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With rising US breastfeeding rates, mothers sell surplus breast milk online, earning up to $1,000 monthly.
In this representative AI-generated image, a white American mother in her early 30s is seen sitting in a sunlit kitchen, calmly using a breast pump. She is surrounded by labeled milk storage bags and a laptop showing a breast milk exchange forum. (IMAGE: IMAGEN 4 ENGINE/SHANKHYANEEL SARKAR)
As breastfeeding rates continue to rise across the United States, more American mothers are turning surplus breast milk into a source of income, according to a report by The Times UK. Some women are reportedly earning up to $1,000 a month by selling excess milk through unregulated online platforms.
The informal trade, which operates largely through social media groups and peer-to-peer arrangements, has grown amid changing health trends, greater skepticism around baby formula, and support from figures like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Emily Enger, a 33-year-old teacher from Minnesota and mother of five, is among those at the forefront of this trend. “I would pump from each side between eight to ten ounces extra each time,” she told The Times UKnoting that she was producing nearly 100 extra ounces a day. Over time, she ended up supplying milk not just for her own children but for more than a dozen others.
The practice gained further traction during the 2022 baby formula crisis, when a major Abbott Nutrition plant was shut down due to contamination concerns, leaving many parents without access to infant formula. In response, online communities like Facebook group “Breastmilk Community for All”, which has over 33,000 members, saw a surge in demand.
“You can’t beat the nutritional quality of human milk,” said Briana Westland, a 36-year-old mother from Florida, who was quoted as saying by the newspaper that she spends approximately $1,200 a month buying breast milk for her daughter.
While the US Food and Drug Administration discourages the informal sale of human milk due to potential health risks, the trade is not illegal. Buyers often rely on trust or voluntary disclosures about the seller’s health, lifestyle, and vaccination status. Some buyers, especially supporters of the “Make America Healthy Again” (Maha) movement, even prefer unvaccinated donors.
Enger said she understands the health concerns but believes compensation is fair given the effort required. “You go to the store and buy a gallon of milk or formula,” she said. “You can’t go into a hair salon and expect a free haircut. Time and, literally, energy has gone into producing milk. That should be valued.”
She typically pumps every three hours, day and night, and views the income as a necessary supplement to her teaching job. While some argue that surplus milk should be donated to hospitals or banks, many mothers point to the physical toll of constant pumping.
In some cultures, including among Arab and Muslim communities, breastfeeding another’s child carries social and familial significance, with children nursed by the same woman considered “milk siblings.”
“I’ve stayed in touch with many of the mothers,” Enger added. “Some of the children have grown up alongside mine. There’s something beautiful about that.”
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
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