What To Do With Spoiled Breast Milk: 6 Creative Ideas!
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Breast milk is often referred to as “liquid gold” due to its numerous health benefits for babies. However, sometimes breast milk can go bad and leave you wondering what to do with the spoiled milk. Or there may be occasions when it’s not expired, it’s just unusable like after taking certain medications or drinking over the recommended amount of alcohol.
As a mom of 2 and breastfeeding counselor, I know the pain of having to pour precious pumped milk down the drain! We will explore various ways to use up undrinkable or spoiled breast milk, as well as provide tips on how to prevent breast milk spoilage and safe storage practices.
What to do with spoiled breast milk (other than throwing it away!)
Breast milk is amazing, and it’s a shame to waste it. Even if it’s gone bad, there are still some things you can do with it.
1. Milk bath
Expired breastmilk can be used in a relaxing milk bath. The lactic acid in the milk helps exfoliate and soften the skin, while the fat content helps moisturize it. This is why milk baths are great for eczema, cradle cap, and diaper rash.
To prepare a milk bath, add a few cups of spoiled breast milk to warm bath water. You can also add some oats for extra soothing of irritated skin (great for itchy chicken pox!).
2. Homemade breastmilk lotion
You can also use spoiled breast milk to make homemade lotion. Breast milk contains natural fats that are great for moisturizing the skin. To make a lotion, mix equal parts of spoiled breast milk and coconut oil.
You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. Wonderful for baby acne or eczema – but do a patch test first.
3. Jewelry making
Spoiled breast milk can be used to make unique and sentimental jewelry pieces. There are many online shops that specialize in breast milk jewelry (so you could start a business in this if you have a knack for creativity!).
The process usually involves mixing the breast milk with resin and pouring it into a mold. The end result is a beautiful and one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry to be cherished forever.
4. Breast milk soap
The high-fat content of breast milk makes for a great soap! You will need a soap base cut into cubes. Melt this and add your breast milk with a few drops of essential oils for fragrance. Cool in silicone molds and store in air-tight containers discarding after 6 months. Ideal for dry skin and diaper rash.
5. Use topically for sore skin
Breast milk has incredible healing properties! Use it topically (on top of the skin) by patting it in or dropping a few drops from a syringe onto the affected area:
Diaper rash
Nipple fissures or sore nipples
Insect bites and stings
Sunburn
6. Feed your plants
Believe it or not, due to its high nutrient content, you can use your own breast milk in the garden!
- Diluted with water, breast milk acts as a nutrient-rich fertilizer, providing essential nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus to plants.
- When used as a soil amendment, breast milk enriches the soil with organic matter, promoting microbial activity and improving soil structure.
- The live cells in breast milk can help ward off certain plant diseases.
- The high lipase content in breast milk can stimulate plant growth.
How to know if your pumped breast milk is spoiled
Feeding spoiled breast milk can cause harm to your baby, so look for these signs to work out if your own frozen breast milk is safe for consumption:
Smell – Fresh breast milk has a sweet, almost creamy scent, while spoiled milk smells sour or rancid.
Appearance – Fresh breast milk is typically a creamy white color, but it can have a slightly blue or yellow tint. Spoiled milk may have a chunky or curdled appearance, be separated into layers, or have a brown color.
Taste – Fresh breast milk has a sweet, almost nutty flavor, while spoiled milk will taste sour or rancid.
Why you shouldn’t feed your baby spoiled breast milk
Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for newborns and infants. However, feeding your baby spoiled breast milk can have negative effects on their health.
Food poisoning symptoms within a few hours. The severity of these symptoms can vary depending on the amount of spoiled milk consumed and the baby’s age and health status. In some cases, the baby may require medical attention if the symptoms are severe or persistent:
Vomiting
Diarrohea
Low-grade fever
General upset stomach with discomfort
May affect their feeding habits and cause them to refuse breast milk altogether. This can lead to malnutrition and other health problems.
Preventing breast milk spoilage
Breast milk can spoil if not handled and stored properly. Here are some tips to prevent breast milk spoilage:
Wash your hands before expressing milk.
Always use clean, airtight, and sterilized containers to store breast milk. Refrigerate or freeze it promptly after pumping.
Label each container with the date and time that you pumped the milk to ensure that the oldest milk is used first.
Store expressed milk in small quantities (1-2oz) to prevent wastage.
Follow the Pitcher Method guidelines if combing breast milk from multiple sessions.
Always avoid shaking the milk vigorously as it can destroy the nutrients and cause fat separation. Instead, swirl the container gently to mix the layers.
Breast milk storage guidelines:
Room temperature (25°C/77°F or colder): up to 4 hours
Fridge (4°C/39°F or colder): up to 4 days
Freezer (-18°C/64°F: up to 6 months
Do not refreeze breast milk once thawed. Frozen breast milk can be thawed and consumed within 2 hours at room temperature.
If you are traveling with breast milk, use a cooler bag with ice packs to keep the milk cool.
Follow these simple tips to ensure that your baby receives fresh and nutritious breast milk.
