Breast milk smells like sulphur

[Anonymous]

I'm exclusively pumping and today I noticed my breast milk smelled like rotten eggs/sulphurey smell. I pumped it at 730am, put a top on it, tucked it in my purse, and then gave it to DD at 1230pm. The hospital LC told me breast milk can stay at room temperature for up to 10 hours so I didn't bother putting it in a cooler just in my purse (which also functions as a diaper bag). When I twisted the cap off and put the nipple ring on it, I noticed the milk smelled like rotten eggs. I gave it to DD since she was crying. She happily accepted it and so far seems ok.

I don't think I ate anything out of the ordinary in the last 24 hours. I had a margarita last night for girls' night out - could that have done it?

I know sometimes breast milk will pick up smells from the freezer and refrigerator if not stored properly, but I didn't think fresh breast milk sitting at room temperature for a few hours would be smelly. Is this normal?

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Are you on antibiotics?

[Anonymous]

I've heard 5 hours at room temp....not 10.

YOu're still within that timeline so it's probably not bad. I would chalk it up to something you ate. If the baby doesn't mind then don't worry about it.

Spoiled breastmilk smells sour and rancid and you will have no doubt it's bad.

[Anonymous]

Is it possible that you have mastitis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible that you have mastitis?

What??? Smelly milk is not a symptom of mastitis. Are you just throwing things out there or do you have a basis for your inquiry?

[Anonymous]

OP here -

Not on antibiotics and I don't have mastitis/clogged ducts.

I just pumped again and the milk had no smell so I guess everything is alright now.

But if anybody else has any other insights feel free to share.

[Anonymous]

I don't usually smell the bottles that DS gets, but I noticed that his gas often smells very much like sulpher (not the usual smelly fart smell).

[Anonymous]

I definitely noticed that my milk started smelling funkier the longer it was at room temperature. Occasionally, I'd leave pump parts or a bottle out overnight and they'd be pretty rank... sulfurous is close.

[Anonymous]

I've heard not to leave breast milk at room temp for more than 4 hours. Some sources even say 2. Have you left it out that long with no problem before? If not, you might just have easily spoilable milk (is that a thing?). I once had a bottle that looked and smelled spoiled after a few hours in the refrigerator, so maybe that's just something that happens sometimes?

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you ate something last night that has this effect?

[Anonymous]

I guess this is an old question now, but for anyone else searching the internet for answers, I wanted to say that my breast milk always smelled mildly like rotten eggs...freshly pumped, and when I managed to get my twins to nurse, they also smelled like rotten eggs. It took me a while to figure out that it was the smell of my milk from their skin. & it was a big disappointment because they never smelled like babies (the typical baby smell which is the smell of the average breast milk).

I never found out what caused it, but it didn't seem to deter them from drinking it.

It did smell worse when I was taking fenugeek to help increase my milk supply. But I was off that for several months and my milk still smelled like rotten eggs.

[Anonymous]

I think some moms have more of an enzyme in their milk that causes it to smell like rotten eggs after it's been out for a while (even in the fridge). But nothing is wrong with the milk.

[Anonymous]

10 hours doesn't work for everyone, especially if it's hot outside. The most I can leave my milk out before it starts to smell is 8 hours.

[Anonymous]

Good sources of information on breastmilk storage -- how long it keeps really depends on air temp.:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t026900.asp

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html

[Anonymous]

most likely an excess of lipase, which can make milk smell a bit odd--but different than "old milk" smell, which is more like a funky cheese. I get this too, esp if the milk is in the frig for more than a day or so. I try to keep it cool and use or freeze within a reasonable period, but luckily DS doesn't seem to mind.