How Breastfeeding Made Me Vegan: A Mother's Awakening to All Life

One of the most sacred parts of motherhood is breastfeeding. It’s unlike any other bond—it’s the closest you can be to another human being. The female body isn’t just a home for new life; it continues to nourish that life once it’s here. To serve that kind of purpose is an incredible privilege.

There’s nothing like holding a baby in your arms, cradling them as they look up into your eyes while feeding from your body. The absolute sweetness of them searching with their mouth, the quiet moment of gently pulling them off when they’ve fallen asleep—trying not to wake them. Or the way they tug on your shirt when they know what “milky” means.

But breastfeeding also changed me in ways I didn’t expect.

One day, I opened the fridge and grabbed a jug of cow’s milk—and suddenly felt deeply wrong. I realized I was about to drink milk that was meant for someone else’s baby. I couldn’t imagine someone taking my baby’s milk, or worse, taking my baby away just to use my body for production.

Since becoming a mother, I feel more connected to all mothers, all babies, and all sentient beings. That includes animals, too.

The dairy industry has marketed milk so well that most of us never pause to question it. But when you look closely, you see how unnatural it is. In nature, mammals stop drinking milk after infancy. Humans are the only species that continues drinking milk into adulthood—and we’re the only ones who drink milk from another species.

Most humans stop producing lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose (milk sugar), after weaning. That’s because we’re not biologically meant to drink milk forever. In fact, 65–70% of the global population is lactose intolerant. We’ve just been told milk is “normal” because it’s profitable.

And it’s not just unnecessary—it’s harmful. Dairy consumption has been linked to:

• Increased ear infections in children

• Digestive issues like bloating, gas, and diarrhea

• Eczema and allergies

• Higher risk of cardiovascular disease from saturated fat

• Potential links to prostate and ovarian cancers

• Hormonal imbalances (cow’s milk contains growth hormones for calves)

• And paradoxically, higher osteoporosis rates in countries with high dairy intake—because dairy can actually leach calcium from bones

Breastfeeding awakened a deeper compassion in me—for all living beings. It helped me see that no mother should have her milk stolen, or her baby taken, for someone else’s consumption.

It’s not natural.
It’s not kind.
And it’s not necessary.

My journey into motherhood led me to veganism. Because now, I don’t just care for my child—I care for all life.