Men and Breastmilk

Updated on July 22, 2011
M.. asks from Detroit, MI
23 answers

Why are men so repulsed by breastmilk? My husband will go in the fridge and grab a gallon of cows milk without a thought, but when he sees my bottles of breastmilk in there he says it hits his gag reflex. I mean, of course I dont expect him to drink it, but just seeing it makes him gag? I sprayed him with it once because hes such a baby and he flipped out!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

My husband didn't mind in the least. I think for some men it is because it takes the sexuality out of breasts and some men don't like to think about that. They want boobs to be something for them, not a means of providing nutrition to a baby. Some women feel that way too. My sister did not breast feed because she thinks of breasts as a sexual zone not to be messed with by babies/children. I think she is crazy but to each their own.

5 moms found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Dover on

I didn't know men WERE repulsed by breast milk! My husband certainly never was. That seems odd, but maybe my husband is the oddball....??

I also used to squirt him from across the room ocassionally but just because it was funny, not to gross him out.

5 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.C.

answers from Dallas on

Mine's not. He acknowledges that it's much tastier than any of his bodily fluids!

11 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

Not all men are repulsed. Mine didn't mind the taste at all... ;-)

9 moms found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

My man isn't repulsed by it at all. I think you will find that your husband is an oddball! lol

8 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I didn't mind breast milk when my wife was nursing.

I think its purely psychological. Some women are afraid of lizzards or bugs. I can understand why you would be afraid of a coiled rattle snake, but a june bug? Com'on!

Good luck to you and yours.

7 moms found this helpful

S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

My husband is the same way.

I would guess it is because our milk is freshly expressed and hasn't been pasteurized.

And because men are babies.

*ETA: It was a turn on in the bedroom if I leaked a little though. Go figure.

6 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.J.

answers from Detroit on

Wusses they are. He probably liked it just fine when he was younger ;)

4 moms found this helpful

L.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Good for you for spraying him! LOL

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from St. Louis on

I actually know women who aren't fond of it either. There's a whole list of reasons why people in general a repulsed by it or not.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.!.

answers from Los Angeles on

Mine is TOTALLY repulsed by it. I did not B/F and he was sooo grateful I did not. (that was not the reason I did not tho). His SIL just had a baby and we went in over the weekend to visit and meet the newborn and his SIL is BF'ing. My husband was gagging as she fed the baby. It was kind of comical to watch him try not to puke. haha.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

Yep, it's your hubby that's weird lol!

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

My husband isn't bothered by it at all but my 16 year old daughter is. Which I think is odd since she was old enough to remember me breastfeeding 3 of her younger siblings.

2 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Denver on

I agree with some of the answers that it may be because it means your breasts are "utilitarian" and not sexual objects! :-) My husband always kids that our son gets boobies at the drop of a hat. But he's not grossed out by it, he just gets annoyed at all of the "rules" for breastmilk - for reheating it, storing it, etc. He also gets really worried if it's a different color than normal. I have a frozen bag of milk that's more yellowy (seems to happen when I don't drink enough water) that's been in the bottom of the fridge for months because he's convinced it's somehow tainted!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Chalk it up to personal "taste" I guess....

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.K.

answers from Kansas City on

It grosses my man out BECAUSE he tasted it! I gave him a 'squirt' once. He said it wasn't bad, sweet on first taste, and then he got the aftertaste and gagged!

After that, he always made a face when he had to give the baby a bottle and would make comments about it.

It didn't help that it was puked up on him, but I would rather have a sweet smelling bm puke than a formula puke! That was the worst.

2 moms found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Tucson on

lol... Thats funny. I dont know. I think its silly. : )

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.V.

answers from Louisville on

It's not just men ... breast milk grosses me out too. Even with my own son, all I could think was, "Im sitting here dripping my own bodily fluids into his mouth.". <shudder>

When I have to handle other people's expressed breast milk at work, it really grosses me out & I take more precautions than I do when I hang blood.

We don't drink cow's milk either (ugh).

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.R.

answers from Naples on

Didn't gross my husband out, but he would compulsively give it to the baby wether it was time or not...without checking with me first. It would drive me nuts, because I only had a cheesy cheap manual pump and it was an act of congress to get a decent amount and maybe I was saving it for when I would not be home etc...

Off the subject...to Scarlett....what is "ETA"? Estimated Time of Arrival? I see it a lot on the forum and it never makes sense to me.

2 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

I think its the combination of the criminal way in which cows are milked by the gallon for sustenance without a thought for what milk is really for.....and the strictly sexual view of the human female breasts.

Its like a mental juxtaposition of societal abnormalities that are contrary to nature.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.J.

answers from Seattle on

Haha mine wasn't grossed out but didn't want to try it, I've squirted him too LOL ;)

ETA means Edited To Add, meaning you're adding something to your earlier response so people know what you added...

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

W.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

My husband was like that too! He wouldn't go near my breasts while I was lactating and we stopped being intimate because of it. I guess he decided it was off limits until I stopped B/F and he took to sleeping on the couch to avoid me. I didn't know his revoltion was at the bottom of his behaviour in the bedroom and beyond. His rejection of me while pregnant and post baby confused and hurt me to the point that it ruined our sex lives for decades. I guess we should've "talked" it out but I was so hurt I just accepted that he was no longer attracted to me. A lot of resentment built up in me over the years (30!!!! freaking years!!!) that didn't need to be, all because we didn't address it. Sad, very very sad.

Breast feeding is really best for baby and mom and that isn't just an opinion, it's a fact.

I wish you luck...both of you - <3

W.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions