Breast milk is said to be the best nutrition for newborns, but how do you know if your breast milk is healthy? Here are three ways to check if your breast milk packs a punch.
The Smell Test
Your nose knows! One way to test the health of your breast milk is by giving it a whiff. Are you getting hints of sourness or rancidity? If so, then it's time for some self-reflection. Have you been eating enough greens lately?
A balanced diet not only ensures that your baby gets all essential nutrients and vitamins but also affects breastmilk production positively. So, load up on those leafy greens!
Color Coding
Good news! Your eyesight has another use case during breastfeeding than keeping an eye on that ever-slipping nursing bra strap – checking the color of your mammary produce!
Ideal breastmilk should have a creamy white appearance with hints of blue and yellow; sorry no rainbows here folks🌈. Watch out for abnormal colors like pinkish hue as this could indicate blood in your milk ducts, YIKES! A bluish tint could mean increased fat intake whereas orange or yellow tints may occur due to beta-carotene from pumpkin and carrots, quite REMARKABLE right?
pH Levels
Remember titration back in high school science class? No worries – we aren't asking you for complex calculations here (leave that tedious maths stuff😏). But did you know every cuppa brew has different pH levels? Yes, including BREASTMILK.
Ideally, human breastmilk’s pH level ranges between 7-7.5 which makes it slightly alkaline...SCORE!! 🙌👏
To measure acidity/alkalinity dip any one simple paper strips over into about five drops of freshly expressed breast milk then simply compare the paper color with the pH level guide that accompanies. If it's beyond 7.5 levels, it is not such GREAT NEWS; maybe you've been chugging cola🤔.
As long as mommy has a balanced healthy diet and lifestyle her baby should enjoy some fresh nutritious mama’s milk! So now you know, keep an eye out for these three straightforward ways to ensure your breastmilk packs a punch!! 🥊💪😉