Kourtney Kardashian Says She Drinks Her Own Breast Milk: Is It An Ideal Practice? What Does Science Say?

Sharing a selfie, the 44-year-old reportedly wrote: "This filter is crazy and I just pounded a glass of breast milk because I feel sick. Goodnight!"

Kourtney Kardashian recently made a confession so bizarre that even doctors are perplexed. Taking to Instagram, the mother-of-four admitted that she drinks her own breast milk when she feels sick. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians (KUWTK) alum made the claim on her now-unavailable Instagram story, whose screenshots were taken and circulated by her followers and some news outlets, all of whom appeared to be confused by the strange admission. Sharing a selfie, the 44-year-old reportedly wrote: "This filter is crazy and I just pounded a glass of breast milk because I feel sick. Goodnight!"

This is not the first time that the Kardashian-Jenner clan has made a whimsical statement. Those who have been following the famous family for years, would know how there was the controversial placenta-eating statement. In fact, Kourtney -- who recently welcomed her first child with husband Travis Barker -- even launched 'vagina gummies' through her wellness blog, 'Poosh'.

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A post shared by Kourtney Kardashian Barker (@kourtneykardash)

Anyway, coming back to her recent revelation about drinking breast milk, is there any science or logic to it? We reached out to doctors, most of whom refused to comment on it, stating that there is no scientific data supporting the claim that breast milk is good for a grown-up.

What Is Breast Milk?

A mother's breasts produce milk to feed and nourish a newborn. In fact, doctors advise exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life, so as to bolster their immunity. According to hopkinsmedicine.org, breast milk is the perfect food for the baby, as it contains just the right amount of nutrients, is gentle on the baby's developing stomach, intestines, and other body systems. After six months, it is recommended that you breastfeed your child with solid foods until they are at least 1 to 2 years old.

Breast Milk For Babies

Breast milk is loaded with healthy nutrients, which can prevent illnesses and infections in babies. According to hopkinsmedicine.org, it can also:

• Protect babies by lowering the risk for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
• Lower the baby's risk of getting asthma and skin problems related to allergies. Formula-fed babies are more likely to have milk allergies.
• Lead to less diarrhea and a lowered chance of getting digestive conditions. Formula, on the other hand, can change healthy bacteria in a baby's intestines.
• Lower the risk of developing leukemia.
• Protect the child from diabetes and obesity as they grow up.

Breastfeeding Benefits For Mothers

Women who breastfeed also enjoy many health benefits. Hopkins Medicine states that they are more likely to lose the weight they gained during pregnancy, and are also less likely to get breast and ovarian cancer, and diabetes later in life.

But What About Consuming Breast Milk?

As mentioned earlier, there is little data on this subject. While Kourtney Kardashian happily drank her breast milk, doctors advised against it. Just like any other bodily fluid -- like mucus, semen, blood, menstrual blood, etc. -- breast milk also poses the risk of transmission of diseases like hepatitis B and C, HIV-1/2, syphilis, etc.

Dr Arik Alper, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Yale Medicine in Connecticut was quoted as telling Huffpost.com that breast milk would not help adults fight infections; it would not improve their immune system either. "There are antibodies in breast milk that can help with viruses, but an adult should have enough immunoglobulins in their body and doesn't need extra immunoglobulins in oral liquids," Dr Alper stated.

One Dr Christine Greves, an ob-gyn at Orlando Health Women's Institute Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Florida, also told Huffpost.com that because there are not enough studies on it, she 'cannot recommend for or against it'. She, however, added that there might be risks to drinking breast milk as an adult, especially if it is not your own. As mentioned earlier, in the event of drinking someone else's breast milk, infections like cytomegalovirus (CMV) and HIV can be transmitted.

There are even risks with drinking your own milk, Greves reportedly warned, such as -- is it coming from a clean pumping system? Is it being refrigerated? According to the doctor, bacteria spreads regardless of whether it is your own breast milk or not.

If you think you are coming down with something and are feeling unwell, take plenty of rest, stay hydrated and reach out to a medical professional who may be able to treat your symptoms by prescribing medicines and monitoring your health closely.