Lipase in Breast Milk
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Lipase in Breast Milk
related page: Gross tasting frozen breastmilk
May 2003
Has anyone had experience with expressed breast milk seeming to
go bad quickly? My son refuses to take my milk from a bottle,
and frankly, I don't blame him. It seems funky, and it didn't in
the past. I now think it's from excess lipase (after having read
in two breastfeeding books). I then put two and two together-- I
have been taking digestive enzymes because I have been having
trouble digesting foods. Anyhow, I think the 80 IU of Lipase in
the pills is probably causing it. Obviously, I am no longer
taking the enzymes, and am hoping that it clears out quickly.
Has anyone else dealt with this at all?
And since I am writing this, I might as well ask if others
have had digestive problems post-partum. I had some during
pregnancy, but not nearly as badly as now. I am a vegetarian,
and now it seems that I cannot tolerate much soy, which really
sucks, as it is a major source of vegetarian protein! (My son
doesn't seem to tolerate it well either, as he gets gassy from
my milk afterwards). Any advice on how to deal with this?
Allison
I too (after reading EVERYTHING) on the possibilities believe I
have an excess of lipase in my breastmilk. I found out the hard
way...after pumping and filling my freezer. I am always home
with my son, so I didn't rush to give him a bottle, when we
finally tried it was a complete failure. I thought it was the
bottle, that I had waited too long to try the bottle, that tbe
bm had gone bad in the freezer, etc. I then tasted the bm, and
it was seriously funky! It had the ''soapy and metallic'' taste
that the books and articles I read mentioned with regard to
lipase. Lipase is the enzyme that helps digest and break down
fat. An excess does not pose a problem at all when bfing
straight from the source, but when it is pumped and stored the
excess lipase starts to break down the bm, and actually begins
to digest it. The fat is what makes bm taste so good, but the
lipase has already ''eaten'' it. After consulting books, and a
LLL leader, I have the following advice for you. After
pumping, scald (just before a boil) your bm quickly on the
stove. It doesn't take long at all, so be sure to watch it.
Then you can store it as usual in the freezer. This solved the
funky taste about 95% for me. Good luck! This was really
frustrating for me, and I hope it works out for you! )
Ynez
Regarding not the lipase but the soy, I will relate our experience.
We are vegetarians, and while mywife was pregnant and for some
time after, she ate a lot of tofuetc. Our son, who was
breast-fed, had apparent gastric distress that did not clear up
until she cut out ALL soy including soy sauce etc. Now (he is 9
years old) he has, not an allergy, but a sensitivity to soy that
causes him to get very grumpy, even after ingesting very small
amounts.
I recommend you try getting off soy completely, at least for long
enough to see if it helps you and/or your child. It will take a
LOT of label-reading! Soy does have substances like genistein
that can be very bio-active, so caution about its intake may be
warrented if ANY sensitivity shows for your child.
There are lots of nice soups, chili, etc. you can make with other
beans, and a great variety of beans to cook with. Nuts are good
too; most folks really don't have to worry about the fats. You
can get your protein without soy.
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