Surely if you are asked what color breast milk is, your first answer is that it is white. Maybe you jump in and say that it could be yellowish. But… blue? Brown? Green? Is it possible that it has these shades?
Breast milk is a living liquid that changes its composition according to the needs of the baby. It is not always the same color, it can change mainly due to three reasons: physiological, dietary and pathological causes. And yes, it can take on shades as varied as brown, pinkish, bluish and even greenish. Let's see what causes can lead to milk taking each of these colors:
When breast milk turns this color it is called rusty pipe syndrome. This happens in the first days after the birth of the baby and has a physiological cause. In the days just before delivery, blood circulation in the lactiferous ducts increases. For this reason, some small capillaries can break and, when mixed with breast milk, it takes on a brown hue.
The first milk after childbirth is called colostrum. It is also known as "liquid gold" due to its yellow color and, above all, the large amount of nutrients it contains. It is a thick and scarce milk. It can also appear towards the second half of feedings, when the milk is fatter and denser and usually has a white or yellow color. This color also appears when you extract milk and freeze it.
The first milk that comes out in feedings is usually less dense and has less fat, which is why it may tend to look clear or even bluish.
This color occurs when the mother has cracks in the nipple or with deeper and more severe lesions, such as mastitis. Although the appearance can be a bit scary, nothing happens to the baby from drinking this milk. Some traces of blood may appear when regurgitating, but the milk is totally suitable for the baby.
It can appear due to dietary causes if you take an excessive amount of green leafy vegetables, algae supplements or isotonic drinks. Also vitamin supplements can cause this tonality. This color should disappear once the food or product that is causing it is eliminated from the mother's diet.
There are some medications, such as minocycline (an acne drug) that can turn breast milk black. From e-lactancia.org it is recommended to look for alternatives to this drug during the lactation period.
In case of doubt, it is always preferable to consult a specialist, so that he can assess whether the causes of the color change are physiological, dietary or if it may be due to pathological causes that must be treated. Likewise, before taking any medicine, vitamin complex or product that raises doubts, you must inform the specialist that you are breastfeeding. It can also be consulted on the website e-lactancia.org, where you can find information and check the compatibility of breastfeeding with 32,000 terms.
