Breast Milk Ice Cream

marleylikeair

Okay, I don't want to be all post-hoar on you guys, but seriously...ummm...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/02/25/134056923/breast-milk-ice-cream-a-hit-at-london-store?sc=fb&cc=fp

EWWW.

ravenray

Ya I know... Ew... 

EDIT: I really didn't mean to offend anyone   Sorry that my link was insulting.  I made a rather stupid mistake that I will explain further.  

Wrkn925

Marley, that's gross.

Raven, I think that program would be fine if the breast milk was screened.  That is a great resource, it just needs to be safer.

bethsmiles

Gross.

ravenray

I agree.  However over facebook is hardly a safe way to do things.  Sadly our lives are tied to facebook. 

jeanacorina

PETA suggested that Ben & Jerry's offer ice cream made from human breast milk instead of cow's milk back in the day (2008, I think).

http://www.wptz.com/r/17539127/detail.html

While I'm not a die-hard PETA fan, I don't see a problem with people choosing to produce and/or eat products made from the breast milk of consenting women. Breastmilk is no more or less disgusting than milk from cows or goats or any other mammal. It's the same basic thing.

I also don't get the disgust of women sharing breastmilk. I mean, okay, so.... it's not gross to drink milk from another SPECIES altogether, but but it's gross to use milk from another human being who produces it specifically FOR baby humans? That just doesn't make good sense.

But then, my husband does say I could live happily among hippies. Maybe this is just another indication that he's right.

marleylikeair

I guess other babies drinking the milk doesn't gross me out nearly as much as having it made into ice cream and adults eating it. Yech.

jeanacorina

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:13efafd5-391d-48f8-babd-8ee29a6ce20b">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]I guess other babies drinking the milk doesn't gross me out nearly as much as having it made into ice cream and adults eating it. Yech.
Posted by marleylikeair[/QUOTE]


Have you ever tried it?

bethsmiles

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:ca328ad2-aed3-47ad-8851-0d98d88fb90c">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]PETA suggested that Ben & Jerry's offer ice cream made from human breast milk instead of cow's milk back in the day (2008, I think). <a href="http://www.wptz.com/r/17539127/detail.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.wptz.com/r/17539127/detail.html</a> While I'm not a die-hard PETA fan, I don't see a problem with people choosing to produce and/or eat products made from the breast milk of consenting women. Breastmilk is no more or less disgusting than milk from cows or goats or any other mammal. It's the same basic thing. I also don't get the disgust of women sharing breastmilk. I mean, okay, so.... it's not gross to drink milk from another SPECIES altogether, but but it's gross to use milk from another human being who produces it specifically FOR baby humans? That just doesn't make good sense. But then, my husband does say I could live happily among hippies. Maybe this is just another indication that he's right.
Posted by jeanacorina[/QUOTE]

Logically I totally see your point but its still seems gross! Maybe it wouldn't seem as gross if the name for the ice-cream wasn't so stupid. Baby Gaga? Really? That's a horrible ice-cream name.

jeanacorina

Cow milk = for baby cows

Not gross?

Human milk = for baby humans

Gross?

Why?

jeanacorina

Beth, I totally concede that the name is a bit weird. But I guess at least the people buying it know exactly what they're getting. Yay for informed consumers!

ravenray

That is a good point Jenna.  It just grosses me out.  Babies need milk.  Grown humans don't need womens milk.  I think it has to do with the idea of using humans are food sources and using animals to feed us... Idk.  Weird for me.

TheMutleys

I wouldn't eat breast milk ice cream.  Not my style. 

As to the 2nd article, why does that gross you out?  I have contemplated donating my breastmilk.  I have an oversupply.  My freezer is full to the point that I will not be able to use it all.  I would rather provide another mother with it than throw it away.  Many women have problems with supply but still want their babies to receive breastmilk.  There are also several women who adopt and want to provide breastmilk for their children.  I don't get the cultural squeamish-ness around breastfeeding or breast milk in general.   

Side note: I would donate it through a milk bank, not FB.     

ETA:  There was a huge lag between when I started my post and actually posted it.  I actually had to breastfeed someone back to sleep. 

ravenray

Mutely my point was merely to do with doing it over facebook.  I have no problem with it happening within a milk bank and I think it is a good thing because there are women who can't produce enough milk and need help. 

TheMutleys

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:c88596a7-579e-4428-86e5-747956b05cd0">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]Mutely my point was merely to do with doing it over facebook.  I have no problem with it happening within a milk bank and I think it is a good thing because there are women who can't produce enough milk and need help.  :)
Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]

That isn't what you originally said though.  Your response was just one of disgust, or at least that is how it came across. 

jeanacorina

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:8f3d090d-5327-4022-a2c7-dc59651d3a0a">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]That is a good point Jenna.  It just grosses me out.  Babies need milk.  Grown humans don't need womens milk.  I think it has to do with the idea of using humans are food sources and using animals to feed us... Idk.  Weird for me.
Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]


Grown humans don't "need" cow's milk any more than they need human milk. There are plenty of other ways to get our calcium if we so choose. Cow's milk is made for baby cows. We're just a very curious, opportunistic species and we take advantage of the fact that (some) humans can digest cow's milk.

TheMutleys

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:5246f246-07ed-4e0e-b743-f993020c228d">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream : Grown humans don't "need" cow's milk any more than they need human milk. There are plenty of other ways to get our calcium if we so choose. Cow's milk is made for baby cows. We're just a very curious, opportunistic species and we take advantage of the fact that (some) humans can digest cow's milk.
Posted by jeanacorina[/QUOTE]

Exactly, Jeanna.  I should just stay away from this topic.  It is too emotional for me.  I think that people who are grossed out by breastmilk are extremely ignorant and close-minded.  I am going to be starting training to be a La Leche League Leader, so breastfeeding supprt is obviously something I am very passionate about. 

marleylikeair

Honestly, I can't explain it. You're right; logically, it shouldn't gross me out. But on a gut-level? Totally grosses me out.

Never tried it, no. Have heard it's kind of bitter/sour tasting. Which is part of why it doesn't sound to me like a fun idea to put it into ice cream.

JMO.

jeanacorina

I'm almost tempted to seek out some breastmilk ice cream to try it and tell you if it's as gross as people's gut reactions seem to say it is. As long as it's properly processed for safety (like cow/goat milk) then I see no real reason to be disgusted. Maybe some folks won't like the taste/texture, sure. That's reasonable.

Yes, my gut reaction was "eew!" But when I thought about it, I considered the logic and the biology of it. Then it doesn't really seem as reasonable to be disgusted.

TheMutleys

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:d49b4070-fc01-4e5b-854c-4421d31e90dc">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly, I can't explain it. You're right; logically, it shouldn't gross me out. But on a gut-level? Totally grosses me out. Never tried it, no. Have heard it's kind of bitter/sour tasting. Which is part of why it doesn't sound to me like a fun idea to put it into ice cream. JMO.
Posted by marleylikeair[/QUOTE]

Actually, breastmilk is more of a sweet taste, so it makes perfect sense to me.  If it tastes bitter and sour, it has gone bad.   

marleylikeair

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:7d16cf2e-1776-4811-bbd3-a090ea7d6a7d">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream : Exactly, Jeanna.  I should just stay away from this topic.  It is too emotinal for me.  I think that people who are grossed out by breastmilk are extremely ignorant and close-minded.  I am going to be starting training to be a La Leche League Leader, so breastfeeding supprt is obviously something I am very passionate about. 
Posted by TheMutleys[/QUOTE]

Mutley, just to be clear, I'm not grossed out by breast milk in general, just the thought of consuming any myself! And again, it's a gut level thing. I freely admit that it makes no rational sense. :)

Hazel_B

Marley - Wait until you have kids. I'm pretty sure you'll be consuming your own.

jeanacorina

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:7d16cf2e-1776-4811-bbd3-a090ea7d6a7d">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream : Exactly, Jeanna.  I should just stay away from this topic.  It is too emotinal for me.  I think that people who are grossed out by breastmilk are extremely ignorant and close-minded.  I am going to be starting training to be a La Leche League Leader, so breastfeeding supprt is obviously something I am very passionate about. 
Posted by TheMutleys[/QUOTE]

I'm also passionate about breastfeeding, although I obviously haven't done it yet. I don't think you should stay away from this topic... I mean, you know I'm not one to talk politics... but biology? Absolutely. I think it's fascinating and I also thing it's interesting to dig into why we feel the way we do about certain things that make biological sense.

Breastmilk isn't gross. It's the single most natural food produced for our species. It is the one thing tailor-made for humans. We <em>learn</em> to eat everything else, but babies instinctively know that stuff is for them. Not for baby cows or sheep or cats (although one time my friend was BFing at my apartment and my cat thought it was the most interesting thing ever... I felt a little bad that he was invading her privacy like that lol).  We are the<em> only</em> species that actively drinks the milk produced by other mammals. I find that interesting.

And as far as the taste goes, I hear that depends a lot on what the mother's diet is like.

Hazel_B

Something I learned back in highschool biology, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but my teacher told us that adult humans consuming milk is very abnormal. Most races, except for causcasians because we are weird that way, have a very high level of lactose intolerance for that very reason.

jeanacorina

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:360cc72a-386f-4c25-bea4-bc3502ddee59">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]Something I learned back in highschool biology, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but my teacher told us that adult humans consuming milk is very abnormal. Most races, except for causcasians because we are weird that way, have a very high level of lactose intolerance for that very reason.
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

I've heard similar things. I'm actually sensitive to lactose (I hesitate to call it "intolerance" because I can eat dairy in moderation), and don't drink straight cow's milk or eat ice cream unless I'm willing to have a belly ache for a day or two. Soymilk is my friend.

Hazel_B

Mutley - That's great that you feel so strongly about it. I've had friends who really struggled with breastfeeding and it was so hard to watch them feel like a failure as a mother already simply because someone had directed them (normally a nurse) to use a technique that just didn't work for them and they didn't feel confident enough/know enough to try other methods. It was always through support groups that they were able to figure stuff out.  

marleylikeair

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:3a9f4714-5fbf-4c1a-8f4b-7f21156ed3e3">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]Marley - Wait until you have kids. I'm pretty sure you'll be consuming your own.
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

HAHA. Well, I'm not sure I ever plan to have any, but if I do, yeah, I could see tasting my own, just for curiosity's sake. That idea still grosses me out a little, but not as much as the idea of trying someone else's. :)

bethsmiles

I think what bothers (I decided gross isn't really the right word) me out about it being in icecream is where is it coming from? What women are giving their breastmilk to be put in ice cream. If they have breastmilk to give away why not donate it or something like Mutley was talking about? I know it says its women who responded to an internet advertisement but the whole thing just seems too strange to me.

Wrkn925

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:23d3b20f-db69-4606-b6d3-49d3a0c2c6d7">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]I think what bothers (I decided gross isn't really the right word) me out about it being in icecream is where is it coming from? What women are giving their breastmilk to be put in ice cream. If they have breastmilk to give away why not donate it or something like Mutley was talking about? I know it says its women who responded to an internet advertisement but the whole thing just seems too strange to me.
Posted by bethsmiles[/QUOTE]

They said that the screening process was similar to blood donation.

bethsmiles

I read that. But giving blood is WAY different then saying hey why don't I give my breastmilk for ice cream. Its weird.

jeanacorina

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_breast-milk-ice-cream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7c3c447f-1bc0-4bbd-8dc0-f3a87a425a0dPost:23d3b20f-db69-4606-b6d3-49d3a0c2c6d7">Re: Breast Milk Ice Cream</a>:
[QUOTE]I think what bothers (I decided gross isn't really the right word) me out about it being in icecream is where is it coming from? What women are giving their breastmilk to be put in ice cream.
Posted by bethsmiles[/QUOTE]

I mean, look, I'm not trying to be a jerk for jerkness' sake, but what cows are producing the milk you drink? Where is the milk that goes into your dairy ice cream coming from? How are they being treated? Are the cows given hormones? How much time to they spend hooked up to milking machines? How thoroughly is the milk pasteurized? What if a cow is sick and its milk is inadvertantly put in with healthy cows' milk? What is the motivation of the farmers who sell the milk? What do they feed the cows? What happens to the cows who are no longer able to produce milk? What about the calves? How is this logically any different than humans giving their milk consensually? Why do we care so much? Does it really matter?

There are a million questions about what goes into what we consume. It's good to ask those questions. Just ask questions about things that are socially acceptable, too. It's good for you.