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How to store and use expressed milk. How and how long can breast milk be stored in the refrigerator and at room temperature

We live in such a dynamic time when mom is always busy. But still, I would like to keep breastfeeding, while not denying myself the opportunity to at least sometimes leave the baby. Or if you had to go to work. This will help pumping and.

Storing breast milk can seem like a complicated process. So many questions immediately arise: how to store breast milk, how long breast milk is stored, which breast milk containers are best to use? Find answers to the most common breast milk storage questions below.

What are the best containers for storing breast milk?

The choice of containers for storing milk depends on how long you plan to store it and where. The best option for storing breast milk is a glass container, but it is not suitable for storing breast milk in the freezer, as it can crack. This is followed by transparent hard plastic and opaque plastic vessels. Manufacturers also produce special packages for storing and freezing breast milk. They are very easy to use and take up little space in the freezer. In no case do not store milk in a plastic bag or ordinary disposable plastic bottles - such containers have a negative effect on milk.

Important: dishes for storing breast milk must be sterile and signed (be sure to indicate the date of pumping on the container with milk).

How to store breast milk? What is the best way to store breast milk?

Use waterproof labels and ink, signing each container with the pumping date. Fill individual containers with the amount of milk your baby needs per feeding. You can start from 60 to 120 ml and then adjust as needed. In addition, it is recommended to store small portions - from 30 to 60 ml for unforeseen situations or delays in regular feedings. Be aware that breast milk expands when frozen, so don't fill containers to the brim.

How long can breast milk be stored?

How long breast milk lasts depends on where you store it.

Storing breast milk at room temperature: up to 6 at temperatures not exceeding 25 ° C)

Storing breast milk in the refrigerator: up to 5 days at temperatures from 4 ° C.

Storing breast milk in the refrigerator freezer:

on a common door - up to 14 days;
the door is separate, at a temperature of -5 C - up to 6 months.

Storing breast milk in the freezer: up to 12 months at a temperature of -20 degrees.

How to freeze breast milk: Be sure to leave some empty meth in the container or bottle as milk expands when frozen.

Storing breast milk after defrosting: no more than an hour at room temperature and about 10 hours in the refrigerator. Never refreeze breast milk.

Can fresh breast milk be added to what is already stored in the refrigerator?

You can add freshly expressed milk to chilled or frozen milk that you expressed earlier in the day. However, chill freshly expressed breast milk well in the refrigerator or in ice water before adding it to previously chilled or frozen milk. Do not add warm breast milk to frozen milk because this will cause the frozen milk to partially thaw.

How to reheat frozen milk?

We already know how to freeze milk, now let's figure out how to defrost it properly. The defrosting process should be gradual: First, move the container of frozen milk to the refrigerator, then keep it at room temperature. Thawed milk can change its color and smell. To understand that milk is spoiled, you can by the sharp smell of sour milk. Such milk will have to be poured out.

You can heat the milk to the desired temperature under running hot water. If you plan to feed your baby with expressed milk for a long time, it is better to purchasespecial bottle warmerThe maximum heating temperature should not exceed 37 degrees in order to preserve all the beneficial properties of breast milk.

Caution: never heat breast milk in the microwave or on the stove.

No alternative food can be compared in terms of usefulness and nutritional value with breast milk. Therefore, even if the mother cannot feed the baby regularly (due to work, the child's refusal to breastfeed, and for other reasons), do not switch to artificial mixtures. The way out of this situation will be.

Storing breast milk will easily solve problems with violation of the feeding regime of the baby. Even in the absence of a mother, he will continue to receive nutritional and protective elements.

If you decide to express milk, then you must store the product correctly. It is important that it retains useful and nutritious properties, and the baby receives the necessary substances. Let's figure out how much and how to store expressed breast milk.

storage utensils

First of all, you need to choose the right container. For freezing, choose plastic bags that are made from dense polyethylene. The container is easily and hermetically closed, does not require preparation. Packages can be used immediately for their intended purpose. In addition, the packaging has a measuring scale, a place to record the time and date.

Disposable plastic freezer bags are not suitable. The seams break easily, and when defrosted, the contents flow out. A plastic bag is more reliable and convenient, which you can buy at any pharmacy.

The main criteria by which it is necessary to choose a container:

sterility of dishes;
closure density and tightness;
ease of use;
It will be convenient if there is a measuring scale on the package.

As for solid containers, glass is in the first place. Indeed, many nursing mothers prefer a glass bottle. The second place is occupied by plastic utensils, and the third by plastic.

The type of material does not play a big role when choosing dishes. Studies have shown that milk can be stored in both plastic and glass without sacrificing quality.

It is important to indicate the time and date of pumping on the packaging! If you still decide to use a disposable plastic bag, then take two bags and do not store milk for a long time. It is better to choose a container that can hold only one dose.

After choosing a container, you need to know how much to store and how to store expressed breast milk.

How and where to store

If milk needs to be stored for a long time, then freeze it. You can only freeze fresh milk, which is left in the refrigerator for about two hours and then left in the freezer. Of course, the frozen product loses some of its useful properties. But it is much better than artificial food.

If expressed milk does not require long-term storage and will be used within two to five days, then the product is left in a conventional refrigerator. It has been proven that chilled milk retains beneficial elements.

And if the milk is drunk within one day, then safely leave the product in the room. The main thing is to choose a sterile container for storage and tightly close the package.

How to store breast milk if there is no refrigerator nearby, and you need to keep it for more than a day? You can use other means. An excellent option would be a cooler bag with freezer elements.

You can also take a regular thermos. Fill the thermos with ice cubes to cool the container. Use only filtered water for ice! Before pouring milk, ice must be poured out. Fill the thermos and close tightly.

To ensure the storage of breast milk without losing the beneficial effect, follow the rules for freezing and thawing.

Defrosting and Freezing Rules

Do not store milk in the door. Choose a cold area in the refrigerator. Perfect for the back of the shelves;
Fill dishes ¾ full. Leave the remaining space until the liquid expands;
Don't forget to set the date and time;
If the milk has been stored in the freezer, place the liquid in the refrigerator to thaw. This will help to avoid a sharp temperature drop and preserve the usefulness of the product;
Do not heat milk in the microwave or in a bowl of boiling water. This method will lead to the loss of minerals and vitamins;
To thaw breast milk properly, leave the liquid in the refrigerator overnight. Then heat in a water bath (place the container with milk in warm water);
After defrosting, do not stir or shake the milk. To stir the separated fat, shake the contents of the bottle or bag lightly.

How much to store

Respecting the shelf life of milk is very important for any nursing mother! After all, a spoiled product not only loses its beneficial effect, but can also cause great damage to the still fragile body of a newborn.

Recommendations apply to mature milk, the shelf life of colostrum is slightly different. - milk produced in the first six days after childbirth. Such food cannot be frozen. It is recommended to store at room temperature 27-30 degrees Celsius for no more than 12 hours.

Breastfeeding is optimal for babies. Nothing compares to mom's milk - no mixtures and artificial nutrition. However, even with established breastfeeding, there are situations when you can’t do without the help of a bottle.

Working mothers simply cannot do without stocks of breast milk in the refrigerator.

There are different circumstances - my mother left for a short while, was forced to go to work, fell ill, etc. There is a need to make a supply for the baby. How to store expressed breast milk?

Basic Rules

The most important point when decanting milk, as well as in general when feeding, is sterility. The container in which the milk will be stored must be immaculately clean - the bottles must be washed and boiled.

Make sure the container is sterile!

To store mother's milk in the refrigerator or freezer, select a separate shelf so that the containers do not come into contact with any other products.
It is necessary to express milk with washed hands from a clean chest - after all, any contamination during the preparation and storage of milk can cause.

Special packages are attached to modern breast pumps, which makes the “harvesting” process as automated as possible.

Making a supply of breast milk is a rather specific and short-term measure. Do not try to freeze liters of milk for future use. Experienced mothers say that you should not teach a child to eat from a nipple without the need - because it is much easier to get food from it. The baby may then not want to make extra efforts to get milk from the breast.

What is the best way to store milk?

In plastic or glass bottles. There is no fundamental difference between glass or plastic feeding bottles.
In packages specially designed for freezing mother's milk. They are sold in specialty stores and pharmacies.

Such packages can be bought at any pharmacy.

The milk container must be:

durable;
made of environmentally friendly material, resistant to temperature changes;
sterile;
sealed.

What are the shelf life

How long can breast milk be stored so that feeding it to a child does not harm his health?

At room temperature

Expressed breast milk does not lose its beneficial qualities at all at room temperature and can be safely stored for six hours.

If the mother leaves for a short time, the expressed milk may well stand at room temperature for up to 6 hours.

In the cold

A bottle, especially in hot weather, is better to put in the refrigerator, where milk can be stored for up to two days.

In the refrigerator, "baby food" will last 2 days.

Freezing

Milk can be easily frozen if necessary. With conventional freezing, milk can be stored for no more than 2 weeks, with a deep freezing method - up to 3 months.

Each package must be marked with the date of freezing.

However, the benefits of frozen milk are highly questionable.

Containers or packages must be labeled. On each - the time and date of laying for storage should be indicated.

Is milk still healthy when frozen?

Young mothers often ask an important question: is it possible, in principle, to freeze breast milk, will it lose its properties, will it deteriorate? Is it useful?

Dr. Komarovsky gives unequivocal answers to all these questions:

you can freeze;
if long-term storage is necessary - it is necessary;

Frozen milk retains all the beneficial properties.

milk does not lose its properties when frozen;
even thawed breast milk is much healthier than any ready-made milk formula.

If it is not possible to use a refrigerator or freezer, you can store milk in special cooler bags with freezer elements.

How to freeze and defrost?

Before freezing, milk should be gradually cooled in the refrigerator.

Similarly, frozen milk is placed in the refrigerator for gradual thawing.

Defrost should be carried out in stages. Put the milk from the freezer into the refrigerator.

If the milk has spilled

If you suddenly find that milk has separated into layers when stored in a bottle, there is no need to be scared and upset - it has not deteriorated at all.

If the milk separates, do not panic. This phenomenon is absolutely normal.

Just breast milk is a very nutritious product, with a high fat content. This causes its components to be divided into layers: conditionally fat - from above, conditionally water (it is heavier) - from below. It is worth shaking the bottle and the milk will regain its original appearance.

How to warm up?

We have decided on the methods and terms of storage of expressed milk. Now let's find out how to properly warm it up before feeding.

Fire and microwave are prohibited.

In addition, in the microwave, when heated, “islands” of uneven temperature distribution are created:

areas where the milk will still be cold;
areas in which the milk will be heated in waves almost to a boil.

Water jet - ok!

There are completely safe, time-tested methods.

Mothers who have already raised several children advise warming bottles of milk under running water.

Water should not immediately be very hot, so that a glass bottle, for example, does not burst from temperature changes.

A proven and safe way to warm a bottle under running water.

Start with barely warm water, gradually increasing its temperature.

The bottle should be stable in the container, and the container in the sink. It can be a high rimmed bowl or a small saucepan.

Temperature test

Do a temperature skin test before feeding - put a few drops from the bottle on your wrist- There is very sensitive skin.

You will immediately feel whether it is worth heating the milk further or whether it is already possible to feed.

Re-cooling, freezing, reheating - it is impossible.

Even if there is quite a lot of milk left in the bottle, it can no longer be re-cooled and frozen or re-heated.

As with any other product, such processes will lead to the loss of useful properties. In addition, bacteria and microbes have already entered the milk through the nipple with saliva.

Sooner or later in the life of every baby there comes a moment when the mother stops breastfeeding him. Then the question arises before the parents: It is important to take into account all the nuances and subtleties: is the child allergic, boiled or pasteurized milk to give, whose product to prefer.

Always check quality

Mother's milk can go bad - turn sour. Always check - it should smell and taste pleasant, and not arouse any suspicion.

Before feeding your baby, check the quality of the product.

Feed on demand!

Previously, doctors strongly advised mothers to pump after each feed. The procedure was performed by everyone, everywhere and without fail. Pumping stimulates the production of milk and protects the mammary glands from congestion.

Feed the baby only when he is really hungry.

Dr. Komarovsky insists that this is justified only if the mother feeds the child at certain time intervals, by the hour.

Most modern mothers agree with him and feed on demand. With a free schedule, there is a place for both breastfeeding and bottle feeding from the refrigerator.

Clarissa Experienced

Any pediatrician will say with confidence that breast milk is the most useful and proper nutrition for a newborn baby. However, sometimes situations arise when a woman has milk, but breastfeeding is impossible. If a mother is determined to continue breastfeeding (LF), she will have to decide how to properly express and store her breast milk. Our article will just tell you how to do it.

When is it necessary to feed with expressed milk?

Feeding a baby with expressed breast milk is usually necessary in three situations:
1. When there are problems with latch on. This may be due to the physical weakness of the newborn (in the case of a premature or small child, as well as during a severe illness) or an atypical nipple shape (flat or inverted nipple).
2. When the baby does not want to make an effort to get milk. This is often seen in children who have learned what a bottle is. The child very quickly learns that it is much easier to drink from the nipple than from the breast.
3. When the mother cannot be near the child at the time of feeding. This is true for women who needed to go to work early, continue their studies or temporarily leave the city.
As you can see, if a woman understands how to properly express and store breast milk, she has the opportunity to keep breastfeeding not only when her baby cannot (or does not want to) breastfeed, but also when the mother herself needs to for some reason reason to be away from the baby for a while.

In Soviet times, nurses told and showed all newly-made mothers in the maternity hospital how to properly express breast milk. Formulas were then very expensive, and their availability and quality left much to be desired, so women fought desperately to keep breastfeeding.
Today, absolutely any mixture for any age can be found on store shelves, but none of them will ever replace mother's milk for a child, so pumping remains the main tool in establishing breastfeeding.
Pumping helps to avoid mastitis when there is too much milk, and stimulates the mammary glands when there is not enough milk. In addition, it allows you to leave a supply of breast milk at home in case mommy needs to go away.
There are 2 main ways to express:
hand pumping;
pumping with a breast pump (manual or electric).
If you don't plan on feeding your baby often with expressed milk, collect milk by hand or with an inexpensive manual breast pump. If you need to be separated from your baby often and for a long time, get an electric model.

Manual Expression

Many women do not understand how to properly express breast milk with their hands. Yes, not everyone can decant manually the first time: it is quite painful and uncomfortable. To make the process as efficient and painless as possible, it is important to master a certain technique.
Before pumping, it is advisable to wash your hands thoroughly and perform a light massage of the mammary glands. To stimulate milk production, it is also recommended to drink a glass of warm tea. Directly when expressing with your hand, it is necessary to support the chest from below so that the index finger is on the lower edge of the halo. With downward movements of the thumb, the milk is “driven” towards the nipple and, with moderate pressure of the thumb and forefinger, is squeezed out of the breast.
If the feeding time has not yet come, at first the pumping will go very slowly: the milk will literally flow out drop by drop. After a rush, which you can guess by familiar signs (heaviness in the chest, tingling, burning), milk will begin to be expressed in a jet.
If, after repeated attempts, you are unable to figure out how to manually express breast milk, contact a lactation specialist or try using a breast pump: with it, the process, as a rule, is faster and easier.

Expressing breast milk with a breast pump

breast pump- This is a fairly convenient mechanism for expressing breast milk. You simply apply it to your breast in such a way that the nipple is located in the center of a special funnel, and turn on the device (in the case of an electric model) or rhythmically squeeze the “pear” or lever with your hand (if it is a manual version).
How to properly express breast milk with a breast pump is usually written in the instructions for the device. Be sure to sterilize all items and containers that will come into contact with breasts and milk.

How to properly store breast milk?

In order for milk to retain valuable properties for a long time and not deteriorate, you need to know how to properly store expressed breast milk.
It is worth saying that the most important thing when storing expressed milk is the right choice and sterility of containers, as well as compliance with the temperature regime and storage periods.
How long expressed milk can be stored depends mainly on temperature. So, for example, when stored under normal room conditions (with a temperature of 22–25 degrees), milk must be used within 4–6 hours, and the remains should be disposed of. If you put the bottle in a cool place (19-22 degrees), the milk will not spoil for 8-10 hours. At 15 degrees, milk can be stored for a day.

Can I store expressed milk in the refrigerator or freezer?

Many women are interested in whether it is possible to store expressed milk in the refrigerator and whether it will lose its value from this. We answer: yes, it is possible and even necessary to store the remains of expressed milk in the refrigerator if you do not plan to use them in the next 4-6 hours. In the refrigerator, the stock can be up to 7-8 days, but you need to keep it not in the door, but in the coldest part of the cabinet (with a temperature regime of 0-4 degrees).
As a container, any clean glassware or food-grade plastic is suitable. Some breast pumps are equipped with special bottles, containers or bags for collecting and storing breast milk.
Important: in order to dispose of "expired" milk in a timely manner, it is required to indicate the date of pumping on each container.
An interesting fact: colostrum in its composition and properties is very different from mature milk, so even at a temperature of 27-32 degrees it can be stored for 12 hours.

Breast milk freezing rules

There has been debate for a long time about whether it is possible to freeze expressed breast milk. After all, after 1-2 hours it changes its taste. Experiments have shown that human milk, when frozen, retains a large proportion of its beneficial properties, so it can be stored in the freezer in order to subsequently be defrosted and used to feed the baby.
The shelf life of frozen milk is strictly regulated: if we are talking about a freezer without its own door, milk is stored under such conditions for up to 14 days. If expressed milk is placed in a freezer, which is an independent compartment with its own door, or in a chest freezer, the storage time increases to 4 and 6 months, respectively.
When freezing and thawing breast milk, a number of rules must be observed:
indicate the date of freezing;
use suitable containers (mainly food grade plastic);
do not add fresh milk to a container with previously frozen milk (otherwise it will be difficult for you to control the expiration date);
defrost milk in a specialized device or in a container with warm water;
do not freeze thawed milk again;
do not overheat or boil milk after defrosting;
use thawed milk in the first 2 days (store in the refrigerator).

Conclusion

We have prepared this article so that new mothers understand how to properly express and store breast milk. Fortunately, expressed milk can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for a long time, so you won't have to stop breastfeeding even if you suddenly need to be separated from your baby for a long time.
If you only need to leave your baby for 4-5 hours, you don't even need to put the expressed milk in the refrigerator: it keeps well under normal room conditions.
In the end, we can only wish your baby good health, and your home - peace, love and warmth!

Every mother dreams of breastfeeding for a long time and fully, but there are circumstances when it is necessary to leave the child and feed him with expressed breast milk.

And then the question invariably arises - how to properly store expressed breast milk, how long it does not deteriorate, and how to create a supply of breast milk just in case.

Where to store breast milk?

Usually, women express breast milk using their hands or a breast pump. The latter for frequent use and expressing large volumes is more preferable. At the same time, jars with volumes of 100-200 ml are usually included with breast pumps, which are quite suitable for further storage of breast milk.

In principle, breast milk can be stored in any sterile container. Particularly convenient:

glass bottles and jars with lids
plastic bottles and jars
special sterile bags for freezing milk.

If you need to be away for a couple of hours, milk can be expressed into a clean sterilized cup so that you can then give milk to the baby.

It is worth abandoning the use of baby food bottles for storing breast milk. They can partially destroy useful trace elements due to contact with the walls.

It is also worth refusing to store expressed milk in plastic containers, albeit food ones. Cheap plastic can release substances hazardous to the health of the baby.

If you need to store milk in the refrigerator, glass or special plastic jars from a breast pump will do. They must be tightly closed with a lid.

Freezing milk in glass jars is dangerous, they can crack from temperature changes and changes in the properties of the liquid.

For freezing, plastic containers from a breast pump and freezer bags are more convenient.

The latter are preferred in that they are initially sterile and do not require pretreatment. In addition, they take up little space in the refrigerator, they are marked to sign the date of milk collection.

How long does breast milk last?

Breast milk is one of the unique "live" products, it contains special factors that inhibit the growth and reproduction of dangerous microbes. Due to its properties, provided it is decanted into a clean sterile container, it can be stored:

at an air temperature of 23-25 degrees up to 6 hours
at a temperature of 18-22 degrees up to 10 hours
at a temperature of 10-15 degrees up to 24 hours

At the same time, it loses its properties, does not sour, and dangerous microorganisms do not multiply in it.

If you need a longer preservation of breast milk without freezing it, provided that the refrigerator is at a temperature of up to +4 degrees, it can be stored in sterile closed containers for up to seven days.

Freezing breast milk makes it possible to create its stock for long-term storage up to 3-5 months in a conventional freezer, subject to a temperature of -18-19 degrees in the freezer up to 6-12 months.

Breast milk can be transported in a special refrigerator bag with refrigeration elements; it will lie there without loss of quality for up to a day. You can also use thermoses to transport frozen milk.

Milk for subsequent freezing can be safely stored at room temperature for about 2-3 hours, and then placed in the freezer.

The main conditions for storing and freezing breast milk is keeping hands, breast pump and storage containers clean.

How to store expressed breast milk

To maximize the preservation of the useful properties of the product and prevent its deterioration, it is worth following certain rules in its collection and storage. First of all, you should not immediately place expressed breast milk immediately after receiving it in the freezer, you must first cool it in a refrigerator.

It is advisable to freeze milk in portions, about one feeding in order not to pour out the remains of the product. Breast milk should not be re-frozen.
You should not mix different portions of breast milk, especially strained on different days, such a mixture will be worse frozen and stored.
An extremely undesirable place for storing expressed breast milk is a shelf in the refrigerator door. There the temperature is not stable and the milk can spoil quickly.
To avoid confusion about when to freeze or refrigerate milk, sign all containers with the date you expressed them.
In the freezer, it is worth placing milk against the far walls in order to less expose the product to temperature changes due to the opening of the door.

It is important to remember that when stored refrigerated or frozen, milk can change its color and smell due to its fatty acids. Milk may separate during storage and should be shaken well before use.

After defrosting, milk can be stored only until the moment of feeding, no more than an hour, or it can be thawed smoothly for a day in a refrigerator. In this case, the milk must be closed.

How to defrost breast milk?

Proper defrosting of breast milk occurs in stages. After removing the milk bags from the freezer, they are placed in the refrigerator, and only then, as they are defrosted, at room temperature.

After defrosting milk, it must be heated no higher than 37-38 degrees so that it does not lose its beneficial qualities. A microwave is not suitable for such purposes.

Before feeding the baby, you need to smell the milk, if it has a pronounced smell of acid, it is spoiled and you should not give it to the baby.