Breast milk issues! Help

Kristin Johnson

I thawed 3 different bags, from three different months, and they were curdled after they thawed.  What is going on?  Please tell me that not all my milk is ruined.  My dh thought maybe I was thawing it in too hot of water, but the 3rd bag was thawed in cool water and it was still chunky.

jcsumm0

Does it taste bad or does it just have chunks in it?  Could the chunks just be fattier milk that seperated?

vigurl

jcsumm0:

Could the chunks just be fattier milk that seperated?

Thats what I was about to ask.  That is normal just shake it up (that is if it does not smell rancid).

Kristin Johnson

You are going to think I"m crazy, but it smells like cardboard.  The chunks look like ricotta cheese.I thought about just tasting it, but didn't.  I guess I should have.

CarlaAndJames

is it a soapy smell or a soured spoiled smell? If it just seems soapy, it could be excess lipase? That won't hurt your daughter, but some babies reject it it. Will it combine if you bring it all the way to room temp and swirl? (Don't shake breastmilk, it kills some of the protein strands that make it awesome!)

just kita

I always thought my frozen milk had a cardboard like smell too, but I assumed it was fine since it didn't smell sour. There was often lumpy parts to it too, but those would usually go away if I warmed and swirled it a little. 

vigurl

CarlaAndJames:

(Don't shake breastmilk, it kills some of the protein strands that make it awesome!)

Actually shaking BM is just fine. Vigirously shaking it like a katchup bottle, not fine.  I know a lot of LC go around screaming don't shake the milk but it is a bit of an over reaction.  Verifed by both neonatologist and several NICU nurses.

Birdies08

just kita:

I always thought my frozen milk had a cardboard like smell too, but I assumed it was fine since it didn't smell sour. There was often lumpy parts to it too, but those would usually go away if I warmed and swirled it a little. 

Mine smells like cardboard, too, and sometimes has lumps of separated fat that swirl in just fine.  

mesr

vigurl:

CarlaAndJames:

(Don't shake breastmilk, it kills some of the protein strands that make it awesome!)

Actually shaking BM is just fine. Vigirously shaking it like a katchup bottle, not fine.  I know a lot of LC go around screaming don't shake the milk but it is a bit of an over reaction.  Verifed by both neonatologist and several NICU nurses.

i confess that i shake mine too.  my kids don't seem the worse for it.

anyway, i agree with pp that you should probably try tasting it to see if it's palatable.