Some new mums in the US are cashing in big time — not from influencer deals or Etsy side hustles, but from selling their own breast milk to an unlikely crowd of customers: bodybuilders.
Yes, really. Between the early mornings, endless pumping, and sleepless nights, these mothers have turned what’s usually a round-the-clock labour of love into a genuine money-making machine — shifting ounces of “liquid gold” to everyone from struggling new parents to gym junkies convinced they’ve found nature’s ultimate protein shake.
Keira Williams, from Atlanta, is one of the women leading the charge. Speaking to The New York Post, she revealed: “I’ve made $800 in just one day selling my breast milk on Facebook.”
Williams started selling her oversupply in mid-May and has since shifted more than 3,500 ounces, pricing her milk at $0.50 per ounce for other mothers in need, and $2 per ounce for health fanatics looking for a “natural” performance boost.
She told The Post that her side hustle helps fund her dream wedding, but admits she’s cautious when it comes to selling to adult men. Some of the messages she receives on Facebook range from normal gym queries to less innocent offers like, “Seeking open-minded mom to help me with [breast milk] long term … willing to travel for the right person.”
“I’m extremely leery of selling to adult males,” Williams said, worried that some buyers might not just be in it for the gains.
Still, the “boob juice business,” as The Post cheekily put it, has become a booming trade for new mothers online — one that’s both lucrative and controversial.
Nicole Howard, 28, from Utah, also told The Post that she’s made close to $10,000 in less than a year.
“It feels like a full-time job because I’m always pumping,” she said. “I’ve sold over 7,000 ounces in the past 10 months.”
Howard spends over half her day pumping, freezing, and managing sales across multiple states. Her rates range from $1 per ounce locally to $1.50 for out-of-state buyers. She even gives bulk discounts to customers ordering 500 ounces or more.
While some of her buyers are bodybuilders, most are adoptive parents or mothers struggling with low milk supply. “It feels so good to feed babies in need,” she said. “And to support myself and my household with money I’m making from my own body.”
Howard’s milk is certified by her local NICU for quality, and she says she maintains a clean lifestyle — no alcohol, caffeine, fast food or smoking — to ensure the purity of her product.
For Ruby Du, 31, also from Utah, her pumping profits are about more than just money. “I used some of the money to buy myself a new workout watch, and buy gifts for my kids and husband,” she said. “We also donate portions of the funds to parents on IVF journeys. It feels good to give back.”
Ruby’s three children were all born prematurely and benefited from donor milk themselves, so she sees her sales and donations as a way to return the favour.
So where do the muscleheads come into all this?
According to fitness expert and former competitive bodybuilder Brett Schoenfeld, the idea of drinking breast milk for muscle growth has been floating around gym forums for years.
“It isn’t common, but I’ve known people who have done this,” he told ABC News. “It’s certainly talked about quite a bit on bodybuilding forums.” And he’s right. A quick search on Reddit will reveal countless threads about bodybuilders looking to consume breast milk for gains.
The problem? It doesn’t work.
“There is nothing specific in breast milk that will cause adults to gain muscle mass,” said Dr. Jacques Mortiz, director of gynecology at Mount Sinai Roosevelt in New York. “There are virtually no studies looking at what it can do for any adult, let alone bodybuilders.”
In fact, one cup of breast milk contains just 2.5 grams of protein, compared to 7.9 grams in cow’s milk, according to the USDA’s nutrition database — and it’s much higher in sugar and fat. At up to $10 per ounce on some resale sites, it’s also a wildly expensive protein source.
Health experts have also warned about hygiene concerns. Research cited by ABC News found that 89% of breast milk bought online arrived above safe freezer temperatures and sometimes contained dangerous bacteria like staphylococcus.
Still, as Schoenfeld put it: “Bodybuilders are a strange breed of individuals. Even if this type of thing is completely unsupported by research, they’re prone to gym lore and willing to give it a shot if there is any potential effect.”
Whether it’s for bills, weddings, or a weekend on the coast, these entrepreneurial mums have turned a natural resource into serious income — even if it means fielding some questionable Facebook messages along the way.
Science says breast milk won’t give you biceps, but for new mothers like Keira and Nicole, it’s proving to be a reliable way to flex financial muscle.
Featured image credit: SportManual
