Q&A: What Does Breast Milk Actually Taste Like?

Ever found yourself wondering: What on earth does breast milk taste like? 

Let’s uncover breast milk’s taste, the factors that shape it, and even some astonishing tidbits that might just reshape your perspective on this miraculous liquid gold.

And BONUS! 25 women weigh in after they tasted their own breast milk!

So, if you're curious about what babies get to enjoy when they drink breast milk, keep reading to find out.

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Breast milk flavor may take on the flavors you eat.

Guess what?

Breast milk can taste different based on what moms eat!

Babies can totally notice these flavor changes, and it might even affect their food choices later in life. This flavor change is most noticeable about 1.5 to 3 hours after eating.

So, babies are learning about different flavors before they even try solid food. Pretty neat, right? 😊

The exact flavor of breast milk is unique to each individual woman.

The special mix of stuff in your body affects how it tastes! Plus, things like how much you move around and if you smoke or drink can also change the flavor.

The creaminess of breast milk varies.

And here's something interesting – breast milk can be either more watery or creamier, depending on the time of day. That creaminess mostly comes from the fat it has, which, according to the same study, is usually around 3.5% to 4.5%.

But wait, there's more! The creaminess of breast milk isn't the same throughout a feeding. The first milk that comes out is called "foremilk," and it's kind of like a thirst-quencher for the baby because it's thin and watery.

Then, there's the "hindmilk," which comes later and packs a punch with two to three times more fat than the foremilk.

So, breast milk does a neat trick of changing as your baby drinks! 😊

If breast milk is previously stored/frozen, the taste may be affected

Some moms mention that their milk can taste a bit "soapy" or "metallic" sometimes.

This sometimes happens because of something called "lipase," an enzyme that helps break down fats. After breast milk is stored for awhile in the fridge or freezer, lipase may alter the smell and taste of your milk a bit.

Not to worry - your milk is still safe for baby to consume!

25 women give their opinions on what their own breast milk tastes like:

Chelsea Z. – Thin (like watered-down cows’ milk)

Tina M. – Watered down almond milk, lol

Rhiannon R. – French vanilla coffee creamer

Jordan M. – Sweetened almond milk!

Kyara N. – Sweet. Definitely taste better than cow milk!

Chelsea R – Mine tastes like sugar water.

Amber J. – Kinda reminds me of the milk left over from frosted flakes.

Heather W. – Sweet! Kind of like vanilla & cantaloupe??

Danielle R. – Mine is super sweet like creamer or sugar water lol.

Ashley W. – Like 1% milk that’s a little sweet

Danielle M. – Sweet water to me

Kristen H. – Like cantaloupe juice

Lily S. – Like nothing with a hint of sweetness lol

Mary C. – Like cows’ milk, but milder and sweeter

Amy D. – Freshly pumped, tastes sweet. Sometimes had a smokey smell/taste which is weird because I don’t consume anything like that. After it’s been frozen and warmed; not a fan 😵‍💫

Melanie B. – Like a super light liquid cheesecake

Kristen R. – Mine tastes like watery warm vanilla ice cream

Alison A. – The last time I tasted mine it reminded me of how milk tastes after lucky charms cereal 😂

Jessalin P. – Condensed milk

Abi S. – Like if you were to mix almond milk and skim milk

Morgan E. – Fresh = sweet. Frozen = soapy. High lipase

Mindy L. – Honestly mine reminds of vanilla sweet cream cold foam from starbucks lol

Lauren A. – Mine is real sweet I can’t really pinpoint a flavor to it though, it’s the texture that I find so odd! It’s like so so creamy but also watery at the same time! 😂

Kaylee B. – Like super sweet watered down almond milk!

Samantha S. – It’s crazy weird how sweeet it tastes 😳 lol

Makenzi F. – Vanilla almond milk.

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