Storing & Expressing Breast Milk Safely – HowToGuide

Preparing & Storing Breast Milk Safely

Breastfeeding can be a full-time job for a mother, especially in the first few months of birth. It is a fact that for the first six months of life, mothers should feed their babies only on breastmilk and water. Some medical doctors advise that if it is possible to practice EBF (Exclusive Breastfeeding) for at least sixteen months, it improves the child’s metabolism and brain development.

As well-meaning as the above facts can be, not all nursing mothers have the luxury of time to attend to their babies. Busy routines, work schedules, and circumstances may hinder mothers from being available all the time. One alternative method of providing a child with all the nutrients they need during this enforced absence is to buy breast milk.

This is advantageous in many ways, but an essential benefit of this exercise is that a child is not deprived of the basic nutrients required for proper growth. Therefore working parents, career women, and busy mothers can attend to other needs without worrying about their children.

However, breast milk storage is a delicate procedure, especially for the child’s safety; if it is not done carefully, it could become harmful first to the child and the mother. This article will give you a step-by-step approach to storing breast milk for your child.

Before You Store

A) Wash Your Hands

Due to the delicate procedure and to prevent contamination, you must thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water.

B) Sterilized Breast Pump

breast pumps are devices used by nursing mothers to extract breast milk. Be sure whatever breast pump you decide to use is well cleaned and is germ-free.

Device for Storage

It is necessary to be intentional with what device or container you would use to preserve the breast milk. For safety, it is advisable to have a dedicated bottle to store in. There are two main types of containers that can preserve breast milk, and we will briefly discuss the two.

Hard Plastic or Glass

These kinds of containers are most times BPA-free and are very strong. You don’t have to worry about spillage since they can stay a long time if left untouched. The downside is that it can be dangerous to children if it falls or is handled carelessly.

Plastic Bags

There are plastic bags dedicated to storing breast milk, though they are at risk of having a tear, leakage, or even contamination. If you decide on this bag, then to be safe, you can place it in a rigid container with a firm cover.

A note of warning, never store your breast milk in just any container or plastic; it can be hazardous to your child’s health.

Label the Container

For busy mothers, labeling the container is as important as storing the milk, especially if your child is in a crèche or daycare facility. Even if you keep it in the refrigerator, it is vital the container is labeled to indicate the content, and if it is in a public place, the child’s name is too.

Preservation of the Milk

After expressing the milk into the container or bottle, the next step is preservation. Breast milk can be stored for a couple of days to weeks, depending on the means of preservation. We will examine all the procedures of preservation.

How Much to Store?

If you are just trying it for the first time, it is advisable to preserve just what is right for one feeding. Furthermore, never fill up your container or bottle since milk expands as it freezes. If you are spending the day out or intend to send breast milk to the crèche, you can preserve extra for unforeseen circumstances. 

Where to Store?

There are various methods by which breast milk is preserved, and we will briefly review them here. You can choose whichever method works best for you. 

Coolers

This is commonly used, especially in schools, daycares, events, or public places. You can use them in the house too. All you need is a cooler with some ice packs, and you can preserve your child’s meal for a few hours.

Refrigerator

This is how breast milk is commonly preserved in the home. It can keep your breastmilk for days.

Deep Freezer

This is the safest; it can preserve breast milk the longest without hassles.

How Long to Store

Note that breast milk cannot be stored up indefinitely to avoid spoilage or contamination; therefore, the storage duration depends on the device used in preservation. We will highlight the means of preservation and how long it can preserve breast milk.

Room Temperature

You can leave milk at room temperature for up to six hours, but it is advisable to use it within four hours to preserve nutrients. This is often used when you are ready to feed your baby.

Insulated Coolers

When on a trip, this is the best form of preservation. Get a cooler, place your filled container, and cover with ice packs. This kind of preservation will last one day. 

Refrigerator

Under hygienic conditions, breast milk refrigerated can be preserved for up to five days when processed perfectly, but you are advised to use it up within three days for safety purposes.

Deep Freezer

This is the safest and most extended means of preserving breast milk, with the capacity to store the baby food for up to one year; however, parents are advised to use up the baby food within six months precautionary measures. 

How to Use Frozen Breast Milk

We have discussed how to preserve breast milk extensively, and now it is time to bring it out for use. Just like we systematically preserve the baby food, there is a procedure before a child can consume it.

Thawing is the process by which food is defrosted before it is consumed. Breast milk must be properly thawed before it can be served to a child. Unlike other food items that can be microwaved or heated up on gas, breast milk would lose nutrients and sometimes taste if done this way; there are two significant ways of defrosting baby milk.

Fridge

The first step you take when you need to thaw breast milk is to remove it from the freezer and place it in a refrigerator; it helps the milk defrost, and this is better done a night before the food is needed. By the next morning, you can leave for some minutes at room temperature before serving your child.

Warm Water

Breast milk can be thawed this way as well. You can put it under a running tap of warm water (covered up, of course) or place the container in a bowl of warm water. The milk gently defrosts and is then placed at room temperature. Once that’s done, you can begin serving your baby. 

Please note that it is better to thaw the oldest milk; first, this is for safety reasons, and this is why it is necessary to always label stored milk adequately, with date and time for easy identification.

Frequently Asked Questions on Storing Breast Milk Safely