What is Mommy’s Milk?
Mommy’s Milk is the first research program in the world that is fully dedicated to studying human milk and how it supports children’s health and development. Our research will help all of us – including those who are breastfeeding, the health providers who treat them, and the pediatricians who care for children – better understand the benefits of human milk and how to safely breast or bottle feed. Mommy’s Milk studies are observational, which means you won’t be asked to change your feeding routine or medical care. Participation is designed to fit into your life.
Every drop of milk tells a story — and yours could help shape healthier futures for families everywhere.
Who Can Participate?
You are eligible to participate if you are:
- 18+ years of age
- Currently lactating
- Willing to donate a small sample (2 oz.) of human milk
How Participation Works
You can take part from home or during a clinic visit — whichever is easiest for you.
At Home Participation
In Clinic Participation
What’s Involved?
The Mommy’s Milk program consists of several different studies. All of our studies follow a standard protocol, while select studies may have additional optional elements. The standard Mommy’s Milk protocol for all of our studies involves:
- Donating a 2-ounce (50 mL) sample of your breastmilk
- Completing a phone interview that will collect information about you and your family
- Completing an online questionnaire about your diet
- Completing online questionnaires about your mood
- Completing online or mailed questionnaires about your child’s development
Additional optional elements include the following:
- Releasing medical records for you and your child so we can look at your health and your child’s health in comparison to your milk sample
- Allowing us to contact you with information about other research studies no more than twice per year
- Allowing us to contact you to update your personal information no more than once per year
- Some studies may ask for the collection of other biological samples from you and/or your child
- Assessments that are conducted face-to-face with you and your child as part of our neurodevelopmental follow-up program
Importantly, all Mommy’s Milk studies are observational: we will never ask a participant to change any aspect of their current healthcare routine.
If you would like more information about the requirements for a given study, check out our Current Studies.
How Will My Information Be Used?
The information that our participants provide to us during interviews, questionnaires, and assessments is stored in our study database, while the milk and any other biological samples are stored in the Mommy’s Milk biorepository.
The Mommy’s Milk research team accesses and uses this data to answer research questions. In addition, we also make the data available to the broader scientific community, who can request access to the data to answer their own research questions. None of the data that is analyzed by researchers contains identifying information about study participants; the data provided to researchers is de-identified.
All Mommy’s Milk Studies must be reviewed and approved by a Human Subjects Protection Program at the institution that is conducting the research. Otherwise known as Institutional Review Boards (IRB), these committees ensure that researchers are following all federal and state policies and regulations that protect people who participate in research.
Why Us?
Mommy’s Milk, part of UC San Diego and the Human Milk Institute, is the only research program in the world fully dedicated to unlocking the science of human milk. Since 2014, our team has built the largest biorepository linking milk samples with detailed health information from parents and children — a resource now fueling discoveries worldwide.
Led by perinatal epidemiologist Dr. Christina Chambers, who has spent more than 25 years studying maternal and child health, Mommy’s Milk is designed to answer questions no one else can: How does milk change over time? How does it protect babies? How can it guide doctors and parents in making safer, healthier choices?
Every participant helps close critical gaps in knowledge about breastfeeding, lactation, and child development — creating a legacy of research that benefits families today and for generations to come.
What are the Benefits of Participating?
By joining Mommy’s Milk, you:
Help other families: The knowledge gained may guide future parents, healthcare providers, and pediatricians.
Support your child’s growth: You’ll receive feedback from child development questionnaires that you can share with your pediatrician.
Contribute to science: Your milk and health information help researchers around the world better understand human milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question we didn’t answer above? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Join Mommy’s Milk
Interested in helping us unlock the mysteries of human milk? Your participation can make a difference for future parents and babies.
