• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • GMA3: WYNTK
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2025 ABC News
  • Wellness

What parents should know about the new test for your breast milk

5:08
What to know about the new test for breast milk
ABC News
Catherine Thorbecke
ByCatherine Thorbecke
December 18, 2018, 1:15 PM

A new test developed by a working mom that touts its ability to analyze the nutritional value of your breast milk has the new moms community abuzz, though some doctors remain unconvinced about the science behind it.

New mom Casey Gorham said she first noticed that her son, Sequoia, was having problems gaining weight two weeks after birth.

"My baby just kept getting smaller. His arms were getting smaller. His bones were sticking out," she told "Good Morning America." "He just looked small. It was very concerning, especially as a first-time mom."

New mom Casey Gorham used Lactation Lab to test her breast milk.
ABC News

Related Articles

(MORE: Breastfeeding moms who pump at work fear long-term career consequences, new survey says)

After consulting her pediatrician, Gorham said she began using a new breast milk testing kit from a company called Lactation Lab. The company measures calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat content present in a new mom's breast milk by examining a frozen sample of the milk that the mom ships to their lab.

Then, in three to five business days the results are sent back, along with nutritional recommendations to improve the quality of the breast milk.

Gorham said she followed the company's recommendations, and as she began making "changes to my diet" her son started "gaining weight."

"My calorie count went up for my milk," she added. "The kit really helped me and just reassured me a lot."

Editor’s Picks

Doctors urged to increase depression screening for pregnant women and new moms

  • Dec 17, 2018

This mom created a genius solution for women to deal with breast milk while traveling

  • Aug 06, 2018

6 things you may not know about breastfeeding

  • Aug 27, 2018

Dr. Stephanie Canale, the founder of Lactation Lab, described the process as "sort of like a food label for your breast milk."

"Milk does change significantly from mother to mother. But I think for a lot of moms, there's so much pressure to breast feed," Canale said. "We know it's a good thing. And it's really hard. And so I think for some, just knowing what's in their milk or if they can learn how to make it better."

Related Articles

(MORE: Pay it forward chain started by NICU nurses gives mom facing breast cancer breast milk for her daughter)

Canale, a Los Angeles-based doctor who specializes in family medicine, said she developed the test out of her own frustration as a working mom of two, after her second child's weight stalled through breast feeding.

Dr. Stephanie Canale, founder of Lactation Lab, is pictured with her two children.
Courtesy Dr. Stephanie Canale

"I felt like a failure," Canale said. "I really don't want another mom to go through what I did ... or feel like the way I did."

Canale said their test is evidence-based and that they conducted a study of 30 women to learn about what was in their breast milk.

"What we found is that ... they were given specific dietary recommendations and then they retested their milk," she said. "And those women actually went on to breastfeed for longer than expected, because they were reassured."

Of the 30 women, 28 reported they continued past the six months of exclusive breast feeding that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, though it is unclear if the women would have continued anyway.

Lactation Lab measures calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat content present in a new mom's breast milk.
ABC News

Lactation Lab isn't alone in offering these tests, as companies like MyMilk and EverlyWell also offer them.

But the tests aren't cheap: Lactation Lab charges $99 for a basic evaluation and $349 for premium kits, which also measure fatty acids and so-called toxins, and can take 14 to 20 days to process.

Currently, there are no independent studies that verify the accuracy of these tests, which is why some doctors remain unconvinced by the claims behind them, or the need for them.

Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician and chief of digital innovation at Seattle Children's hospital, told "GMA" that all breast milk is not created equal.

"Breast milk isn't the same on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday. It is not the same in the morning or at night. It is not even the same at the beginning of a nursing session and at the end," she said. "So the way that samples are collected concerns me that it won't give a global picture of a complete nutrition."

"I think we have to take a really careful look at what this puts out to the world and how this really affects moms who are just trying to do their best, supporting themselves and their babies," she added.

Editor’s Picks

Doctors urged to increase depression screening for pregnant women and new moms

  • Dec 17, 2018

This mom created a genius solution for women to deal with breast milk while traveling

  • Aug 06, 2018

6 things you may not know about breastfeeding

  • Aug 27, 2018

Up Next in Wellness—

Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds

June 10, 2025

Gun deaths among children surge after states loosen firearm laws, new study finds

June 9, 2025

ESPN anchor Jay Harris announces prostate cancer diagnosis

June 5, 2025

'Bachelorette' alum Katie Thurston reveals memory loss amid breast cancer battle

June 3, 2025

Shop GMA Favorites

ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Sponsored Content by Taboola

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2025 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2025 ABC News