Breast Milk Storage Guidelines
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines are crucial when you are pumping out milk day in and day out. It can be an arduous and somewhat exhausting task for any mother, whether they are a seasoned caregiver or first-time parent. But there are ways to make it easier. Many people these days have taken to storing their breast milk, which undoubtedly saves a lot of time (and a lot of energy) in the long run. If you’re thinking about doing this but are unsure as to what the breast milk storage guidelines are then look no further. Everything you could possibly need to know about storing it, thawing it, and reheating it, has been answered below.
The Benefits of Storing Breast Milk
There are many reasons why people choose to store their breastmilk. For example:
So your partner or a babysitter can take over some of the feeding duties if you need to go back to work or can’t be there to breastfeed for any other reason
To relieve the pressure on overfull or engorged breasts or give sore nipples a chance to heal
To prevent or help ease mastitis, a painful breast inflammation that may be caused by blocked milk ducts
To help boost your milk supply
If your baby finds it hard to latch on efficiently when breastfeeding, but you still want to feed your little one with breast milk
If you are advised or choose to start expressing your first milk, known as colostrum in the last few days or weeks of your pregnancy. This is strongly recommended if there’s a risk of complications (for example, if you have diabetes). But even if there aren’t any known risk factors, it’s a great way to max out the health benefits of colostrum for your little one – such as protection from infections and dehydration, and better digestion to name a few
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines: How To Gather Breast Milk
There are three main ways to collect your milk:
By hand - Your midwife or health visitor can help you with this.
With a mechanical breast pump - This could be an affordable and easy-to-maintain option for expressing your milk.
With an electric breast pump - This might be the best option for efficiently expressing large volumes of milk. Electric pumps cost more to buy but may also be available to hire. Ask your midwife or health visitor what’s available in your area.
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines: What Containers To Use
You can store your freshly expressed breast milk in any sterile airtight container, but breast milk storage cups, bottles, or bags designed specifically for this purpose might be better for the following reasons:
They have calibrated markings so you can see at a glance how much they contain
They have a writable strip to make it easier to mark the date and time of expressing
Single-use milk storage bags may be pre-sterilized (but check the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure)
If you use a breast pump, you might be able to buy compatible milk storage bottles or bags that you can express your milk into directly, to help reduce the possibility of contamination.
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines: How To Store
When storing your breast milk, follow these three easy steps:
Clean and sterilize the breast milk containers before collecting and storing breast milk.
Mark each storage container with the date and time that you expressed the milk. Always use the oldest stored breast milk first, as long as it’s still within its use-by limit.
If you’re going to place the container in the freezer for storage, make sure to leave a couple of centimeters of air space at the top because the liquid will expand when frozen.
Note: It’s recommended to store breast milk in small portions, especially if you’re planning on freezing it. This just means that it’ll be much easier to defrost just what you need.
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines: How Long Can It Be Stored
This fully depends on what temperature you choose to store it at. The general rule of thumb is that the colder it is, the longer it can be stored, but here are a few extra things to keep in mind:
If you’re storing your breast milk in a fridge, put it in the back of the main compartment rather than in or near the door. That way, it’s less likely to be affected by temperature changes when you open and close the fridge door
If your fridge or freezer doesn’t display its temperature, consider buying a fridge thermometer to check how cold it is
If you’re traveling, breast milk that’s already been chilled in a fridge can last up to 24 hours in a cool box with deep-frozen ice packs
If your baby was born prematurely or has any health issues or vulnerabilities, you may need to follow different breast milk storage guidelines. Ask your midwife or neonatal unit about these.
Note: These guidelines are for freshly collected breast milk.
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines: How To Defrost
Follow these tips for thawing breast milk that’s been stored in the freezer:
Ideally, allow the frozen breast milk to thaw out gradually in the fridge. This can take up to 12 hours, so plan to defrost a little in advance e.g. overnight for the morning. If the milk is still frozen after 12 hours in the fridge, thaw it out by sitting the container in warm water, and use it straight away.
For immediate use, a quicker method is to sit the container in a jug of warm water or hold it under a warm running tap
Sometimes the defrosted breast milk may separate into a watery and a creamy part. If this happens, gently shake the storage bottle to mix it up again. If the milk doesn’t mix back together, then assume that it has gone bad and shouldn’t be used
Once the milk has thawed, give it to your baby within 24 hours
Don’t defrost breast milk at room temperature or in a microwave oven
Never refreeze or reheat thawed breast milk.
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines: Is Stored Breast Milk Any Different From Fresh Breast Milk?
Women produce breastmilk that is high in an enzyme called lipase. While this enzyme helps digest the fat content in breastmilk, it can also slightly affect the smell and taste of both fresh and frozen milk. If you’re concerned about your baby not wanting to drink the breastmilk, talk to your doctor to find out about a process to help neutralize the enzyme and lessen the smell.
