Frozen Breastmilk and Taste???

Updated on May 05, 2011
K.P. asks from Franklin, TN
12 answers

I have exclusively breastfed our daughter for nearly 6 months, and I'm just now starting cereal. I pumped and froze milk here and there along the way. We have a deep freezer so I can store it up to 6 months. I just defrosted some milk that I pumped when she was 2 weeks old that kind of had a yellowish appearance so I know it had some colostrum in it. We just started cereal, and as some of my milk has been in the freezer a while, I want to use it to mix with the cereal before it has to be tossed. However, she really rejected this milk tonight! (Previously I had only used freshly expressed breastmilk from the same day.) I smelled it and it smelled very different. Not sour or off, just different. I wonder if the freezer affected the taste or is it the colostrum? I'm a little worried it had gone bad....anyone have any thoughts?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

W.M.

answers from Nashville on

It should be fine. Maybe it was too cold still, too warm. they like it room temp like when it first comes out. if she still won't take it, you could mix it with fresh that you just pumped and use it that way. yellowish should be normal, just stir it up. maybe let it sit out to get to room temp or maybe warm it a few seconds.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.W.

answers from Allentown on

Did you taste it?
I don't remember the technical term, but some women do have an issue with stored breastmilk, where the milk gets a "soapy" taste to it. Lipase is the word that's stuck in my head, but I'm not sure.
You may want to check what you've stored more recently to see if that's the case.

Adding-
Ooh! I had the right word!
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/lipase-expressedmilk.html

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.M.

answers from Honolulu on

Hasn't gone bad, you body makes different milk based on the age of your baby (different taste but also different nutrients, based on what your child needs at that age)

You could try making yogurt with it, it would really alter the taste and is a great 1st food for baby.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from New York on

Carrie W. is completely right, as the same exact thing happened to me and was devestating. My milk, once frozen even for ONE OR TWO DAYS started producing an enzyme called lipase, which eats away the fat in the milk and causes it to taste a little soapy rather than fatty and sweet, as BM typically tastes. I'm pretty sure it's still safe to drink but it may not be as nutritious and certainly not as tasty. My son drank the milk like this for a few weeks but then started to turn away and reject the bottle. We couldn't figure out what happened, until we started defrosting all of my frozen milk, experimenting with it and found that ALL of my milk had this yucky taste. I researched it extensively, talked to two lactation consultants, and my pedi and there was nothing I could do. I learned that I could hold the milk in the fridge for up to a week and then toss it but there was no use in freezing it for me, as it would pretty much go bad. I say this was devestating because I pumped like mad, hoping my son would be able to exist on my BM for six months after I stopped nursing. I pumped so much that I filled up 1.5 of my own freezers (we bought one just for my milk), my sister in law's freezer, and two of my friend's freezers, and all that milk went to the garbage. It's completely awful but at least you now know and may have to pump less. I'm sorry - it sucks big time either way.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.S.

answers from San Diego on

I was told 6,6,6...6 weeks in the freezer, 6 days in the fridge, and 6 hours on the counter.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.W.

answers from New York on

My milk did it too. It was very frustrating to me. It was a big waste half the time to even freeze it. I just ended up putting it in the fridge and using it before it went bad. I don't really know what to tell you as for being able to use it. Just wanted you know you weren't alone.

A.F.

answers from Chicago on

Mine did this too but my son drank it with no issues. Sorry to hear that! Maybe you can try mixing it with fresh and see if she will take it that way. I used to use it to top off bottles here and there but at daycare he would some days get 3 full bottles of frozen and never balked.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.P.

answers from Memphis on

Yep, lipase, as others said below. I have heard, though, that flash-heating it may help with the taste, so you may want to check into that to see if you can still use it.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.N.

answers from Chicago on

My son never liked frozen breast milk. If it was fairly fresh frozen he would drink it but not if it was for a few months.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.H.

answers from Bismarck on

my milk did the same thing and my son wouldn't take it either. It was pretty much a waste of pumping and saving milk for me because I couldn't never get him to take it. Maybe you will have better luck then me though. I would try mixing a little bit at a time with the fresh breast milk until you can do a total frozen one...just an idea to try.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.L.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter wouldn't ever take milk that wasn't fresh -- either from me or freshly pumped. I couldn't figure out why until I tasted it and it did taste off. There is a term for it, but I don't know what it is.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions