Here's an alternate explanation other than the "self-defrost cycle in the freezer-refrigerator" explanation of the soapy taste.

This issue has come up twice in our LLL meetings in the past year and the experiences confirmed what I read in an editor's note to an article  "The Look of Beast Milk" by Barbara Baumgardner edited by Ruth Lufkin, Leaven  (Nov-Dec-Jan 1995-96.)

"A soapy taste or consistency may result from the lipase enzyme in the milk breaking down the fat, particularly if the milk has been vigorously shaken to remix it after separation into layers upon standing in the refrigerator or freezer."  

Upon checking back with the moms both of them had been shaking the containers vigorously trying to get every drop sticking to the sides.

Lisa Dugan
LLLL, Southern NJ

Kate wrote:
Dr. Ruth Lawrence's book Breastfeeding: A Guide for
the Medical Profession,
1994, p. 619 states:

"Women have reported to the Lactation Study Center
that their fresh-frozen
breast milk smells sour and even rancid and is
rejected by their infant.
Although a slightly soapy odor had sometimes been
noted, it had never been
reported to be harmful nor to be rejected by the
infant. This soapy smell
has been attributed to a change in the lipid structure
associated with the
freeze-thaw effects of the self-defrost cycle in the
freezer-refrigerator.
 (snip)
>At this point, I have no way of knowing if the soapy flavor
will cause the baby to reject the milk. I assume my
milk will be about half of the breastmilk this baby
receives for the first couple of months so I don't
want to feed her "inferior" milk that has the
immunological factors destroyed by scalding.

FWIW, my husband thought my elder daughter rejected my
expressed milk because of the soapy flavor, but I
suspect (now) that she was just offended by
alternative means of feeding.

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