HIGH LIPASE

EXPRESSED BREASTMILK SMELL ODD?

A soapy smell or taste?

Breastmilk contains an enzyme called lipase it helps to break down fats for the baby to easily digest. Some mothers have an excess of the enzyme lipase which causes breakdown of fats soon after it is expressed. This causes the breastmilk to have soapy smell or taste.

The breastmilk is not harmful. Most babies will not mind this while others will reject the breastmilk

Smell or taste your expressed or defrosted breastmilk. Does it taste and smell soapy?

Depending on your body lipase can breakdown at different rates in your breastmilk. So, you need to work that out for your own breastmilk i.e. 2 hours 4 hours 24 hours or over and freeze or use it accordingly

If your baby is rejecting the breastmilk consider these options

1)You can give freshly expressed breastmilk and frozen 50/50. Then alter the ratio once baby starts accepting the breastmilk

2)Serving the breastmilk chilled

3)Adding a few drops of high-quality non-alcoholic vanilla essence to the breastmilk may mask the taste

4)Scald the breastmilk prior to storing will inactivate the lipase. Place breastmilk into a saucepan and heat to 180 degrees (use a proper thermometer) DONOT BOIL you want to see little bubbles around the edges.

Cool and then freeze

Caution heating does destroy some nutrients and antibodies in breastmilk therefore ensure not all the milk baby is receiving is heat treated

5)Mix defrosted breastmilk with foods if baby has commenced solids

6)Donate the breastmilk to a milk bank