Surprise! Women are better at breastfeeding than men, even if the men identify as women

In the ongoing crusade to eliminate any and all gender differences, transgender activists have set their sights on a new target: breastfeeding.

Trans activists – and even medical professionals – are now promoting the idea that men who identify as women can and should breastfeed as a “gender-affirming” experience.

A branch of England’s National Health Service even claimed milk produced by men was just as good for babies as a woman’s.

And a transgender woman testified to feeding his baby on breastmilk for a few weeks before medical issues forced him to stop.

While the premise of “male breastfeeding” seems far-fetched, it is technically possible.  

The basic physiological components required for lactation are present in both males and females. But female puberty enhances those components, while testosterone suppresses them, causing comparatively underdeveloped milk ducts and a lack of glandular tissue in men. 

Nevertheless, there are rare cases in which a male body may malfunction and lactate. This problem is usually related to the pituitary gland or certain medication. 

Lactating when neither pregnant nor breastfeeding is called galactorrhea and occurs in both sexes but more commonly among women. 

So how would a transgender woman – read: biological male – intentionally stimulate lactation?  

The short answer: a cocktail of artificial hormones.  

Is it safe or effective?  

No. 

One documented case of a transgender woman lactating involved a plethora of hormone supplements including domperidone, estradiol (a type of estrogen) and progesterone.  

The use of domperidone is particularly troubling.  

Domperidone is intended to reduce nausea, but it’s also been recommended to some breastfeeding women to boost their milk supply. 

However, the FDA cautions mothers not to use the drug, since it’s been associated with severe cardiac events. Overall evidence about domperidone’s safety and efficacy is mixed.  

Another research summary indicates that in order to achieve the desired effects, transgender women have to overdose themselves not only on domperidone, but also on spironolactone (which inhibits male sex hormones) and progesterone.  

And taking artificial estrogen – which biological men must use copiously to fake femininity – is counterproductive to the whole process. 

Estrogen levels are supposed to naturally decrease in a breastfeeding mother, since too much estrogen while breastfeeding can limit a woman’s milk supply.  

On top of all the potential health issues for a trans woman, there is virtually nothing known about the risks such a chemical cocktail might pose a newborn baby. 

Additionally, the nutritional value of male-produced milk is subject to debate.  

Some limited research has found milk produced by a man can be nutritionally similar to that of a woman. 

This resulted in one transgender woman and self-labeled breastfeeding advocate posting the slogan “Trans milk is milk” on social media. 

However, one analysis found milk produced by a transgender woman contained more fat than a biological female’s. Too much fat consumed in infancy can lead to problems like obesity and diabetes. 

And even if it was nutritionally comparable, all evidence of males artificially stimulating lactation finds men simply cannot produce the amount of milk necessary to sustain a growing infant. 

Anecdotes from trans women reveal they can only produce 8 ounces of breastmilk a day, which is wildly insufficient. 

A 1-month-old newborn will need around 24 ounces of milk a day, and a 6-month-old could need as much as 40 ounces – far beyond a transgender woman’s ability to produce. 

Nevertheless, trans activists argue enabling transgender women to lactate can be a “gender-affirming” experience, allow them to supplement their naturally lactating partners (if they have one), and simulate the bonding that occurs between mother and child. 

But the simple and inescapable truth is that male bodies weren’t designed for lactation, and manipulating their hormones into making milk is like trying to fit a round peg through a square hole. 

With modern medicine, it can be done, but it will never be a substitute for the real thing. 

For new, biological mothers, breastfeeding requires zero artificial hormones, fully nourishes the baby, and even establishes a feedback loop between mother and child that regulates milk supply and boosts the infant’s immunity. 

Trans women may be able to fake it, but they’ll never be able to make it.