July 18, 2006

Questions on Storing Breastmilk

Because my chest is so tender, it's been hard to nurse Olivia. I tried once this morning, and she whacked me in the chest, so we've gone back to pumping and bottle feeding for a few days. It's amazing how much I miss nursing her. It breaks my heart when she turns her head from the bottle and opens her little mouth over my shirt. :-( Anyway, this brings me to a weird problem: I decided to use some of my frozen milk and freeze the new milk I was pumping, just to keep my emergency supply fresh, but this time she took a sip of the defrosted milk and screamed. I've used defrosted milk before when I've left her with James or my mom for an hour or so, so I didn't think much of it. She continued to refuse it (I knew she was hungry!) and it wasn't a matter of her not wanting a bottle, she's been taking a bottle all day. Finally, I smelled the milk and it smelled funny. Then , I tasted it. I've tasted it once before out curiousity (are you totally grossed out? Tell me you've done this) This time it tasted completely metalic and not at all mild and sweet. Then I smelled the other milk in the freezer, it smelled awful too. Some of these bags were only a few weeks old. Has anyone else experienced problems with storing milk? I am so paranoid now to leave her with defrosted milk, and I'd REALLY rather not get habbit of having to taste any milk I leave. No thanks. How do you store yours? I am wondering if maybe the bags weren't completely sealed, because I've never had problems before. I now have no emergency supply. :-(

Posted by Hannah at July 18, 2006 11:11 PM
Comments

I have had this problem before, but only once I started using storage bags (Lansinoh). Not every time, but sometimes. Can't figure out the source of the issue - freezer, bag itself, way it was sealed.... I used to use Avent's VIA cups, which come 10 or 12 to a pack, and each can be used 4 times. If I were regularly pumping and storing, I would probably go back to using those.

Posted by: shokufeh at July 18, 2006 11:38 PM

I was *just* reading about this last night on a local parents' discussion board. Here's the thread: http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/nursing/grosstasting.html. Now I am thinking I should taste any my frozen milk too before giving it to Harper.

And don't worry, I've totally tasted my milk before, too; it's just natural curiosity. I mean, it's what we feed our babies. Would you serve them a meal without tasting it as you cooked it?

Posted by: Arin at July 19, 2006 01:15 AM

Ewww! I can't help you with the breastmilk storage dilemma ~ I never pumped and stored mine with Lucas. I hope that you figure out what's going on. Isn't it cute when they open their mouths when they come close to your shirt? hehe :) So neat. I've tasted my breastmilk before; it was nasty, in my opinion! LOL! :) I joked with Jeff that I was going to cook something for him using my milk, but of course I never did. :)

Posted by: Lisanne at July 19, 2006 12:22 PM

I froze my daughter's as well but never had any problems with it so I can't help you there. I have tasted the milk, I don't like milk or sweet so I didn't like it at all. Ew.

Posted by: Linda at July 19, 2006 04:36 PM

Yeah, we've all tasted it I'm sure. It sort of tasted like sugar water to me, not much flavor. I just store mine in the freezer too. I've tried several brands of storage bags (Gerber, First Years, and Lansinoh). Maybe this is why my little one no longer wants to take a bottle...maybe it's b/c frozen milk tastes weird. I hadn't considered this.

Posted by: Chas at July 20, 2006 12:10 AM

I use the avent stoage containers too and never had a problem... just make sure you get the adpated kit for your pump to use them... but a friend of mine use the bags and always had issues... and the doctor told her that the taste changes because of what kind of plastic the bags are made out of...

Posted by: Shannon O. at July 20, 2006 02:47 PM