Important safety tips to keep in mind when storing expressed breast milk for your baby
If you’re a new mom or mom-to-be, chances are you’ve heard about storing your breastmilk. This is the process of expressing and collecting your breastmilk to be stored in a safe way for future feeding. Storing your breast milk can help parents and caregivers who want to give their baby the best nutrition possible but cannot always be around to provide it. Through this practice, moms can collect and store their own breastmilk in such a way that they can be sure their baby is getting all the nutrients and antibodies they need. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips on how to safely store your breastmilk for optimal nutrition and convenience.
What to Know About Storing Your Pumped Breast Milk
There are a few things to consider when storing your pumped breast milk:
The type of container you use is important. You want to make sure you use one that is BPA-free. Use breast milk storage bags or clean, food-grade containers to store your expressed breast milk.
Glass or plastic containers are both safe to use.
Always label your milk with the date it was expressed.
Store breast milk in the back of the refrigerator or freezer and make sure it is away from raw meats and other foods to minimize the risk of contamination.
Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, in a dedicated freezer section (not a door) for 3-6 months, or in a deep freezer for 6-12 months.
When freezing, make sure to leave some room at the top of the container for expansion.
How to Store Your Pumped Breast Milk
If you're a working mom or attending school, you'll likely need to pump breast milk at some point. Storing your pumped breast milk correctly is important to ensure that it stays safe for your baby and retains its nutrients.
Here are some tips for storing your pumped breast milk:
Store in an airtight, sterile container.
Label the container with the date you pumped the milk.
Store in 2 to 4 ounces or the amount offered at one feeding.
Breast milk can be stored in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for 6-12 months.
Lay breast milk storage bags flat to freeze, to optimize storage space.
Once frozen flat you can place the bags upright in a gallon zip lock bag or another organizer to keep your frozen milk organized by date.
Thawed breast milk can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Never re-freeze thawed breast milk.
Breast milk can be stored in a cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours if you are traveling. When you arrive at your destination, store it in the refrigerator or freeze it according to storage timeframe guidelines.
By following these tips, you can be sure that your breast milk is stored correctly and will be safe for your baby to consume.
Contrary to what you may see on the internet, you do not need a full freezer of breastmilk! A normal milk stash is enough for 3-5 days (or around 36 to 80 ounces) of milk in the freezer before starting back to work.
Thawing & Preparing Pumped Breast Milk for Your Baby
Be sure to wash your hands before handling breast milk and all its components (bottles/nipples, storage containers, etc.). Always thaw out the oldest breast milk first. Remember first in, first out!
When you're ready to use your frozen breastmilk, simply thaw the milk by putting it under warm running water or in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. You can also put the frozen milk in the refrigerator overnight to thaw it slowly.
Once thawed, give the milk a gentle shake or swirl before using it to mix in any fat that may have separated. You can pour the milk into a bottle or feeding cup, or use it with a feeding syringe or SNS. If you're not using all of the thawed milk right away, you can store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
When reheating stored breast milk, never use a microwave. Instead, place the bottle or cup in a bowl of warm water and gently swirl it around until it reaches the desired temperature. Check the temperature of the milk before feeding your baby to make sure it's not too hot. Discard any leftover milk that hasn't baby hasn't consumed during the feeding within 2 hours.
Comments