Kourtney Kardashian Reveals She Drinks Her Own Breast Milk

Kourtney Kardashian is looking for a pick-me-up from a surprising source.

In a recent Instagram story, the Poosh founder and new mom to baby boy Rocky revealed that she was drinking her own breast milk in hopes of harnessing its immune-boosting benefits. “This filter is crazy and I just pounded a glass of breast milk because I feel sick, good night,” the mom of four wrote across a filtered photo herself tucked under the covers with a thumbs up.

Image: Kourtney Kardashian Barker | Instagram

While breast milk has been proven to have immune-boosting benefits for baby, whether it can provide those same benefits for moms is largely up for debate. A 2015 study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine reported that the ingestion of breast milk had no clinically observable immune-boosting benefits and that the “nutritionally there is actually less protein in breast milk than other milks like cow’s milk.”

Others point to the fact that while it may be safe for mom to drink her own breast milk it can be unsafe for other adults to injest. Any reported benefits are likely to be the result of the placebo effect. “If a mom who is nursing drinks her own breast milk, the benefit is going to be anywhere from limited to negligible because she already has those antibodies,” Thomas Russo, MD, professor and expert in infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo told Women’s Health. “I really don’t think this is beneficial for mom.”

This isn’t the first time that Kardashian has made headlines during her breastfeeding journey. Just earlier this week a new article on the Poosh website from Kardashian’s functional medicine and nutrition specialist, Leona West Fox, listed out some of the reality TV star’s favorite snacks and supplements to optimize her breastfeeding experience.

The list included:

• Steamed almond milk or coconut milk with cinnamon
• Dried mulberries and walnuts
• Golden milk latte with steamed almond or coconut milk (turmeric is anti-inflammatory)
• Papaya smoothie
• Papaya with lime juice
• Oatmeal made with almond milk, topped with cinnamon and sliced bananas
• Poached eggs with gluten-free organic sesame sourdough, ghee, and Celtic salt
• Bone broth to sip in a tea cup

Each one of these items falls into what Fox calls essential galactagogues or food types that can help boost milk production. From grains like oats and rice to liquids like bone broth and coconut milk, alongside other essentials like almonds, fennel, grapes and yams, Fox lists out over 25 nutritionist-approved essentials.

In December, the Poosh founder also opened up about a few of her favorite snacks to have around while breastfeeding in a cozy Instagram story. In an up-close, behind-the-scenes photo, viewers could see white ramekins filled with walnuts and dried mulberries alongside a Christmas mug filled with hot coconut milk. “Snack that’s good for supporting optimal breastmilk supply,” she simply wrote.

Image: Kourtney Kardashian Barker | Instagram

The succesful entrepreneur’s recommendations include just a few of the many foods suggested to help increase your milk supply. Several herbs are considered to be effective galactagogues, and many moms have seen tangible results using herbs like fenugreek. alfalfa and oat straw to increase milk supply. (Just be sure to consult your doctor before using any of these!)

In a 2020 interview and conversation with her sister Khloe Kardashian, the Lemme founder opened up about her initial difficulties breastfeeding her first three children, Mason, 13, Penelope, 11, and Reign, 8.

After Khloé commented that breastfeeding seemed “so easy” for her older sister and “it wasn’t for me,” Kourtney replied, “It’s not so easy, I remember the first month being the hardest. There is pain involved. The latching, once I figured that out, then it was pretty easy, easier for me, but there was pain.”

Despite the pain, Kourtney noted that she was proud to have breastfed her babies throughout their early childhood whenever they needed it, wherever they needed it. “I was definitely comfortable to breastfeed in front of anyone,” she said. “I would answer the room service [wearing a breast] pump on and be like, ‘Hey, just set the food down,’ ” Kourtney added with a laugh.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.