Normally breast milk is white to bluish white. A number of factors may cause breast milk to take on a different color.
Color
Cause
yellow to orange
colostrum (present around the time of delivery
red
blood, often from the nipple
brownish ("rusty pipe")
bleeding into breast ducts (with blood degradation)
various
food or dyes ingested
various
medications
In most situations the color of the milk is not a reason not to feed it to the infant. One exception is color change due to a medication that is contraindicated in infants.
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.