Breast milk color

If you are breastfeeding you might notice that breast milk color is not always white and it can be yellow, white, clear, cream, tan, or blue-tinged. So, if you notice a color change, it's understandable if you're a little freaked out. You shouldn’t worry, it’s normal for breast milk to change colors, and there is a lot of factors that can affect it.

The color of your breast milk can change depending on foods and drinks you consume or over time. It can also change during the course of a day or even within the same feeding. Here are a few facts you need to know about the colors of breast milk and what they mean. 

Is there a ‘normal’ color for breastmilk? Every woman’s milk is different. In fact, the color of your milk will change quite a bit in the early days or weeks after giving birth:

Colostrum, the pre-milk that comes in right after your baby is born, tends to be yellowish.
Transitional milk- between colostrum and mature milk might have an orange tint.
Mature milk that comes in near the end of week two postpartum, is whitish or bluish, like watery skim milk.
The color can also be influenced by eating a certain food or taking a supplement or medication. It’s usually nothing to worry about and should go back to normal within a couple of days.

Color of Stored Breast Milk- When you pump and store breast milk, your breast milk color can change a little bit. In the refrigerator, breast milk may separate into layers. There may be a thick, white or yellow creamy layer on top, and a thinner clear or blue-tinted layer on the bottom. You don't have to worry. It's normal, and it doesn't mean the milk went bad. Frozen breast milk may look more yellowish.