Can I use human breast milk instead of animal milk for milk kefir ferments?

TL;DR

Human breast milk, rich in lactose, emerges as a suitable alternative for traditional animal milk in kefir fermentations. This article explores the feasibility of using breast milk for both dietary and vaginal health purposes, highlighting its comparative lactose content and offering practical advice on creating non-dairy ferments enriched with human milk. It also touches on the potential of using lactose tablets as an alternative, underscoring the importance of fermented foods in one’s diet.

Human breast milk contains primarily lactose (out of the sugars), so it is definitely suitable to use instead of regular cow, goat or sheep milk, and there are many recipes online for making breast milk yoghurt, and it’s essentially the same thing – go for it. Human breast milk has a lot more lactose than goat’s and cow’s milk.

ConstituentHumanCowGoat
Protein1.23.33.4
Lactose7.04.84.7
Fat3.83.84.1
Ash (minerals)0.210.710.77
Total solids12.412.813.0

Source

When using milk kefir vaginally
To preserve your breast-milk donor’s boob (at least not make her express more than she needs to), you want to make enough kefir for whatever your treatment requires.

Make up a non-dairy ferment for drinking (coconut or soy works well, but you will need to ferment them in breast milk once a week or fortnight to keep them alive and thriving – they do need lactose sometimes), or alternatively add 5ml of breast milk to each daily non-dairy ferment. Find a solution that works for you and your donor.

Alternatively you could even dissolve a lactose tablet into your non-dairy milk kefir ferment to get the same effect, but we haven’t trialled inserting soy or coconut milk into the vagina, and can’t vouch for it’s usefulness – it could be great (high phyto-oestrogens in soy, antibacterial properties of coconut…), but we’re just not sure – experiment as you wish. I believe lactose tablets are inexpensive. Try to get as much fermented food into you as possible anyway, of all varieties.

Take a look at these links:

  1. https://www.allthingsvagina.com/aunt-vadge-can-i-make-vagina-yoghurt-from-a-healthy-friend-or-relative/
  2. https://www.allthingsvagina.com/how-to-take-care-of-your-milk-kefir/
  3. https://www.allthingsvagina.com/dairy-free-milk-kefir-ferments/


Jessica Lloyd - Vulvovaginal Specialist Naturopathic Practitioner, BHSc(N)

Jessica is a degree-qualified naturopath (BHSc) specialising in vulvovaginal health and disease, based in Melbourne, Australia.

Jessica is the owner and lead naturopath of My Vagina, and is a member of the:

  • International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD)
  • International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH)
  • National Vulvodynia Association (NVA) Australia
  • New Zealand Vulvovaginal Society (ANZVS)
  • Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS)
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