Does your frozen breastmilk smell different?

belle785 · January 2015

I just thawed a few bags from September for daycare for LO. It smells different than milk that has just has been in the refrigerator. I wouldn't say that it smells rancid... I can handle the smell but I wouldn't say it smells like the fresh milk either. Ugh I will be so upset if I have to throw all that milk away. Has this happened to any of you?

Elaina22 · January 2015

Yes!!! I posted a question about this a while back. Some of my thawed milk smells a bit metallic, for lack of better description. The advice I received was possible lipase. You can scald the milk if you like, but I do not. My doctor, pedi, and LC said it was fine to give as long as LO took it and it was not rancid. I have had no problems with the milk.

https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/ Info on lipase.

tamarar5 · January 2015

Omg, I had this while bfing DS! Two different possibilities. First, heat a bag of breast milk to thaw it. Smell. If it smells waxy-ish, then you probably have a lipase issue and you need to scald your milk before freezing.

If it smells sour/rancid after heating, somehow bacteria got into your pump and it's all spoiled.

If that's the case, you have to throw away EVERYTHING. This was my issue last time and I lost 150 oz of frozen milk. As far as cleaning your pump, I would contact the lactation consultant to make sure, but every plastic part has to be thrown away, your tubing has to be replaced, all the flanges, and stoppers, and membranes. You also have to replace all plastic bottle parts. I was told by the lc to throw and replace rather than scalding, because some bacteria are extremely resilient, and might survive home sterilization.

I ended up having to completely replace my pump because the membrane that creates suction inside my pump, as well as the arm that alternates the suction, broke while I was talking it off. It was awful!!! I pray that it's only a lipase issue for you, rather than the latter.

RedBean84 · January 2015

I had this problem and unfortunately LO would not take it. I thawed a few bottles from different times to make sure it wasn't just a fluke with one bottle and they all smelled soapy. I had to throw away a ton of frozen milk and now I have to scald before freezing.

dogperson11 · January 2015

I've got excess lipase but thankfully DD doesn't seem to care and will take a bottle of it just fine.

HeatherHam10 · January 2015

Yep from the lipase but ds didn't mind it at all!

belle785 · January 2015

Ok thanks ladies! The fresh milk has a soapy smell after heating... The frozen milk is a tad different but close I think. LO doesn't seem to care.

Ju111310 · January 2015

Some of my frozen milk smells soapy, some doesn't. I just mix with fresh milk and LO doesn't seem to notice.

ktmcg22 · January 2015

Yes! It was like a metallic smell. I slightly scald mine before freezing and it had fixed the problem.

herecomesthesun · January 2015

Soapy is how I would explain it... And it tastes soapy too. LO doesn't seem to care but I gagged $:\$ ">

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