Does working out make your breast milk sour?

Question

I've heard this, but am not sure if it's true! Will your breast milk go sour if you go to the gym?

Answer 1

There is some research that indicated that "max" treadmill work - exercising to exhaustion - does raise lactic acid levels in the milk. Lactic acid in high concentrations could taste bitter.

However, mothers who do what I would call "normal" aerobic exercise - jogging or dance, for example - do not raise the lactic acid levels in their milk to a detectable level. Milk production is not negatively affected by this exercise either. In fact, some studies suggest that mothers who exercise produce more milk than mothers who do not.

Answer 2

Lol, no not necessarily "sour' but itwill change the taste of your brestmilk a bit. Some babies dont mind, some do a bit. When you work out, your muscles release lactic acid into your breastmilk. While it is not harmful to your baby (and temoporary), it can make it taste different.

When you start to work out after your baby is born, you should start by going 2 or 3 days a week and hold off on the really strenuous excersize at first. Then gradually increase your times/week and intensity of your workouts. This way, your baby isn't upset by a sudden change of taste in his yummy breastmilk!

Answer 3

Surprisingly, yes! At least in one study from Indiana University in Bloomington:

"Exercise may be good for everything from your soul to your psyche, but your baby may think otherwise. According to a study from Indiana University in Bloomington, babies turned up their noses at their mother’s milk if they had strenuously exercised before the feeding. Apparently, to infant taste buds, which have no trouble distinguishing between sweet and sour, post-exercise breast milk tastes sour. By examining the milk of 26 nursing mothers before and after intense exercise, the researchers found a 400 percent increase in lactic acid in breast milk following a vigorous workout. Lactic acid makes milk taste sour, and that sourness can last at least 90 minutes. Indeed, when the babies were given post-exercise breast milk, they became fussy, made faces, and one baby spit the milk out, the researchers report. If exercise is high on your list of priorities, the researchers suggest that you collect milk before your workout or follow a moderate exercise program while nursing."

Answer 4

There is a common misperseption that working out does something to your milk. The "thing" changes from story to story. The truth of the matter is this has been studied numerous and no study has shown a difference in the milk. One study showed that babies refused the milk after strenous exercise but the study dropper fed the milk after exercise, which the baby refused. Most breastfed babies refuse milk not from mom's nipple, you could offer any milk at any time and they would fuss.

More:
http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/mom-exercise.html

Answer 5

No, but my first baby always insisted that I wash a sweaty breast before a feeding. I thought that was a reasonable request.

Answer 6

NO way!! not shure where you heard that but it sounds verry silly! lol

try going to..
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T020100.asp

they have all the info you will need on brestfeeding!

Answer 7

who told you that i think its a load of s**t

Answer 8

hay am not pregnant but THAT'S A FREAKING LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHICH EDIOT TOLD YOU THAT