How to Tell If Breast Milk Is Not Spoiled
By Andrew Smith
How to Tell If Breast Milk Is Not Spoiledthumbnail Always inspect breast milk before feeding it to your little one.
According to the BabyCenter.com, breastfeeding helps protect your child from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), allergies, childhood obesity and other health problems. Using a breast pump to extract milk allows you to store the liquid inside a refrigerator or freezer, giving you the ability to use the milk at a later time. Just as with milk that you purchase at a grocery store, breast milk does have a shelf life. Giving your child sour or spoiled breast milk is not recommended, so you must always inspect milk before giving it to your baby.
To Tell If Breast Milk Is Not Spoiled Instructions:
- Taste a small portion of the breast milk. Breast milk that has not spoiled still has its original taste, while breast milk that has gone bad has an unmistakable foul taste, similar to spoiled store-bought cow’s milk.
- Smell the bottle or container of breast milk. Milk that has gone bad has a very foul and sour smell that causes you to immediately move your nose away from the container. One sniff is all it takes to know if breast milk is spoiled.
- Swirl the milk gently for about five to 10 seconds to redistribute the liquid’s cream and milk layers. Then inspect the container or bottle, looking for any clumps or solid portions of milk. Discard the milk if you notice any of these clumps. Milk that is just separated into layers, however, is still safe for consumption.
- It is best to place breast milk in a refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible.
- According to WorkAndPump.com, breast milk is good for approximately 10 hours when stored at room temperature, roughly eight days when stored inside a refrigerator and up to six months when stored inside a freezer (depending on how often you open the freezer’s door).
- Breast milk that is a different color, such as green or pink, is safe to drink. According to La Leche League, such color changes occur due to dyes in food you consume or even blood from the nipple. Neither of these issues endanger your child.
- As with store-bought cow’s milk or any dairy product, always use a “better safe than sorry” approach whenever dealing with breast milk. Discard the breast milk if you notice even the hint of a sour taste or smell or if you are unsure of the age of the milk, as spoiled breast milk can cause stomach issues for your little one.