Boobs Are Magical
Why We Need to Talk About Breasts Like We Talk About Food: The Science, the Struggles, and the Magic
Let’s start with something simple and slightly uncomfortable:
boobs.
Or breasts. Or titties. Or knockers. Or bosom. Or jubblies. Or whatever word your culture, household, or internal editor allows you to say out loud.
Have you ever seen the visual map Pour Moi created showing what boobs are called around the world? It’s fascinating—and a perfect reminder of two truths:
- Humans are wildly creative.
- We think about boobs a lot—even when we pretend we don’t.
We whisper the word. We joke about it. We overcorrect to sound “professional.” We avoid saying it in public spaces.
And yet… this body part is the first source of food most of us ever had.
So here’s the question: why is it easier to talk about sourdough starters, air fryers, or meal prep containers than the anatomy that literally feeds humans?
Let’s Get the Names Out in the Open
Culturally, we spend enormous energy trying to be politically correct about breasts. They’re sexualized, privatized, regulated, and often treated as something to hide or apologize for—especially once they start doing the very thing they evolved to do.
Meanwhile, food culture is celebrated. We analyze texture, debate ingredients, Instagram plates, and discuss digestion, macros, gut health, and sourcing.
But the original food system? Silence. Awkwardness. Euphemisms.
The Breastfeeding Reality We Don’t Talk About Enough
Approximately 93% of women in the U.S. report struggling with breastfeeding in some way. That doesn’t mean they failed—it means the system failed them.
Challenges can include:
- Pain
- Low milk transfer
- Latch difficulties
- Supply concerns
- Exhaustion
- Lack of support
- Conflicting advice
- Pressure to “just figure it out”
- The need to pump to get back to work or school
- The desire to follow cultural “norms”
Culturally, breastfeeding is often framed as “natural,” implying it should be effortless—or worse, optional. But pumping and breastfeeding are not the same, and neither should carry shame.
What if, instead of quietly struggling, we collectively said:
“Hey, maybe this deserves better education, better design, and better support.”
Here’s Where the Magic Comes In
Boobs aren’t just containers—they’re responsive biological systems.
Did you know that when a baby nurses, the nipple actually receives microscopic information from the baby’s saliva?
Pause. That’s incredible.
The mammary glands read that information and adjust the milk’s composition to meet the baby’s needs. If the baby is fighting something? The milk changes. Needs more hydration? The milk changes. Growing rapidly? The milk changes.
This isn’t folklore. It’s physiology. A process sometimes called biological feedback or retrograde milk flow—one of the most elegant examples of adaptive nutrition we know.
In other words:
Boobs are doing real-time data analysis. No app required. Whoa.
A Few More Mind-Blowing Breast Facts
- Human breast milk contains over 200 bioactive components, many still being studied.
- Milk flavor changes based on the parent’s diet, helping babies develop broader taste preferences.
- Breast tissue extends far beyond the visible breast (hello, armpits!), impacting comfort, support, and product design.
- Stress, sleep, pain, posture, and breathing influence milk flow—not just supply.
- Feeding challenges are rarely just about the breast or the baby; they’re about the entire system.
What If We Did Better, Together?
What if we normalized talking about boobs the way we talk about food?
- With curiosity
- With humor
- With respect
- With science
- With compassion
What if education started earlier—not in crisis mode, but as a fundamental part of understanding our bodies? We put more effort into learning to drive a car than learning breastfeeding. It impacts everyone—we were all babies once.
What if products, policies, and support systems were designed around real human experiences instead of idealized ones?
I don’t have a neat bow to tie this up. But I do know this:
Boobs are not embarrassing. They are not simple. They are not “just there.”
They are adaptive, intelligent, powerful—and absolutely magical.
So maybe it’s time we said the word out loud.
Cheers to curiosity—and to boobs!
—N. Alissa McFall, MS, CCC-SLP, COM®
