Huh? Yeah, you read that right! Do you know that males are able to produce breast milk? Well I didn’t and now I know.

Both male and female have the same body anatomy to produce milk. The only difference is that the female version is larger. However, the larger the milk glands does not mean the more milk they can produce. Hormones that increases the production of milk are stimulated by the act of sucking on the nipples.

So that means even non-pregnant ladies can breastfeed babies if enough stimulation is done. In the olden days, this was done by the midwife when the mother who has given birth lost their lives. So this would also mean, with enough stimulation and maybe positive thinking, males can also breastfeed babies.

Case in point - in 2004, a father in Sri Lanka breastfed his 18-month old daughter after his wife lost her life while giving birth to their second child. The toddler was so used to the mother’s milk.

“My eldest daughter refused to be fed with powdered milk liquid in the feeding bottle.

“I was so moved one evening and to stop her crying I offered my breast. I then realised that I was capable of breastfeeding her,” the man admitted.

That’s a real bonding between a father and a daughter.

There is also a mention in the bible of “nursing father”.

Numbers 11:12 “Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?”

That was the metaphor used by Moses. Obviously the society that time knew about this.

As a father, I think this is good news and maybe, can be seen as an alternative solution when the mother is unable to provide breastmilk to a newborn. Would I do it? Well if it helps to stop my baby from crying of hunger then I won’t pause to think first.

However, with all these talk about the importance of mothers and breastfeeding, the subject of a nursing father will get weird feedback and maybe, intimidating grossy looks.

Imagine if all fathers can freely breastfeed their young, they can do it anytime and almost everywhere, since males can show their chest without much shame. Mothers don’t have to worry to look for a private room to do their breastfeeding, they can just pass to the fathers haha.

Any fathers here? What do you think of this issue? Let me know!

Links :
Male lactation (Wiki)
Ananova : Widower learns to breastfeed
The Nursing Father