> Had a call today from a mom saying that her baby is suddenly refusing her
> pumped breastmilk from a bottle.  Mom tasted it and thought it had a "soapy"
> taste even though she had not used soap in the bottles.  I seem to remember
> something like this being mentioned before, but my archive search was
> unsuccessful and I can't seem to find any info. So I am turning to the great
> minds of Lactnet.  Does anyone have any ideas as to why her 2 day old milk
> would taste funny?  Thanks!
>
> Peg Merrill, IBCLC, LLLL, etc.
>
>

Ahhhhh.....this one I know, thanks to Kathy.  I was one of the "lucky"
individuals for whom expressed breastmilk begins to taste soapy not long
after expression and the only means by which to keep it from taking on that
taste is by the scalding method done very soon after expression.  Conducted
an interesting little "home test" when going thru this.  :)

From page 173 and 174 of The Nursing Mother's Companion, 4thRevised Edition,
by Kathleen Huggins:

Breast milk can take on a soapy smell if the fat has broken down, freeing
fatty acids. Apparently, some women have an excess of lipase, the enzyme that
breaks down the fat in milk. Usually they notice the soapy smell after the
milk has been refrigerated or frozen, but in some cases the smell develops
immediately after expression. Most babies will take such milk without
complaint, but the peculiar odor and taste can usually be lessened or
eliminated
either by chilling the milk before freezing it, or by putting it directly
into the freezer, then thawing it in the refrigerator before warming it in a
hot water bath. If these methods fail for you, you can inactivate the enzyme
by scalding the milk on the stove -- that is, by bring the milk almost to a
boil -- and then immediately refrigerating or freezing it.

Cheryl Taylor White
Oklahoma City, OK

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