'I make €3,000 a month selling breast milk to bodybuilders'
McKenzie Stelly, 23, said she had to rely on donor milk when her first child, Elias, four, was born with two bottom teeth - leaving it "impossible" to nurse him.
After welcoming her second child, Rhett, one, whom she breastfed, McKenzie noticed she had a "decent" supply of milk. She then started donating her oversupply of milk via the hospital agency, Tiny Treasures, receiving $1 (86c) for every ounce she donated.
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Advertising her oversupply on Facebook, McKenzie was then contacted by a bodybuilder seeking breast milk to "build muscle". In July 2025, she started selling her breast milk for $5 (€4.31) per ounce to bodybuilders - making $3,500 (€3,000) a month.
While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, many bodybuilders are drawn to breast milk due to its high protein content.
McKenzie, a homemaker, from Lafayette, Louisiana, US, said: "I've always wanted to breastfeed my babies because I believe it gives them the best start in life.
"My mom did it, I've always wanted to do it too. When we had Elias, I was devastated. I couldn't breastfeed, but I was thankful for the milk donor I connected with through Facebook. McKenzie Stelly with her husband Zachary (Image: Amy Briolo Photography/SWNS)
"When welcoming Rhett, I realized I had an oversupply, so I wanted to help others like I'd been helped. I needed to get rid of the extra milk to avoid getting clogged milk ducts, which leads to mastitis.
"Donating through Tiny Treasures meant my supply helped moms all over the world- and I got a little bit of money in return.
"People think that breastmilk should always be given for free, and I do agree to some extent, but it's still a product of my body and time.
"I've had clients ask for a discounted rate because they're struggling, but then turn up to collect the milk in a Rolls-Royce. I charge a higher rate for a bodybuilder because their grown adults and it's a lifestyle choice they're choosing to explore.
"Breast milk isn't a necessity to them; it's a tool they use to up their protein intake. I found it strange at first, but that's before I saw how much I could make." McKenzie Stelly's breast milk (Image: McKenzie Stelly/SWNS)
Despite wanting to breastfeed from the beginning, McKenzie -who is married to Zachary Stelly, 23- welcomed Elias, was born with natal teeth - when teeth are present from birth - leaving it "impossible" to nurse him.
"It was upsetting because breastfeeding was something I had looked forward to, even before I found out I was pregnant." McKenzie said. "I relied on a milk donor instead because I still wanted him to get the nutritional benefits of breast milk."
According to the National Library of Medicine, breast milk provides unique and dynamic bioactive components that play a key role in the development of the immune system.
After being able to breastfeed her second son, Rhett, in August 2024, McKenzie found she had an oversupply of breast milk. Donating through Tiny Treasures, McKenzie made an average of $1,000 (€861) per month.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, breastfeeding in the United States has increased from 60% in 1994 to 77% in 2005 to roughly 83% in 2024.
By September 2024, she started advertising her oversupply in local Facebook groups, selling her breastmilk for ¢70 per ounce to moms, and she was then contacted by a bodybuilder seeking breast milk to "build muscle".
McKenzie charges $3 per ounce for her clients who is a bodybuilders, which amounts to $730 per week and $3,500 per month.
She said: "At first, I thought it was a bit strange. That was before I realized, I could make. Pumping isn't as easy as it might sound. Yes, my body produces it, but I have to stick to a routine to avoid my milk ducts getting clogged. Pumps can cost up to $300, which isn't cheap, and I brought a second fridge for stock rotation."
McKenzie has been posting about her business venture on TikTok since August 2024 and claims trolls say she "shouldn't be profiting" from breast milk.
She said: "People will have their opinions - but I let it go in one ear and out the other. It's my choice what I do with my own body. I am still offering a product which I have to put time and effort into.
"It helps my family out. Cost of living affects us all. I've donated lots through an agency, and my higher prices are only for grown adults like bodybuilders because it's not a necessity.
"I'm still breastfeeding Rhett. I won't be able to do it forever, so I have to cash in as much as I can now."
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