Is it possible for trans women to safely breastfeed (or ‘chestfeed’) their children? Well, according to the medical director at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, a transgender woman’s milk is ‘just as good’ as a biological mother’s milk, thanks to drugs that help induce lactation in trans women.
Dr Rachael James said in a letter to campaign groups:
“Medications are sometimes used to induce lactation, similar to the natural hormones which encourage lactation to develop when the baby is newly born although occasionally some people are able to induce lactation without hormonal treatment.
The evidence which is available demonstrates that the milk is comparable to that produced following the birth of a baby.”
The letter said “human milk” is the “ideal food for infants” and “staff further clarify that the term human milk is meant to be neutral and is not gender-biased”. The trust referred to studies and World Health Organisation guidance, including one case that found “no observable effects” in babies fed by induced lactation.
Lottie Moore, head of biology at Policy Exchanged, begged to differ:
“This letter is unbalanced and naive in its assertion that the secretions produced by a male on hormones can nourish an infant in the way a mother’s breast milk can. A child’s welfare must always take precedence over identity politics and contested belief systems that are not evidence-based. The NHS should not be indulging in this nonsense.”
From the sounds of it, it really doesn’t appear like this has been studied or tested enough to say for sure whether trans women’s milk is safe for babies. For now, I think, if you don’t have real, naturally-produced breast milk in your breasts, maybe it’s best not to breastfeed any children. At least until we can be 100% sure you’re not f***ing up the baby, physically or otherwise. It just makes sense that this would be the priority.
For the father who broke down in tears after meeting his transgender son for the first time on Dr. Phil, click HERE.
