I haven't been eating anything different but my breast milk is suddenly smelling sour and DD is refusing to nurse! What could be going on? Has this happened to anyone?
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Are you in any pain? Could you have mastitis or some kind of breast infection? I read that increased levels of sodium could make breast milk taste funny, I don't know if it would necessarily taste "sour" but maybe?
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@mrsjazz: no pain, no red spots, no fever
I mostly smell the sourness from expressed milk on my shirts....I wonder if my period is coming? I don't remember my breast milk changing after I got my period when breastfeeding my first
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I doubt its your period because I (am sooo lucky) got my period this week at nearly 6w PP (despite BFing) and my milk smell didn't change. I doubt the taste changed either because LO didn't hint at anything.
My guess is lactic acid. Are you working out?
I know working out can produce lactic acid in the milk...which will NOT harm baby in the least or make the milk less nutritious....BUT it will make the milk taste different and baby might refuse it.
I don't know how true this is but apparently, if you feed and then work out right away, giving yourself at least 3 hours after the work-out before the next feed, then your milk should be OK.
I hope its just that and nothing else! -
Wow... I'm sorry thats kinda scary. Obviously things you eat/drink can effect your milk, so maybe just like too much garlic or something?
You also could look into lipase?
http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/
A few mothers find that their refrigerated or frozen milk begins to smell or taste soapy, even though all storage guidelines have been followed closely. Per Lawrence & Lawrence (p. 781), the speculation is that these mothers have an excess of the enzyme lipase in their milk, which begins to break down the milk fat soon after the milk is expressed. Most babies do not mind a mild change in taste, and the milk is not harmful, but the stronger the taste the more likely that baby will reject it. -
Excess lipase?
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@Thehistoryofus: thanks! For some reason I thought that was only common with pumped milk but that makes sense. It's so weird that it went from sweet to sour so fast without a change in my diet. However, we did start buying a different type of bottled water, maybe it's related.
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I actually had this problem yesterday! After she popped off, I felt like something smelled funny and process of elimination realized it was my nipple with milk on it. I was so grossed out because I figured it was like..from needing a shower. But the other nipple didn't smell?! Today it seems normal..but so weird. I don't remember eating anything that was unusual either!
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