Chest

Every mother understands that breast milk is much healthier for a baby than artificial milk. But sometimes women cannot be with their children all the time.

The solution in such situations is to create a bank of expressed milk. Its nutritional value is exactly the same as that which the baby receives directly from the mother’s breast.

The main thing is to store this milk correctly, strictly adhering to the timing and temperature conditions. We will tell you how to store breast milk below.

Reasons for storing expressed breast milk

To create an individual expressed milk bank there are a number of reasons:

1. Separation of the baby from the mother (if the woman leaves, goes to work or is admitted to the hospital for inpatient treatment without the child).
2. The mother will undergo a course of treatment using antibiotics or other potent medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding.
3. Pumping stimulates lactation.
4. It happens that the baby does not latch on to the breast, and then it is necessary to supplement him with expressed milk.

General rules

The terms and conditions for storing expressed milk depend on how soon the mother plans to use it.

How to store indoors?

At room temperature 25 °C, it is allowed to keep a closed container with expressed breast milk for no more than 4 hours. This period increases to 6 hours if the milk was expressed in especially clean conditions, that is, if the woman strictly followed the instructions for cleaning and sterilizing the breast pump.

Details - in this article.

In a refrigerator

A closed container of breast milk in the refrigerator store no more than 2-3 days. For milk expressed in especially clean conditions, the period increases to 5 days. The temperature must be maintained within the range from 0 to 5 °C. You need to put milk in the refrigerator as soon as possible after expressing.

And there is no need to place it near products with a strong odor (marinades, smoked meats); in the event of the slightest violation of the seal, the milk will absorb foreign aromas.

Read more here.

Is it possible to increase the period?

Increase the shelf life of breast milk possible in room conditions by adjusting the temperature:

• at 20 °C – 8-10 hours;
• at 15 °C – 22-24 hours.

During the entire time, the temperature should not fluctuate upward. How long does breast milk last after pumping? this article.

Is it possible to freeze, how to defrost correctly?

Breast milk can be stored in the freezer (temperature -18 °C) for 3 to 12 months. The optimal period is 3 months; the maximum allowable is 1 year, provided that the product is stored in the depths of the freezer.

Important rules for freezing and thawing milk:

1. The date and time of pumping must be written on the container.
2. You should not place containers of breast milk in the freezer immediately after expressing. It is recommended to first put it in the refrigerator for 1.5-2 hours.
3. To make defrosting the product easier and faster, it is advisable to store it in small portions. If more quantity is needed, several servings of thawed milk can be mixed.
4. Breast milk needs to be defrosted in the refrigerator, depending on the serving size, this takes 10-12 hours. You cannot take the product out of the freezer immediately into room conditions, much less use a microwave
5. Thawed milk can be stored at room conditions for no more than 2 hours, in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

How long does breast milk last in the freezer? Here, after defrosting - here.

Tara

Many mothers are sure that expressed milk can only be stored in special bags or containers. No, that's not true.

Other containers are also suitable, as long as they meet four conditions:

1. Inertia. The container must be made of safe materials - polypropylene, glass or other approved food-grade plastic.

   All of them are inert to freezing, that is, they do not emit harmful substances during freezing.

2. Absolute sterility. Containers should be either disposable or one that can be sterilized.
3. Tight lid (the container should close well and comfortably).
4. Strength. During storage and freezing, the container should not be damaged or broken.

Let's take a closer look at each container.

Special containers

Plastic containers for storing expressed milk are the most expensive containers. They are distinguished by good durability and a tight-fitting lid.

Durable material ensures containers will not crack, this significantly increases their service life. You can easily determine the volume of liquid in them (for this purpose, a special scale is applied to the container). It is also important that such containers are intended for reusable use; you just need to wash the container well and scald it with boiling water.

The downside of containers is that they take up a lot of space in the freezer. But if you stack them on top of each other, you can store them more compactly. Details - in this article.

Sterile jars for analysis

Can be used to store milk sterile jars, which are sold in pharmacies specifically for testing:

1. The material they are made of is inert plastic, that is, the contents of the jar will not absorb any harmful substances.
2. The convenient lid on these containers closes tightly and easily, so the liquid will not spill.
3. The jars have a measuring scale (in millimeters), which allows you to measure the required amount of milk to feed your baby.

Packages

Disposable breast milk storage bags are very popular due to a number of advantages:

• they connect directly to some breast pump models;
• have a strong clasp;
• sterile;
• they have a special form where the time and date of pumping are recorded;
• small sizes (in the freezer they can be placed horizontally, so the bags do not take up much space);
• There is a marked scale with which you can determine the volume of contents inside.

Disadvantages include one-time use and a fairly high price. Read more Here.

Glass jars

Many women use commercial baby food to feed their babies. In order to save the family budget, food jars are then used to store expressed milk.

The main advantages of this method:

1. Container material. Glass is inert; no volatile substances are released into the contents of the jar.
2. The lids close tightly and easily. You don't have to worry about liquid spilling. Although they do not provide absolute tightness.
3. Reusable. It is enough to rinse the jars well and scald with boiling water.
4. Such containers are free and are always at hand.

The downside is that glass jars, as well as sterile containers for tests, will take up a lot of space in the freezer when frozen. In addition, glass always has the risk of breaking.

Ice packs

This freezing method is the least popular among mothers.However, some people use it quite successfully. The peculiarity is that milk is frozen in round or square cubes. The convenience is that before feeding you can cut off and defrost the required number of cubes.

Ziploc bags for freezing vegetables and fruits

You can now buy such bags in supermarkets without any problems. Their main advantages:

• quality of workmanship, which is confirmed by the appropriate certificate;
• Convenient latch that prevents liquid from spilling out.

When frozen, milk tends to increase in volume. Therefore, you should not fill containers to the brim, otherwise they may burst. This applies to all types of containers for storing breast milk. Read how to store milk in a bottle Here.

How to save for a walk or trip?

Sometimes you may need expressed milk while walking or on the road. In this case, a thermos or thermal bag will help out a lot.

Thermos

These models are designed specifically for heating baby food. The kit includes:

• thermos;
• lid;
• bottle container.

The thermos is filled with hot water in advance. When it’s time to feed your baby, place the bottle of breast milk in a container, pour hot water into it from a thermos and close the lid. The milk heats up for 2-5 minutes.

Thermal bag

Compact thermal bags are also very convenient on the road.. They have different shapes and sizes, and have handles for carrying. These bags allow you to transport large amounts of milk.

Their main advantage is that the bags can be maintained at different temperatures. If the milk needs to be kept warm, then place a container of hot water in a thermal bag next to the bottle. Conversely, when it is necessary to keep the product chilled, the bag is filled with ice cubes.

How can you tell if milk is spoiled?

During storage, breast milk may change color and smell, and separate into watery and creamy parts, but this does not mean that it is spoiled. The surest and most reliable way to check milk for freshness is to smell it. Sour milk has a strong odor, just like sour cow's milk.

Useful tips

Storage recommendations breast milk:

1. Before feeding the baby, the container with expressed milk should be shaken slightly, since during storage the product separates into layers (fat rises to the top).

   There is no need to be too afraid so as not to destroy the nutritional and protective components. Then the milk is poured into a bottle and heated in a water bath to 37 °C.

2. It is allowed to express milk in one container during the day. To do this, each new portion must first be placed in the refrigerator to cool, and then poured into a common container.
3. Before purchasing special disposable bags for breast milk, it is advisable to study reviews of other mothers on the forums in advance. Sometimes women note the poor quality of packages from some manufacturers (the clasp often breaks during use, and the integrity is compromised when frozen).

Conclusion

If you comply with the terms and conditions of storage, then using expressed milk over a long period of time is considered safe. But we must still remember that fresh milk is healthier than chilled or frozen milk, it contains more fats and vitamins, and it fights bacteria better.