On the subject of breastfeeding...

[conuly]

Why is it called "breastmilk"? We don't say that cats have "teatmilk" and cows have "uddermilk", do we? Why not call it human milk, since that's what it is, or just milk?

Edit: I don't like "baby formula" either. Sounds like you've got some baby in a can, and that's just not right. Ick.

Comments

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

I called it Mummy-milk when I was feeding Quinn. :-)

[conuly]

Awwwwwwww.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Because the word 'milk' has been almost exclusively reserved for cow's milk, and that's what most people expect it to mean. Therefore, goat's milk or any other kind of milk has to come with a qualifier.

And since you ask, cow's milk is the standard and has been since *forever* (well, nearly so) because they're the most efficient and productive suppliers. There really isn't another domesticated animal that is as easy to get such quantities of milk from.

[conuly]

Um, I didn't ask, but thanks :)

Still, why not "human" milk? It IS human milk!

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

I know you didn't ask, but I was sure you'd appreciate it in the long run, so I anticipated. I was being all motherly that way.

And since you asked--my theory is that men just want whatever excuse possible to say 'breast.' :-)

[anotheralice.livejournal.com]

It might be referred to as "breastmilk" to differentiate between "formula," or just regular cow's "milk" for older children. But there doesn't seem to be any reason why we couldn't refer to it as "human milk." Maybe we just have an obsession in our culture with the word "breast."

[carakarena.livejournal.com]

Because breast has one syllable and human has two.

[conuly]

Y'sure that's why?

[carakarena.livejournal.com]

I just think you're just overanalyzing it. But, since you have pulled me into your diabolical web of overanalysis, I will say that a "cow" is technically a female bovine, while a "bull" is male bovine. So perhaps, a more proper analogous term would be "woman's milk." However, since "woman's milk" could refer to cow's milk (or goat's milk) currently in the possession of a woman or a class of women, one says "breast milk" and it becomes immediately clear what kind of milk is being referred to

[conuly]

1. Deleted the extra post (I'm such a stickler about that. Sorry)
2. Cow is also the generic term for any domesticated bovine. So cow's milk works for the milk of the cow, while human milk works for the milk of the human.

Of course, we *could* say "calve's milk" and "baby's milk"...

But then how would we know if we meant "milk from a bovine" or "milk from a whale"?

[spitefairy.livejournal.com]

I am a staunch supporter of canned baby.

[conuly]

Um, thanks... I'll send you some next time you need instababy.

[spitefairy.livejournal.com]

Great, there's not enough instababy in the stores these days.

I've cross the line into creepy, haven't I?

[conuly]

No, no, of course not!

Now, just be patient and wait for the nice men in white coats...

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

It's not called "breast milk" by me. I know some reptiles produce milk without breasts, but I see no need to highlight this distinction. It's speciesism against reptiles, if you think about it. :)

[conuly]

You mean classism, surely? :)

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

Don't make me whip out my phyla and order! :) I suppose . . .

[conuly]

That sounds really really perverted right now.

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying I've never used that redundancy. I have said breasts produce milk, but never "breast milk" per se. I've heard women (including my mother) say it and wondered why. I've thought, "Do they think I don't know its origin?"

[conuly]

Well, breastmilk differentiates it from that udder kind of milk :P

[tinchen.livejournal.com]

In German it's called "Muttermilch" meaning Mothermilk (or maybe Mother's milk, that sound better i guess). Somehow a bit more fitting. (since human milk would maybe imply that all humans have it. I think cow milk sounds better than bovine milk, too.

[conuly]

Most people don't say mother's milk except in expressions:

Brandy was like mother's milk to him.

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

I called it Mummy-milk when I was feeding Quinn. :-)

[conuly]

Awwwwwwww.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Because the word 'milk' has been almost exclusively reserved for cow's milk, and that's what most people expect it to mean. Therefore, goat's milk or any other kind of milk has to come with a qualifier.

And since you ask, cow's milk is the standard and has been since *forever* (well, nearly so) because they're the most efficient and productive suppliers. There really isn't another domesticated animal that is as easy to get such quantities of milk from.

[conuly]

Um, I didn't ask, but thanks :)

Still, why not "human" milk? It IS human milk!

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

I know you didn't ask, but I was sure you'd appreciate it in the long run, so I anticipated. I was being all motherly that way.

And since you asked--my theory is that men just want whatever excuse possible to say 'breast.' :-)

[anotheralice.livejournal.com]

It might be referred to as "breastmilk" to differentiate between "formula," or just regular cow's "milk" for older children. But there doesn't seem to be any reason why we couldn't refer to it as "human milk." Maybe we just have an obsession in our culture with the word "breast."

[carakarena.livejournal.com]

Because breast has one syllable and human has two.

[conuly]

Y'sure that's why?

[carakarena.livejournal.com]

I just think you're just overanalyzing it. But, since you have pulled me into your diabolical web of overanalysis, I will say that a "cow" is technically a female bovine, while a "bull" is male bovine. So perhaps, a more proper analogous term would be "woman's milk." However, since "woman's milk" could refer to cow's milk (or goat's milk) currently in the possession of a woman or a class of women, one says "breast milk" and it becomes immediately clear what kind of milk is being referred to

[conuly]

1. Deleted the extra post (I'm such a stickler about that. Sorry)
2. Cow is also the generic term for any domesticated bovine. So cow's milk works for the milk of the cow, while human milk works for the milk of the human.

Of course, we *could* say "calve's milk" and "baby's milk"...

But then how would we know if we meant "milk from a bovine" or "milk from a whale"?

[spitefairy.livejournal.com]

I am a staunch supporter of canned baby.

[conuly]

Um, thanks... I'll send you some next time you need instababy.

[spitefairy.livejournal.com]

Great, there's not enough instababy in the stores these days.

I've cross the line into creepy, haven't I?

[conuly]

No, no, of course not!

Now, just be patient and wait for the nice men in white coats...

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

It's not called "breast milk" by me. I know some reptiles produce milk without breasts, but I see no need to highlight this distinction. It's speciesism against reptiles, if you think about it. :)

[conuly]

You mean classism, surely? :)

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

Don't make me whip out my phyla and order! :) I suppose . . .

[conuly]

That sounds really really perverted right now.

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying I've never used that redundancy. I have said breasts produce milk, but never "breast milk" per se. I've heard women (including my mother) say it and wondered why. I've thought, "Do they think I don't know its origin?"

[conuly]

Well, breastmilk differentiates it from that udder kind of milk :P

[tinchen.livejournal.com]

In German it's called "Muttermilch" meaning Mothermilk (or maybe Mother's milk, that sound better i guess). Somehow a bit more fitting. (since human milk would maybe imply that all humans have it. I think cow milk sounds better than bovine milk, too.

[conuly]

Most people don't say mother's milk except in expressions:

Brandy was like mother's milk to him.