Have you ever asked yourself “Why does my breastmilk smell or taste soapy?” 🤷🏼‍♀️ 🧼

Most of the time when mamas go back to work 💼 and continue to breastfeed 🤱, they discover that their expressed, stored and frozen ❄️ breastmilk smells or tastes soapy.

So what can be the reason behind this mystical? 🪄

Some mamas produce milk that has higher levels of an enzyme called lipase, which over time breaks down fat in expressed milk. This fat breakdown can cause a soapy smell and taste.

Do not worry mama, the soapy smell/taste is safe for babies 👶 and they will drink this milk without a problem. However, there are cases that baby doesn’t accept the soapy/smelly milk.

How to solve this issue?
1️⃣. Try mixing it half with freshly pumped or expressed milk.
2️⃣. Try scalding it before freezing or cooling it (heat your milk in a pan on the stove until small bubbles form around the edges, but it is not yet at a full boil. After that cool it quickly).
3️⃣. Avoid fish oil, flax-seed supplements, old vegetable oils.
4️⃣. Drink bottled water (avoid drinking local tap water for a while).
5️⃣. Avoid any foods that contain rancid fats, like anchovies.
6️⃣. Increase your intake of antioxidants by taking beta carotene and vitamine E supplements.

⚠️Note: scalding breastmilk is not routinely recommended because it kills live cells in your milk. However if baby doesn’t accept your pumped milk, this makes it possible for your milk to be used.

Any mamas that have had breastmilk with a soapy taste or smell? If yes, what did you do? 🤷🏽‍♀️

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