Storing breast milk is a great way to save money and time when baby needs to eat. Yes, you can store bags and bags of this goodness and surprise yourself on your nursing success! Put some in the fridge, in the freezer, and even make breastmilk popsicles for your little one as a yummy cool treat!
What you will need:
Sterilized containers or breastmilk bags
Marking pen to properly date your containers
At Room Temperature:
Store safely at room temperature (66-72 F, 19-22 C) for up to six hours
If you want it on the go, use a cool box with ice packs and keep for up to 20 hours
In the Refrigerator:
Lasts up to 6-8 days at around 32-39 F, 0-4 C
Make sure to store your milk in the back portion of the fridge where it is cooler and away from uncooked foods and meats
In the Freezer:
Use the freezer compartment with a seperate door to store milk up to 3 or 4 months depending how often the door is opened
In the deep freezer ( 0F, -19C) mama's milk can last six months or longer
Ready to use the Stored Milk?
Gently thaw the stored breast milk under warm running water and gently stir to test the temp and mix up the separation. Be sure to never microwave the milk as it kills those amazing immune boosting antibodies and nutrients in the milk. Also, you can restore the milk in the fridge for 24 hours, but do not refreeze.
Cool Tips:
For moms that are returning to work, storing breastmilk is a great way to continue your milk supply because of the frequent expressing.
Wear some easy to nurse or pump in clothes to work, like the robertwilsonassociates nursing tanks, for easy pumping and this will help with your milk storing success. The tops are simple for layering and your co workers will love the look mixed in your work style. No fuss and makes pumping on a tight schedule much easier.
Keep your pump super clean as well as hands when expressing and storing. Keeping breastmilk safe is very important mamas!
A nice chic pump bag is the perfect accessory for working moms. There are many super pretty options out there. Search for one that will look good beyond breastfeeding pumping mom days.
Easy hack: Try a long soda carton cut open at the top to store breastmilk bags in the freezer.
Direct Pump-to-Bags are really nifty to save time. They cost a bit more, but can be worth it if you really prefer the ease, especially if you are a pumping at work mom.
Breastmilk Pops
These are really neat treats for when baby wants a snack, or you need to defrost some breastmilk quickly to add in baby's food when introducing solids. Get a popsicle mold that is meant for these little bubbies so everything stays clean, stored fresh, safe, and easy.
Remember:
- Do not refreeze
- Keep it clean
- Do not microwave
- If baby doesn't finish you can keep the remaining milk about 2 more hours in the fridge before throwing away.
- Stir, not shaken. (the milk)
....and nobody like spilled milk so store away ladies!
Always CONSULT your doctor for the best tips for you and your baby.
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