3 Tell-tale Spoiled Breast Milk Symptoms
Stored breast milk is like liquid gold.
If you're not sure how to check if it's gone funky, you might accidentally give your baby spoiled milk or, yikes, throw away perfectly still-awesome breast milk.
Let's avoid those milk mishaps and figure out what spoiled breast milk symptoms are! 🍼💫😊
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3 Ways to Tell If Breast Milk Is Spoiled
Spoiled breast milk symptom #1:
Smells fishy/sour
Alright, so when your breast milk is fresh and good to go, it usually doesn't smell like much.
However, sometimes the smell has a faint hint of something you ate, a medication you took, or a container it was stored in.
But, oh boy, when it's gone bad, it's a whole different story. Spoiled breast milk will hit you with a fishy, sour smell that's a real turnoff.
Trust us, it's not the kind of smell you want hanging around. It's like when regular cow's milk goes bad – nope, you won't want your nose anywhere near that stuff! 😷🥴
A note about lipase:
Frozen breast milk tends to have a soapy, metallic odor when it thaws. This should not be confused with spoiling and the milk is still safe for baby to drink. The level of intensity of the odor varies from woman to woman.
To test whether your milk tends to take on this scent, freeze a small amount of breast milk for 4 days then thaw it and smell it. Because of the short time frame, you can be confident your milk has not soured. If it smells metallic-y and sourish, you can know your breast milk tends to take on this smell after freezing but is still safe for your baby.
Spoiled breast milk symptom #2:
Tastes rancid
Fresh breast milk has a touch of sweetness to it, kinda like sweetened almond milk or lightly sugared water. Some folks even say it has a sweet and slightly nutty vibe.
Now, if you give it a taste and it's gone all super rancid or mega sour, it's probably gone bad—definitely not the flavor you were hoping for!
What you eat can totally spice up the taste of your breast milk! So, if you're into spicy stuff, that might give your milk a little extra zing. 🌶️🥛
Spoiled breast milk symptom #3:
Chunky and doesn’t mix well
Don't fret if you notice shifts in color and texture or if it separates into lighter and thicker layers – that's totally normal stuff and doesn't mean it's gone bad.
Now, here's a little milk magic trick to check if it's still good. Give it a gentle swirl to mix those layers back together. If it doesn't blend smoothly or if there are weird clumps, that's a sign it might not be at its best.
Quick note, though: Sometimes, just looking at, smelling, or tasting the milk won't give you the full scoop on its freshness. It's best to stick to the storage guidelines to keep your breast milk safe and sound. Safety first! 🥛👀👃✅
3 Pro tips to prevent spoiled breast milk
If your milk was getting close to its "use it or lose it" stage in the fridge, freezing it can give you a little extra wiggle room. It'll give you some extra time before it decides to go all funky.
Fridge placement matters! Tuck it away at the back, not near that chatty fridge door. The door action brings in temperature changes that aren't the milk's BFF.
When it comes to containers, go for the superhero seal! Tight, sealed glass containers are like milk's trusty sidekick, keeping the spoilage villains at bay. 🦸♂️🥛💪 Our fav glass storage containers for breast milk are by Wee Sprout. Get them on Amazon)
What happens if your baby drinks spoiled breast milk?
Babies, especially the teeny tiny ones, have these delicate little digestive systems. If they end up sipping on milk that's gone bad, it can lead to a bit of a tummy tornado.
They may develop diarrhea or throw up.It can turn them into a little fuss monster, complete with the bloated belly blues.
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