A mom diagnosed with COVID-19 has shared photos of her green breastmilk on social media shortly after learning of her viral infection. She insisted that it was a good thing because her unusual breastmilk now contains antibodies and loads of good fat.
Ashmiry said that her breastmilk changed color to make exactly what her baby needed as her whole family battled the dreaded virus. She said that she's very grateful that her body has responded to ensure that the baby still gets the best nutrients while their immunities are down.
CPR Kids picked up the photo of Ashmiry's green breastmilk on their Facebook page to share with their followers. The health page stated that they've been receiving a lot of questions about nursing while positive with COVID-19, and this could help shed light on the matter.
The experts said that traces of the virus have never been found in breastmilk, but it's possible for COVID-19 to be passed from mother to child. They encouraged parents, especially nursing, to speak to their doctors about this situation if they might not be comfortable seeing their breastmilk changing color.
Why Breastmilk Turned Green
Ashmiry, who has been double vaccinated, relayed that everyone in the family drank her green breastmilk because they were "tired of being sick." While she wasn't sure if that helped with their COVID-19 fight, Goldilacts, a lactation consultant, told News Corp Australia that this "liquid green gold" is a shining example of how the body responds to the needs of the mother and child.
"[Lactating] bodies are always doing full-body scans of mama and baby and figuring out exactly what to put in breastmilk," Goldilacts said.
It is believed that the milk turned green because of an increase in immunoglobulins, also known as the white blood cells that fight the infection. The body detected through the mammary glands while the baby was feeding that something was off. So, it "customized" the immunologic composition of the breastmilk.
Dr. Natalie Shenker of the Imperial College London, who has researched breastmilk, said that moms who have COVID-19 generate antibodies, and 90 percent of the time, these antibodies do end up in the breastmilk.
Breastmilk Can Constantly Change Color
According to Healthline, breastmilk can constantly change color from white to yellow, pink, green, or even blue. Aside from an illness or an infection, some factors that affect these changes include the mother's diet and nutrient intake.
If a mom loves to eat a lot of green and leafy vegetables, there's a good chance that her breastmilk may also turn green. If a mom pumps blue breastmilk, she may be eating more food filled with electrolytes than fat. If she has pink breastmilk, she could have cracked nipples or broken capillaries that need time to heal. If she has brown or dark breastmilk, she could be taking medications that need to be checked for safety.
The experts noted that colored breastmilk isn't usually a cause for concern unless the issue persists for more than a week. If this is the case, the mom should see her doctor in person as soon as possible.
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