of tooth decay."

"The natural terms for us humans to breastfeed until is anywhere between the ages of around 2 and 7+ years old". "Longer term breastfeeding is also associated with reduced risk of diseases for the mother, including breast cancer".

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"Your milk contains macrophages, cells that detect, engulf and destroy harmful pathogens and cells, including tumour cells. They increase in number when your baby is ill." "Your milk contains Phagocytes, a set of immune cells that detect, surround, absorb and destroy harmful molecules and organisms."

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"Your milk contains Leukocytes, white blood cells that locate infections and diseases and defend your babies against parasites, cancer cells, debris, viruses, fungi and even allergens."

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"Your baby suckling at your breast is what stimulates the production of your milk. Especially in the first month or so, letting your baby suckle whenever they want to, including at night, is essential to establishing a good supply."

"Lysozyme is an enzyme in your milk that kills bacteria. It increases in concentration when your child is about 6 months old, and again after a year."