A new mum has shared how her breast milk actually turned orange so as to better fit the needs of her congested four-week-old daughter. Rebecca Price, 31, says she's been breastfeeding her baby since giving birth, and her milk is usually a pastel yellow shade, however, she recently noticed a fascinating change.
After her newborn became congested, Rebecca's milk turned orange, leaving the breastfeeding "newbie" amazed by just how clever the human body really is. In what can often prove to be a bit of a surprise for new mums, breast milk may also turn blue, pink, green, or beige, in accordance with their baby's needs.
As well as keeping little ones well fed, breastmilk also offers all-important antibodies passed from mother to child, helping to protect against illnesses and infections.
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In another interesting change, Rebecca says she'd been away from her daughter for four hours and so her body assumed she would be dehydrated. Her breast milk, therefore, became nearly transparent in order to restore the baby’s hydration levels.
Rebecca, from Durham, said: “Women are amazing. I only noticed the changes in my breast milk when I froze it. On storage bags, I write the time and date, so that’s how I worked out it was changing depending on my daughter’s needs. I was really keen to breastfeed so I took as much advice from professionals as possible.
“A midwife had mentioned to me when I was pregnant that my breast milk will change depending on my daughter’s needs. I just didn’t realise it would look so obvious until I looked at the frozen milk together."
According to Rebecca, she intends to breastfeed "for a while yet but will listen to my body and my baby’s needs", adding, “I’m not putting any time pressure on it.”
Breast milk texture and colour can change to suit the varying needs of growing babies, and mums may well produce different quantities depending on how hungry their child is.
As reported by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), breastmilk may also change in response to the child or mum's illness, aiding recovery by increasing immune cell levels.
NCT breastfeeding counsellor Joanna Daniels explained: "Breast milk is an ever-changing live substance that responds to the baby. When a baby is ill it’s likely that the mother’s milk changes to increase the number of antibodies and leukocytes which help protect her baby from illness.
“It’s likely that the baby passes the infection to the mother when breastfeeding and her body responds."
After Rebecca shared her wonder in a TikTok video that has since clocked up more than 400,000 views and 40,000 likes, a number of other mums have come forward with their own breastfeeding experiences.
One wrote: “Magical! Mine goes so watery it’s almost blue when it’s hot.”
Another said: “Mine went blue and greenish when my son had a nasty cold. It’s amazing what our bodies can do.”
Do you have a fascinating parenting story to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
