Did you just accidentally ate lactation cookies and now you’re worried your breasts will start LEAKING MILK like this guy? 👇
Spoiler Alert: He did NOT leak milk. It was just for fun!
But what actually happens when a man (or anyone other than the breastfeeding mom) eats lactation cookies?
Will his breasts start making milk?
Wait.. can men even lactate?
In this article, I cover the answers to these questions and more. Read on!
What Happens if a Man Eats Lactation Cookies
Nothing.
Yes, really!
Well, maybe he’ll get gassy or fart more than usual.
But there’s nothing in lactation cookies that can make men (or even non-lactating women) suddenly start producing milk.
I know. I know. It can be anxiety-inducing.
Like this Concerned Dad who accidentally ate his wife’s freshly baked lactation cookies. He was concerned enough to post it on Reddit.
I can tell he was really concerned he’ll probably start making milk and leaking in a few days’ time.
Maybe he’ll need to use nursing pads!
If you want to pull a prank on your man, pour a little bit of breastmilk on his shirt when he’s sleeping. Then when he wakes up, tell him “that’s what you get for stealing my cookies!” (cue in, evil laugh)
Kidding aside..
It would be really GREAT if all you need to do is eat some cookies and you’ll magically produce enough milk to feed your baby exclusively.
But that’s not how it works, unfortunately.
So what is actually in these lactation cookies?
Lactation Cookies, whether store-bought or homemade typically contain the following ingredients:
- Oats / Oatmeal – Oats are rich in iron which is important for lactation as anemia has been linked to “insufficient milk supply” [1]
- Brewer’s Yeast
- Flaxseed
- Fenugreek
The Not-So-Fun Fact:
Despite being the most consumed “galactagogue”, Oats don’t actually increase milk supply. At least, not directly.
Same goes for Brewer’s Yeast.
I spent countless hours poring over research studies and scientific literature.
But I can’t find ANY scientific evidence linking oats and oatmeal to breast milk supply.
Not with humans, at least.
However, there are plenty of studies showing the effects of oats and brewer’s yeast in dairy production in ruminant animals like cows.
But… humans aren’t cows! (although I sometimes feel like mama cow when I’m attached to my double breast pump!)
That said, you’ll find plenty of anecdotal evidence from moms saying oatmeal lactation cookies increased their milk supply.
You’ll see that in forums, groups and mommy blogs, with moms sharing lactation cookie recipes.
Can Men Lactate?
Technically, yes.
Since men have mammary glands (a.k.a. breasts) with nipples, human males have the CAPACITY to lactate or produce milk. [1]
Really? But that’s just absurd!
Men can lactate.
But just because they can doesn’t mean they should.
Male lactation is very rare, but NOT impossible.
You can see it mentioned throughout history — in the Bible, in the Babylonian Talmud, and even the philosopher Aristotle observed some men could produce milk by “squeezing their breasts”. [2]
Now you might think this is all just folklore and myth. [3]
So let’s take a more recent example…
In the 1870s, Charles Darwin published “The Descent of Man”. There he noted instances of “rudimentary mammae” in MEN becoming “well developed”. Enough to produce “a copious supply of milk”. [4]
Back in 2002, there’s a Sri Lankan man whose wife died and he ended up breastfeeding his daughter.
But the process is not simple, though. At least not for the average human male.
Men can only lactate spontaneously if they have abnormally high levels of the hormone Prolactin (the “milk-making” hormone). This usually happens with a pituitary tumor. [5]
You know what’s even more interesting?
A study measured the nutrients in a breast fluid from a lactating *man and compared it to the milk obtained from normal lactating women. They found it to be SIMILAR! Not exactly the same, but comparable. [6]
That *man had galactorrhea and hyperprolactinemia (i.e, high levels of prolactin).
Galactorrhea just means someone is producing milk who was NOT pregnant or breastfeeding.
So what about men with no health issues whatsoever? Can they still lactate?
Believe it or not, there are men who tried inducing lactation.
One tried to pumping 3 times a day for 3 months, with no success! [2]
If only it were that easy, right?
Another man tried it again through pumping. But this time, he took herbal supplements like Fenugreek, drank lactation tea. He reportedly also ate milk-boosting foods like “oatmeal, kale and beer”. [7]
After 7 weeks, he still did not produce milk. So he gave up.
Which leads us right back to our main topic.
Lactation Cookies.
Oats are the main ingredient in most, if not all, lactation cookies.
If pumping, eating lactation cookies, and drinking lactation tea can’t make a man lactate, what can?
Short answer: By mimicking the hormones involved in pregnancy and childbirth. [8]
This is how non-pregnant women induce lactation so they can breastfeed their adopted babies or babies they had through surrogacy.
But take note, this is a complex process requiring strict guidance of a medical professional.
So it’s safe to say that, unless a man is taking hormones or have a condition that makes his body produce too much hormones (prolactin), men can’t and won’t lactate.
No matter many lactation cookies he ate, or lactation teas he drinks.
I’d Love to Hear From You!
Did your husband just ate your lactation cookies?
Want to scare him off your cookie stash?
Then tell him that men can lactate! Just omit the part where he had to have hormones before he starts producing milk. 🤭
Jokes aside, you can certainly bake your own lactation cookies and serve them to your entire family. Your husband and kids can eat them.
If you’re a guy reading this, though..
Please! This is NOT an excuse to gobble up all of your wife’s lactation cookies.