My stored EBM smells and tastes like vomit...

[becstar]

My poor daughter has been refusing the bottle since she was tiny. I have to go back to work in Jan so have been really trying to get her on the bottle or cup before then, as husband will be left with her all day.

Anyway, the other day husband was trying to feed her and she was screaming bloody murder. I was sat in the lounge thinking 'what is that smell?' and realised my arm smelt awful where I'd tested the milk's temperature on my arm. I went in and tasted a drop of the milk in the bottle, and I swear to god, I was nearly sick on the spot. My poor daughter, no wonder she screamed. I could taste vomit for hours afterwards.

I defrosted some more milk from a different day and the same, and the same again the next day. I am currently trying out what happens with the milk overnight in the fridge... Fresh, my milk tastes fine at the beginning and end of a feed (I tasted both) but after being frozen it's rancid.

The thing is, I know you can 'scald' the milk by flash boiling it to stop over-active enzymes from breaking down the milk and making it taste bad, but I will be expressing at work and won't be able to do that. Am I going to have to give formula during the day? I really, really wanted to avoid this, I hate the thought of it, but I don't see what else I can do...

 

[joeyjo]

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere about a few women whose milk went rancid when frozen and defrosted but stored fresh was OK. It doesn't let you build up a stash but it could be worth trying her with fresh EBM.

 

[jessica444]

mine is just the same i wonder why,no wonder my LO wont take a bottle lately whats this about boiling it hun never heard of it?

 

[becstar]

It's on Kellymom https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/lipase-expressedmilk.html

 

[Kitten]

You know what? I think this is our problem!! I think I'm heating it wrong or something, I don't see why he'll take herbal tea from a cup or bottle but my defrosted milk makes him physically sick. When we start weaning I'm going to try expressing in the morning and offering it later that day.

 

[becstar]

I leave it to defrost overnight in the freezer or defrost it in water, then heat it in warm water - but it's always the same!

 

[becstar]

PS what herbal tea do you give him? And how often? I'm guessing you don't replace feeds with it.

 

[petal040]

I think I may have this problem too. I wonder how common it is?

 

[Kitten]

PS what herbal tea do you give him? And how often? I'm guessing you don't replace feeds with it.

I have some Night Time tea from H&B and some fennel tea. He doesn't have much but he laps it from my cup every night while I'm winding him down for the night. I'm not 100% sure he swallows most of it, I offered it mostly to see if it was just EBM he wouldn't drink and I didn't want to go out and buy formula. And also he kept grabbing my mug so I was showing him he didn't want it... but he did He'll take it from a doidy cup, my mug, and he had some from a bottle once. He'll pretend to drink my expressed milk sometimes but is always sick after a mouthful or two or just lets it dribble out the side of his mouth.

I think I'll definitely use herbal teas as well as water for drinks when we're weaning though, especially fennel. I've seen some baby specific ones online so will get those to be on the safe side.

 

[TigerLady]

I've never had this problem -- strange! I originally thought it might be how you are thawing it, but it sounds like you do it like I do -- in warm water. How frustrating for you!!

I don't think you will have to resort to formula, though. You can store fresh milk for at least 24 hours in the fridge. So, pump while you are at work and use that the next day while you are at work (are you working every day?).

I wonder if anyone that has had this problem has managed to get around it without scalding it...??

 

[jessica444]

i have read on the net some women have high levels of lipase in their milk whatever that is which makes it taste funny when frozen but its still ok ?

 

[TigerLady]

Lipase is an enzyme that breaks fats down into digestable components.

 

[becstar]

UPDATE:

I have been investigating and I'm not sure if the smell is actually due to my steam steriliser making everything (storage pots, cups etc) smell and taste funky. Am going to sterilise in cold water steriliser tonight and defrost milk tomorrow to try that. My steam one stinks, despite me scrubbing it and descaling it with citric acid.

 

[TigerLady]

OO, good find!

You can also wash everything with soap and water, boil water, then place stuff in the boiling water for several minutes. Remove them with tongs and lay them out to dry.

This is a very basic way to get everything clean and sterile. I have found it gets my things the cleanest and leaves the least bit of residue and causes the least bit of damage.

 

[Elysian1c0]

Fresh milk will keep for 6 days in the fridge.
It's thawed BM that only has a 24 hour life.

 

[bana]

you no what i could have written this thread myself, the only difference is that its not for work. I just wanted a break! He screamed the house down and generally wudnt calm down. Hes neva cried like that before normally i can wack him on the boob and problem solved but tonight he wouldnt have any of it, i had to take him for a walk. When i got bk i was like well im not wasting 9oz (thats how much i had defrosted) so put it in my tea, and bloody hell it tasted like soap so no wonder he wasnt happy. So i have to now come to terms with the fact i will not have a nighttime social life for the next 6 months! Oh well the things you do to make yr lo happy!

Good luck with finding a solution! xx