Generally, the higher the levels of fat in breastmilk is what makes it white. If you see bright white lumps in milk this is typically the cream that rises to the top of the milk when it sits in a bottle for a period of time.
WHITE: It is often thought that how “white” milk appears has to do with its purity or fat/protein content, which is not necessarily true. White milk is most often a sign of lactation processing reaching full maturity in a breastfeeding parent.
"Sometimes, it takes on the appearance of skim milk. However, it's important to note that while mature milk is typically white, it can change colors depending on your diet and from the foods you eat. Frozen breast milk may appear yellow since it separates and can even look layered."
Your “first milk,” or colostrum, is yellow in color. Often referred to as liquid gold, colostrum is rich in antibodies and beta-carotene, which gives it that yellowish-orange color. Your breast milk will also take on a yellowish hue at the end of a feed when your fattiest milk is delivered.
Clear or Blue Breast Milk
Usually blueish or clear, watery breast milk is indicative of “foremilk.” Foremilk is the first milk that flows at the start of a pumping (or nursing) session and is thinner and lower in fat than the creamier, whiter milk you see at the end of a session.
In a word, yes. Both fatty milk and watery/less fatty milk are good for your baby, and it's important that your baby gets both.
If blood from inside your breasts leaks into your milk ducts, your breast milk may look brown, dark orange, or rust-colored. When breast milk looks like dirty water from an old rusty pipe, it's called rusty pipe syndrome.
Most mothers find that pumping every 2-3 hours maintains their milk supply and does not cause them to become uncomfortably full.
Aim to spend 15 to 20 minutes hooked up to the pump to net a good amount of breast milk (some women will need 30 minutes or more with the pump, especially in the early days). Pump until the milk starts slowing down and your breasts feel well-drained. Be sure to clean the breast flanges after every use.
Colostrum is typically yellowish and mature breastmilk is typically bluish-white. However, there is a wide range of normal. Sometimes your breastmilk may change colour because of your diet, often from food dyes in foods or drinks.
Transitional milk comes when mature breast milk gradually replaces colostrum. You will make transitional milk from 2-5 days after delivery until up to 2 weeks after delivery. You may notice that your breasts become fuller and warmer and that your milk slowly changes to a bluish-white color.
Indeed, the fat in breast milk varies depending on how much milk is in the breast and well as how much milk the baby takes from the breast at a feed. The fuller the breast the less 'cream' in the milk. Not to worry though because as the baby feeds the milk gets 'creamier' and the fat content increases.
Foremilk is thinner and may fill your baby up but not satisfy them for very long. Babies who drink only foremilk tend to nurse more often, and they can end up overeating. Too much foremilk is also believed to cause stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) issues in babies.
Colostrum. As noted above, colostrum is the first milk that your breasts produce, and it is a thick milk that is ideal for newborns. Colostrum has 50 to 60 calories per 100 milliliters, or 15 to 17 calories per ounce.
Some people describe a “soapy” smell or taste in their milk after storage; others say it is a “metallic” or “fishy” or “rancid” odor. Some detect a “sour” or “spoiled” odor or taste. Accompanying these changes are concerns that the milk is no longer good for the baby.
Pink or brown breast milk
A breast infection called mastitis or, much more rarely, breast cancer can sometimes lead to pink or brown milk too.
If you've stored it in the refrigerator or at room temperature, the “sniff test” could be a reliable way to determine if your breast milk has gone bad. While variances in the smell are normal with breast milk, if yours smells rancid or like sour milk, it has probably gone bad.
A baby who's exclusively breast-fed gets about half of his or her daily calories from the fat in breast milk. As a result, caloric restrictions aimed at reducing weight are not recommended for babies 2 years and under. Excess fat and calories can still be a concern, though.
The sapodilla, or chiku, is a great fruit for breastfeeding mums. It is high in calories which you will need plenty of to produce more breast milk for your little one. You burn up to 500 calories a day just by nursing! Rich in vitamins A and C, it also aids in digestion and provides antioxidants.
Oversupply: If you are over-producing milk, you might leak more frequently, and this often continues for longer than the first 6 weeks. While breastfeeding: Some experience a let-down and then leaking while feeding from the opposite breast.