A Florida woman who made headlines for breastfeeding her husband has revealed the pair are considering having another baby so she starts lactating again.
Rachel Bailey, 31, and her spouse Alexander, 30, said they have 'grieved' their 'bonding experience' breastfeeding since her body stopped producing milk in the past year.
The couple's three children have all weaned off the milk, which meant Alexander had to as well.
Now, they are considering having a fourth child so they keep up the habit, which started in 2016 Ms Bailey forgot her breast pump on a couples cruise, leading her breasts to become painfully engorged.
'I was in so much pain and I was scared about getting an infection, so we decided that my husband was going to try drinking the milk to relieve me,' she said.
'We were nervous about the idea of him breastfeeding from me as we thought it seemed weird, but as soon as we did it, we realized it was perfectly fine.'
The couple continued the practice after the births of their two younger children, with Ms Bailey breastfeeding her husband at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once her supply dwindled, they switched to nightly feedings.
Ms Bailey claims that because her milk is 'so nutritious,' it kept Alexander from getting a cold for more than two years and left his skin glowing.
'He ended up loving the taste of my breast milk and even prefers it to cow's milk now,' she said.
While breast milk is packed with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium to build up a baby's immune system, there's limited evidence suggesting that it's just as beneficial for adults.
One 2019 review suggested that breast milk's anti-inflammatory effects could improve skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis, though the team noted that larger studies are needed to confirm this.
A paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine stated that any health benefits in adults 'do not stand up clinically,' and that no studies have shown any concrete benefits 'other than a placebo effect.'
'Where breast milk offers researchers much promise is at a component or stem cell level,' the team said.
'The benefits of breast milk are being found in the lab, not in drinking a bottle ordered online from an expressing [mother].'
The team cautioned that drinking breast milk could spread diseases like hepatitis B and C, HIV, and syphilis, as well as foodborne illnesses, especially if an adult purchases milk online from someone they do not know.
The researchers looked at samples of breast milk bought online and found that 93 percent contained bacteria, and 74 percent contained gram-negative bacteria, which have been shown to lead to issues like pneumonia and diarrhea.
Experts have also suggested that breast milk has less protein than regular cow's milk.
Though they briefly considered growing their family to keep up the breastfeeding, the Bailey's ultimately decided against it.
'We grieved that bonding experience that we shared, and we even spoke about having one more baby so that we could do it again,' Ms Bailey said.
'However, we realized that was drastic action to take and a lot of work, so instead we began looking for other ways that we could bond as a couple.'
Instead, they now get up at 5 am each morning to catch up and meditate before getting on with the rest of their day.
'It was never a sexµal thing for us. We did it because it was an amazing way for us to bond and share something special as a couple,' Ms Bailey said.
'We really miss the breastfeeding times that we shared, but we have found new ways to connect.'
Rachel Bailey, 31, and her spouse Alexander, 30, said they have 'grieved' their 'bonding experience' breastfeeding since her body stopped producing milk in the past year.
The couple's three children have all weaned off the milk, which meant Alexander had to as well.
Now, they are considering having a fourth child so they keep up the habit, which started in 2016 Ms Bailey forgot her breast pump on a couples cruise, leading her breasts to become painfully engorged.
'I was in so much pain and I was scared about getting an infection, so we decided that my husband was going to try drinking the milk to relieve me,' she said.
'We were nervous about the idea of him breastfeeding from me as we thought it seemed weird, but as soon as we did it, we realized it was perfectly fine.'
The couple continued the practice after the births of their two younger children, with Ms Bailey breastfeeding her husband at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once her supply dwindled, they switched to nightly feedings.
Ms Bailey claims that because her milk is 'so nutritious,' it kept Alexander from getting a cold for more than two years and left his skin glowing.
'He ended up loving the taste of my breast milk and even prefers it to cow's milk now,' she said.
While breast milk is packed with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium to build up a baby's immune system, there's limited evidence suggesting that it's just as beneficial for adults.
One 2019 review suggested that breast milk's anti-inflammatory effects could improve skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis, though the team noted that larger studies are needed to confirm this.
A paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine stated that any health benefits in adults 'do not stand up clinically,' and that no studies have shown any concrete benefits 'other than a placebo effect.'
'Where breast milk offers researchers much promise is at a component or stem cell level,' the team said.
'The benefits of breast milk are being found in the lab, not in drinking a bottle ordered online from an expressing [mother].'
The team cautioned that drinking breast milk could spread diseases like hepatitis B and C, HIV, and syphilis, as well as foodborne illnesses, especially if an adult purchases milk online from someone they do not know.
The researchers looked at samples of breast milk bought online and found that 93 percent contained bacteria, and 74 percent contained gram-negative bacteria, which have been shown to lead to issues like pneumonia and diarrhea.
Experts have also suggested that breast milk has less protein than regular cow's milk.
Though they briefly considered growing their family to keep up the breastfeeding, the Bailey's ultimately decided against it.
'We grieved that bonding experience that we shared, and we even spoke about having one more baby so that we could do it again,' Ms Bailey said.
'However, we realized that was drastic action to take and a lot of work, so instead we began looking for other ways that we could bond as a couple.'
Instead, they now get up at 5 am each morning to catch up and meditate before getting on with the rest of their day.
'It was never a sexµal thing for us. We did it because it was an amazing way for us to bond and share something special as a couple,' Ms Bailey said.
'We really miss the breastfeeding times that we shared, but we have found new ways to connect.'
