A Nutrition Label for Your Breastmilk

Over the last several years, I have become an avid reader of nutrition labels and ingredients. Why? Because I want to know exactly what I am putting in my body. I want to avoid unnecessary fillers and sugar. And, I want to support brands that use clean ingredients. Now that this habit of making knowledgeable decisions has become almost second nature, it’s honestly hard to believe how blindly I used to purchase and consume food.

Which got me thinking…what, exactly, am I feeding my baby?

I currently have a 2-month old who I am exclusively breastfeeding. (I know that breastfeeding is not an option for all parents and I know how lucky I am that my daughter latches and feeds well. At the same time, I pass no judgment on any parent who chooses not to breastfeed.) I am familiar with many of the benefits of breastfeeding including improving immunity, easy digestion and optimal nutrient profile. But, what exactly is the nutrient profile of my milk?

I do my best to eat a lot of whole foods, minimal processed foods, and a wide variety of vegetables, protein sources, and healthy fats. But, is my body producing what my baby needs? Is she getting enough calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates? If not, can I change my diet to give her what she needs? How is this not analyzed as part of my postnatal care? (Arg, don’t get me started on the pitiful lack of postnatal care in this country.)

This all seemed very black box to me – even though it’s my own body! – until I learned about Lactation Lab while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Be Well By Kelly. Lactation Lab was started by Dr. Stephanie Canale after one of her babies was diagnosed with failure to thrive (a scary name for the condition where a baby’s weight gain is significantly lower than other babies his or her age) despite having a good supply of breastmilk. She realized that there were no resources available to her to test her breastmilk, so she changed that. Yes – I love an ambitious entrepreneur!

I was on a walk with my baby while listening to the podcast, and as soon as I got home I ordered a test kit. In a few days it arrived in a cute little box. I opened it up and was pleasantly surprised by how minimal and simple it was. There is a small tube with a clearly marked fill line for your milk, a gel pack to freeze, a plastic bag to put them in, and an insulated shipping envelope. All you have to do is register on their site, collect your milk, freeze your milk and the gel pack, then drop them in the mail.

I mailed my kit on the Friday before a 3-day weekend, and received my results report along with a friendly email from the Dr. Canale on Wednesday. My report showed the calorie, protein, fat and carbohydrate content of my milk and plotted my results on a sliding scale indicating where the “normal” range falls. The report outlines why each macronutrient is important, and good sources of each to help inform your diet and optimize your milk.

Wow – I felt like I had peeled off the veil.

I now know exactly what my baby is consuming and have some ideas of how I can tweak my diet to even better meet her needs. And, bonus – Lactation Lab offers 30% off a second test so you can re-evaluate after implementing changes to see how your composition has changed. I will definitely be doing that.

(Note: I ordered the test on Amazon and it ended up being the “Basic” test which provides information on macronutrients. Lactation Lab also offers a “Standard” test and a “Premium” test that include information on key vitamins and environmental toxins. If I had known about these tests I would have ordered one of them. When I re-test I will. Knowledge is power!)