What should you know about green breast milk mastitis?

Milk can look greenish because of food pigments, supplements, or changes in the balance of milk components. Mastitis is inflammation of breast tissue and may cause a tender area, redness, warmth, swelling, or flu-like symptoms. Milk colour alone cannot establish the cause of breast inflammation or prove that milk is unsafe.

A clinician may ask when the colour change began, whether both breasts are affected, and whether you have fever, pain, a lump, nipple injury, or medicines that could alter milk colour. They may examine the breast and decide whether further testing is needed.

Continue a comfortable feeding or expressing routine unless a clinician advises otherwise, and avoid forceful massage or excessive pumping. Rest, drink to thirst, and use suitable pain relief if you can take it. Check whether a new food, supplement, or medicine appeared before the colour changed.

Arrange a lactation consultation if attachment, nipple damage, or milk removal is painful. Mention the colour change to the consultant and clinician so feeding support and breast assessment happen together.

Seek prompt medical advice for fever, chills, worsening breast redness or swelling, a painful lump, pus-like nipple drainage, or symptoms that are not settling. Get urgent help if you feel faint, confused, or severely unwell. Colour change without these symptoms still deserves review if it persists or worries you.

Ask what may be causing the colour change, whether your breast needs examination or testing, and whether you should change feeding or expressing. Ask which pain medicines are suitable and what symptoms should trigger reassessment.