When warming breast milk from the fridge, place the bottle in a bowl of warm water or run it under warm water. Microwaving breast milk is not safe. Breast milk naturally separates into a milk layer and a cream top when it is stored. The earlier you use up your breast milk, the better, because longer storage can diminish the amount of vitamin C in it. Some women produce large volumes of breast milk to freeze, while other women never seem to produce enough.
When it comes to freezer storage, however, smaller portions are actually better. Portions that are 2- to 4-ounce Make sure to label the bottles, cups or bags with the date and leave an inch or so from the milk to the top of the container.
Breast milk expands as it freezes, so wait to tighten bottle caps or lids until the milk is completely frozen. The safest way to thaw breast milk is in the refrigerator overnight. You can also hold the bottle or bag under warm running water or set it in a container of warm water.
Remember that heating breast milk in the microwave or boiling it is not safe. These methods can cause loss of nutritional properties of breast milk and could be unevenly hot, making it dangerous for your baby to drink. Once previously frozen breast milk is thawed, it can be stored in the fridge and must be used within 24 hours. If your baby doesn't want to drink the thawed breast milk, talk with your doctor about ways to help neutralize the enzyme and lessen the smell.
If your baby is in the NICU or is hospitalized for other reasons, your breast milk can be fed to her through a tube that passes through the nose or mouth into the stomach or from a tiny cup or bottle. The traditional breast milk storage guidelines above were written for healthy, full-term babies.
Storage guidelines are stricter for babies who are hospitalized and have weaker immune systems. Here are some general things to keep in mind:. Always discuss the recommended storage guidelines for your situation with your baby's healthcare providers. They may have more specific instructions for you to follow at their hospital. The Forbes Health editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Health site.
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Expert Reviewed. Luckily, it can easily be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and it can stay fresh for up to six months. No one wants to give their baby less-than-optimal breast milk. You can leave freshly expressed or pumped breast milk out at room temperature—77 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler—for up to four hours.
When possible, though, freshly expressed breast milk is preferred over refrigerated or frozen breast milk. Fresh milk contains greater nutrients and immunologic benefits. Breast milk can remain safely in a cooler for up to 24 hours, according to the CDC. You can keep freshly expressed or pumped breast milk in the refrigerator for up to four days—just make sure your refrigerator is 40 F or colder. Make sure to store it in the back where the temperature is coldest and never store breast milk in the refrigerator door, as the temperature fluctuations could cause the milk to spoil.
Note that thawed breast milk, however, stays fresh for only 24 hours in the fridge. While breast milk is safe in the freezer for 12 months, over time the quality of the milk decreases. Ideally, you should use it within three months to six months for best quality and taste. Make sure your freezer is 0 F or colder.
Be picky about the containers you use to store breast milk. Options include:. Place a label on the container indicating the date it was expressed. If your child goes to daycare, include their name on the label as well. When filling the container to freeze your milk, leave about an inch of space at the top for the breast milk to expand as it freezes. No matter the container you use, freeze the breast milk in small amounts, such as 2 to 4 ounces.
Small amounts of expressed milk may be added to the same refrigerated container, provided the milk you want to add is cooled in the fridge beforehand.
Store breast milk in the coldest part of the fridge — at the back, on the shelf above the vegetable compartment. How to store breast milk in the freezer 2,3 Read on for how to freeze breast milk safely: Freeze your breast milk as soon as possible after expressing. Expressed milk may be added to already frozen breast milk, provided the milk you want to add is cooled in the fridge beforehand. For easier thawing and minimal wastage, store your milk in small portions less than 60 ml.
These can be combined after defrosting. Check that your breast milk storage containers can be used in the freezer — some products such as glass bottles may crack at very low temperatures. Store frozen breast milk at the back of the freezer where the temperature is most consistent. Keep it away from the walls of self-defrosting freezers. Once fully thawed, previously frozen breast milk may be kept at room temperature for a maximum of two hours or in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
These can damage its nutritional and protective properties and create hot spots that could scald your baby. Thawed breast milk left at room temperature should be fed to your baby within two hours or thrown away.
Never re-freeze breast milk once thawed. How to warm your stored breast milk 2,3 Healthy, full-term babies can drink breast milk at room temperature or warmed to body temperature. Alternatively, use a bottle warmer. Gently swirl the bottle or bag, without shaking or stirring, to mix any separated fat see above.
Why does my stored breast milk smell odd? Breast milk storage on the go If you have to transport your milk between work and home or daycare, use a cooler bag with ice packs. Using a breast pump. ABM clinical protocol 8: human milk storage information for home use for full-term infants, revised
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