A Florida woman who made headlines for breastfeeding her husband has revealed the couple is considering having another child, so she’s starting to breastfeed again.
Rachel Bailey, 31, and her husband Alexander, 30, said they have been ‘mourning’ their breastfeeding ‘bonding experience’ since her body stopped producing milk over the past year.
The couple’s three children have all gone off milk, which meant Alexander had to do the same.
Now they’re considering having a fourth child, so they’re keeping up the habit, which started in 2016. Ms Bailey forgot her breast pump during a couples cruise, causing her breasts to become painfully full.
Rachel Bailey, 31, started breastfeeding her 30-year-old husband, Alexander, after she started producing too much milk in 2016
The couple had to stop the practice after Mrs Bailey stopped producing milk, although they have found other ways to connect
“I was in so much pain and afraid of getting an infection, so we decided my husband was going to try drinking the milk to give me relief,” she said.
‘We were nervous about him breastfeeding from me because we thought it was weird, but as soon as we did it we realized it was fine.’
The couple continued the practice after the birth of their two younger children, with Mrs. Bailey breastfeeding her husband at breakfast, lunch and dinner. When her supply decreased, they switched to nighttime feedings.
Mrs Bailey claims that because her milk is ‘so nutritious’, Alexander didn’t get colds for over two years and his skin glowed.
“He ended up loving the taste of my breast milk and now even prefers it to cow’s milk,” she said.
Although breast milk is packed with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D and calcium to build a baby’s immune system, there is limited evidence that it is just as beneficial for adults.
A 2019 review suggested that the anti-inflammatory effects of breast milk could improve skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis, although the team noted that larger studies are needed to confirm this.
An article published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine stated that any health benefits in adults “do not hold up clinically,” and that no study has shown any concrete benefits “other than a placebo effect.”
“Where breast milk offers researchers great promise is at the component or stem cell level,” the team said.
‘The benefits of breast milk are found in the laboratory, not when drinking a bottle ordered online when pumping [mother].’
The team warned that drinking breast milk can spread diseases like hepatitis B and C, HIV and syphilis, as well as foodborne illness, especially if an adult buys milk online from someone they don’t know.
The researchers looked at samples of breast milk purchased online and found that 93 percent contained bacteria and 74 percent contained gram-negative bacteria, which have been shown to lead to problems such as pneumonia and diarrhea.
Experts have also suggested that breast milk contains less protein than regular cow’s milk
‘It was never anything sexual for us. We did it because it was a great way for us to bond and share something special as a couple,” said Ms Bailey
Although they briefly considered expanding their family to continue breastfeeding, the Bailey’s ultimately decided against it.
“We mourned the experience we shared, and we even talked about having another baby so we could do it again,” Ms. Bailey said.
‘However, we realized this was a drastic measure and a lot of work, so instead we looked for other ways we could bond as a couple.’
Instead, they now get up at 5 a.m. every morning to catch up and meditate before moving on with the rest of their day.
‘It was never anything sexual for us. We did it because it was a great way for us to bond and share something special as a couple,” Ms Bailey said.
“We really miss the breastfeeding times we shared, but we’ve found new ways to connect.”