# pumped ebm smells like spitup?



## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

i have started pumping to get DD used to a bottle. my expressed milk smells bad, like her spitup, even though it has only been in the fridge for a day or 2. it does not smell like this when it is freshly expressed and we are keeping it in the back of the fridge, what is going on?


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## mamanurse (Jan 22, 2006)

Just a couple of questions...

What kind of pump are using?

How do you clean your pump parts?

What are you storing the ebm in?


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## eirual (Mar 21, 2006)

I was gonna chime in that it tastes like it too (I found). Interesting questions though, could that effect it? I just figured it was the scent/taste of BM which is why the spit up smelt like it.


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

nak

sounds like a lipase problem. . .milk is still okay if babe will drink it. Check kellymom on info and what to do about it.


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## cathleenc (May 6, 2004)

if milk smells bad - and tastes bad - then it is bad. Too much active enzyme in some moms milk will make it go bad upon storage - not a common problem - but your 'signs' sound like it. You might need to flash pasturize your milk in the microwave to deactivate the enzyme. And yes, flash pasturization will kill some of the wonderful active/live qualities - but your milk will still be infinitely better and alive, though pasturized, then abm ever will.


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

i am using a ameda eggnell elite (hospital rental pump) and my parts are sterilized, I am going to try scalding the milk to see if that helps, maybe I have the lipase problem.


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## mamanurse (Jan 22, 2006)

I don't recommend scalding bm since it can break down antipodies and proteins (along with the protein/enzyme lipase). Maybe you could try just giving your babe freshly expressed bm. That is what I have had to do. My milk does not freeze or store well in the fridge, so I give my babe milk that has not been stored longer than 2 or 3 days tops.


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## eirual (Mar 21, 2006)

Alrighty, this lipase issue. Does it become an issue after 24 hrs?? I'll be going back to school in the fall. DS will be 9 mos. I'm planing on sending pumped milk for him throughout the day. I was thinking of building a freezer stash, as well as pumping during the day while I'm at school and he'd get that bottle/cup the following day....would it get stinky from that?


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cathleenc*
if milk smells bad - and tastes bad - then it is bad. Too much active enzyme in some moms milk will make it go bad upon storage - not a common problem - but your 'signs' sound like it. You might need to flash pasturize your milk in the microwave to deactivate the enzyme. And yes, flash pasturization will kill some of the wonderful active/live qualities - but your milk will still be infinitely better and alive, though pasturized, then abm ever will.

I have to disagree. My milk has the lipase problem but Sage still drinks it fine. I had over 500 ounces in the freezer at one point (now I am down to 35 ounces - stupid hospital stays and working with low supply) It all smells stinky and tastes a bit bad to me, but Sage doesn't mind. Also, everything I have read about hte lipase problem only recommends scalding it if baby won't drink it.


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

If you do decide to scald it, The general research tends to recommend doing it on the stove, not in the microwave.

Quote:

LLLCarol
Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Utah
Posts: 646

Re: Scalding breastmilk due to excessive Lipase

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's some references on microwaving human milk:

Sigman M, Burke KI, Swarner OW, Shavlik GW. Effects of microwaving human milk: changes in IgA content and bacterial count. J Am Diet Assoc. 1989 May;89(5):690-2.

Quan R, Yang C, Rubinstein S, Lewiston NJ, Sunshine P, Stevenson DK, Kerner JA Jr. Effects of microwave radiation on anti-infective factors in human milk. Pediatrics. 1992 Apr;89(4 Pt 1):667-9.

Perhaps these can shed some light on this issue of whether it's alright to scald breast milk in the microwave.

If you don't have access to these articles, I just looked them up through my husband's school account. Basically, they say that microwaving milk kills the anti-infective and other factors in teh milk. Scalding or even pasteurizing on the stove DOES NOT DO THIS. I am surprised, I was always told that pasteurizing would kill the antibodies, etc, but apparently that's not true! But apparently, microwaving DOES do this and makes your milk a perfect place for bacteria to grow. Once human milk has been microwaved, it can be at room temp for only an hour or so for safety, just like formula.


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

Quote:

Through research (including the above articles), I discovered that the best method for scalding is the the stove top. HOWEVER, if a stove top is unavailable, microwaving is an option.

Since microwaving destroys immunilogical properties and possibly some of the nutrition in ebm, it's best to do so only if absolutely neccessary. This wouldn't be a good method to use if, for example, the baby is exclusively fed expressed breastmilk. But, in the case of a WOHM, this might be an option as microwaved breastmilk is still more sound nutrition than formula. That being said, microwaved ebm MUST be treated in the same manor as formula (meaning don't refeed milk left in bottle, don't leave out of the fridge, ect) for food safety reasons. Also, there should be extra care to assure all bottles, pump parts that touch the milk, rings, nipples, and (of course!) hands, are throughly cleaned before handling the milk.

If you think about it, this really does make sense because of the way microwave cooking works! Other types of cooking are much more gentle to the molecules in the food.
This page also has good info
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/l...essedmilk.html


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