Following recommended storage and preparation techniques can maintain the safety and quality of expressed breast milk for the baby's health.
1.Proper storage of breast milk
These are general guidelines for storing human milk at different temperatures. Various factors affect how long human milk can be stored safely. Such factors include milk volume, room temperature
when milk is expressed, temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator and freezer, and cleanliness of the environment.
1.1Storing breast milk after expressing
- Refrigerate or chill milk right after it is pumped, if possible. You can put it in the refrigerator, place it in a cooler or insulated cooler pack, or freeze it in small (2 to 4 ounce) batches for later feedings.
- Use breast milk storage bags or clean, food-grade containers to store expressed breast milk. Make sure the containers are made of glass or plastic and have tight-fitting lids.
- Avoid bottles with the recycle symbol number 7, which indicates that the container may be made of BPA-containing plastic
- Remove air before sealing.
- Lay bags flat to freeze. To prevent sticking between bags, please separate the bags with paper towels.
- Never store breast milk in disposable bottle liners or plastic bags that are not intended for storing breast milk.
- Gently swirl the container to mix the cream part of the breast milk that may rise to the top back into the rest of the milk. Do not shake the milk. This can make some of the milk's valuable parts break
down. - Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored
1.2Storage tips
- Clearly label on the storage container with the date it was expressed, include your child's name if you are giving the milk to a childcare provider.
- Do not store breast milk in the door of the refrigerator or freezer. This will help protect the breast milk from temperature changes from the door opening and closing.
- If you don't think you will use freshly expressed breast milk within 4 days, freeze it right away. This will help to protect the quality of the breast milk.
- When freezing breast milk:
Store small amounts to avoid wasting milk that might not be finished. Store in 2 to 4 ounces or the amount offered at onefeeding.
Leave about one inch of space at the top of the container because breast milk expands as it freezes. - Breast milk can be stored in an insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours when you are traveling. At your destination, use the milk right away, store it in the refrigerator, or freeze it.
2.Safe thawing of breast milk
- Always thaw the oldest breast milk first. Remember first in, first out. Over time, the quality of breast milk can decrease.
- There are several ways to thaw your breast milk:In the refrigerator overnight、Set in a container of warm or lukewarm water、Under lukewarm running water.
- Never thaw or heat breast milk in a microwave. Microwaving can destroy nutrients in breast milk and create hot spots, which can burn a baby's mouth.
- If you thaw breast milk in the refrigerator, use it within 24 hours.Start counting the 24 hours when the breast milk is completely thawed, not from the time when you took it out of the freezer.
- Once breast milk is brought to room temperature or warmed, use it within 2 hours.
- Never refreeze breast milk after it has thawed.
