You wouldn't expect a former "wine and cheese guy" to write the definitive guide on queer lactation, but Jacob Engelsman, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and fellow Boing Boing reader, has done exactly that. Their new book Lactation for the Rest of Us blows up assumptions about who can produce milk and feed infants.
The guide covers territory rarely addressed in traditional parenting books: Can trans men chest feed after top surgery? How do non-gestational parents induce lactation? What's the deal with cis men and milk production? (Yes, it's possible!)
Engelsman brings a refreshingly practical and judgment-free approach, drawing on years of clinical experience supporting LGBTQIA+ families. Rather than getting stuck in ideological debates, they focus on what actually works for real families.
The book includes fascinating case studies, like a trans woman who successfully induced lactation and a non-binary parent who found creative ways to chest feed comfortably. There's detailed info on choosing pumps, managing dysphoria, and navigating hormone treatments.
At its core, this is a book about expanding possibilities — showing how advances in lactation science can help more families thrive, regardless of gender or biology.
For anyone interested in how bodies work and how we can hack traditional systems to serve more people, it's a fascinating read.
If you know any queer or trans folks planning to have kids, or healthcare providers working with LGBTQIA+ families, spread the word about this resource. It's the kind of book that could literally change lives.
Previously:
• Woman makes breast milk soap and customers love it
• Woman breastfeeds tiger cubs
• Judge banned mother from breastfeeding because she got a tattoo
