How to Know when Expressed Breast Milk Is Spoiled
Don’t be afraid of odd colors and textures., Be careful with milk that is three days old., Test for sour smell., Don’t fret over a metallic or soapy smell.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Don’t be afraid of odd colors and textures.
It is common for the color and the texture of your milk to change.
Much of this reflects the changing dietary needs of your baby.
Appearance is no way to judge the freshness of milk .It is common for the color of milk to change during the course of storage or even a single feeding.
It is natural for the milk to occasionally have a bluish, greenish, yellowish, or even brownish color.
It is also common for it to separate into layer of lighter milk and more dense cream.
This is not dangerous, but you should gently swirl it to mix the two together. -
Step 2: Be careful with milk that is three days old.
Expressed milk can often last much longer than this, but its shelf life varies considerably depending upon the details of its storage.
After three days in the refrigerator, you should smell the milk carefully to verify that it is fresh.Similarly, you should be careful if the milk has been out for three hours without being refrigerated.It is okay to store milk at room temperature from three to six hours depending on how cool the room is.
If you are storing milk in an insulated cooler, it is safe to leave it in the cooler for 24 hours. , Sour breast milk has the same strong, distinctive smell that sour cow milk has.
This is the one and only meaningful way to determine if milk is rancid., Some mothers will find that their milk will over time develop a soap like or metallic taste if stored.
This taste is not a sign of spoilage and most babies do not mind it.
If your baby does reject it, try scalding it before storing to halt the development of this smell. -
Step 3: Test for sour smell.
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Step 4: Don’t fret over a metallic or soapy smell.
Detailed Guide
It is common for the color and the texture of your milk to change.
Much of this reflects the changing dietary needs of your baby.
Appearance is no way to judge the freshness of milk .It is common for the color of milk to change during the course of storage or even a single feeding.
It is natural for the milk to occasionally have a bluish, greenish, yellowish, or even brownish color.
It is also common for it to separate into layer of lighter milk and more dense cream.
This is not dangerous, but you should gently swirl it to mix the two together.
Expressed milk can often last much longer than this, but its shelf life varies considerably depending upon the details of its storage.
After three days in the refrigerator, you should smell the milk carefully to verify that it is fresh.Similarly, you should be careful if the milk has been out for three hours without being refrigerated.It is okay to store milk at room temperature from three to six hours depending on how cool the room is.
If you are storing milk in an insulated cooler, it is safe to leave it in the cooler for 24 hours. , Sour breast milk has the same strong, distinctive smell that sour cow milk has.
This is the one and only meaningful way to determine if milk is rancid., Some mothers will find that their milk will over time develop a soap like or metallic taste if stored.
This taste is not a sign of spoilage and most babies do not mind it.
If your baby does reject it, try scalding it before storing to halt the development of this smell.
About the Author
Hannah Kelly
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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