How to store and how much breast milk

In this article, you will learn how to store expressed breast milk so that it does not lose its healing properties. You will also get acquainted with the rules of freezing and heating of the product and will find useful information about the shelf life of this baby food.

Every mother wants to give her child the best. Of course, breast milk is the source of all the necessary vitamins and the basis of the baby’s immunity. But often there are situations in which a woman needs to leave her crumb. What to do in this case with feeding?

What to store breast milk (packaging)

Each nursing mother wonders about which container is best to store breast milk. You can store mother's milk in various containers, as long as it is sterile and its material does not contain harmful elements for the baby.

Suitable containers:

1. Special containers. The most expensive storage option, and they take quite a lot of space in the refrigerator. Their advantage is that these containers are very durable and can be used many times.
2. Tanks from baby food. As a rule, such a container is made of glass, and it is an excellent material for long-term storage. But before use, they must be thoroughly rinsed.
3. Sterile containers for analysis. This container is made of plastic, which does not emit any toxic substances when cooled. It also has a measuring scale in milliliters, which allows you to determine the exact amount of milk that will be needed to feed your baby.
4. Packages for freezing ice. These containers are convenient only for those mothers who have adapted to freeze milk in small portions necessary for the child. Their disadvantage is that they are made of rather thin plastic and can easily tear when frozen.
5. Food bags for storing any food. In general, breast milk is normal food and does not have any specific features. When using these packages only should take into account the rules of hygiene.

None of the above packaging does not change the shelf life and the usefulness of food for kids. When choosing it, it is important to follow the rules of hygiene and control the safety of the product during cooling.

You should also check each container for durability, because when freezing poor quality containers may burst.

Where it is better to store breast milk after decanting

Undoubtedly, breast milk is best served in its fresh form. But almost every mother had to decant this natural product and feed her baby after some time. There is nothing terrible in this, the most important thing is to follow the rules of storage so that the milk does not spoil and does not lose its beneficial properties.

You can store this baby food in the following conditions:

• at room temperature, it may well remain, without losing its beneficial properties, within 8 hours after decanting;
• the best milk will remain in the refrigerator or freezer, it will not deteriorate there for several days;
• if the nursing mother does not have a refrigerator on hand, then the product can be stored in a thermos that was previously filled with pieces of ice.

It should be noted that colostrum can be stored at room temperature for about 12 hours. But after this time, even if it was in the refrigerator, it is not recommended to give it to the child.

How long and how to properly store the expressed breast milk

Any mother should know how long breast milk can be stored and the rules that must be followed so that it does not spoil and remains useful.

There are a number of rules for the storage of this natural product for some occasions:

1. In the refrigerator, the milk can be in complete safety for a long period of time, the main thing here is the observance of all the rules and the desired temperature. Food can be stored in this place for about 9 days at a temperature of at least 4 ◦С.
2. In the bottle and at room temperature no higher than 25 ° C, the milk can be stored for 6 hours after decanting.
3. While walking, breast milk should be stored in a special thermo bag, or in a bottle thermo bottle for several hours.
4. In the freezer at a temperature of -18 ◦C and with a rare opening of the door, the product will remain intact for six months. But before freezing the milk in the freezer, it should be cooled slightly in the refrigerator.

Having chosen a suitable place of storage, and having executed all the rules, a mother can be calm for her baby. He will receive good nutrition, despite its absence.

Table of terms of storage of breast milk

Above it was superficially told about how much this baby food can be stored. But since the shelf life plays an important role, it is worthwhile to expand on this topic in more detail.

In the table you can see the shelf life of the mother's milk, depending on the ambient temperature.

Knowing the exact periods of storage, the nursing mother will be able to preserve the natural product for a long time, and he will not lose her beneficial qualities.

Breast milk freeze

In order to preserve breast milk for a long time, the best place in this case is the freezer.

But in case of freezing this natural product, you must follow a few rules:

• Before freezing, cool the product in the refrigerator;
• only freshly expressed milk can be frozen;
• on the container, you must write the time and date of placing the product in the chamber;
• you need to create the necessary temperature.

Many experts argue that while this baby food loses a number of its healing qualities, but still it remains useful for the baby and better than the adapted artificial mixtures.

Rules of defrosting and heating milk

Of course, a nursing mother needs to know not only the rules for storing milk, but also how to defrost and warm it.

Ways to defrost milk:

• in the refrigerator, it will defrost within 12 hours;
• in the water bath;
• in hot water;
• in baby food warmer.

In addition to knowing how to defrost, you should consider a few rules of this procedure:

1. On a water bath, you can only heat the product in containers that can withstand boiling and do not contain bisphenol-A.
2. You can not thaw milk in the microwave, as this method is considered quite dangerous. Overheating of the product leads to the destruction of its vitamin properties.
3. Thawed milk can be stored for a day and only in the refrigerator.
4. Do not freeze the product several times.
5. Milk expressed in the first days of a child’s life will not be suitable for feeding after a long time. The composition of the product changes as the baby grows.

It is strictly forbidden to heat the milk by boiling, in a saucepan or microwave. When using such methods, the product loses almost all useful properties.

In conclusion, I would like to cite a few tips that will be useful for any mommy:

• it is necessary to wash hands thoroughly before expressing;
• storage containers must be sterile;
• before feeding, you need to taste the food;
• if the expressed milk has to be stored outside the home environment, or it is intended for children with any pathology, the storage instructions may differ from the rules given above.

Summarizing, we can conclude that breast milk is the best nutritional option for any baby, no artificial formula can replace it. And if you need, any nursing mother, who knows the methods and rules for storage of expressed milk, will be able to separate herself from her baby.

The next video contains additional information on how to store breast milk.

Watch the video: Breast Milk Storage Guidelines. CloudMom (April 2024).