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Storing expressed breast milk. Breast milk storage. How and how long should you store expressed breast milk in a bottle in the refrigerator and freezer? Why Express Breast Milk

The most valuable and beneficial for your baby, of course, is breast milk. And no alternative food can match. Almost every mother knows about its benefits, but not everyone knows how to store expressed breast milk correctly in different conditions. During lactation, a young mother may face various problems and situations, for example:

  • the need to go to work;
  • the child has bitten through the breast;
  • the baby suddenly refuses to breastfeed;
  • an urgent need to leave;
  • any other life circumstances when the child has to be left at home with a nanny, grandmother, with loved ones.
Proper storage of breast milk

And during these periods, for the most accurate solution of problems, mothers try to express and leave milk so as not to disrupt the baby's diet (). And a natural question arises, what to store breast milk and how much is it stored without losing its beneficial properties?

Important! You do not need to sterilize expressed breast milk! Do not use milk after the expiration date!

Storage tanks for expressed breast milk

There are several types of storage containers: glass, plastic and plastic. These can be packages and various containers, cups, bottles.

Video instruction on the use of milk storage bags

The main criteria that they must meet:

  • sterility;
  • closing tightness;
  • ease of use;
  • the presence of a measuring scale is desirable.

Before purchasing a container, you should decide for what purpose it will be intended.

If for freezing, it is better to buy special disposable plastic bags. Their advantage is that they are hermetically and easily sealed, sterile, made of very dense polyethylene and ready for use. Also, they already have a measuring scale and there is a place for the inscription of the date and time. Such packages are sold in any pharmacy.

storage bag for expressed breast milk

Some mums use disposable plastic bottle liners for freezing, but this is not reliable. They are not suitable for storage and when frozen, the seams may burst. When defrosting, all contents will simply leak out. But if you still have to use them, then for reliability, pour milk into a double bag. And do not store for a long time.


The most popular among solid containers is glass, in second place is plastic, and in third place is plastic. But scientists have proven that milk can be stored both in plastic and in glass without compromising on quality.

For convenience, select a container that will only contain enough for a single feed. Be sure to indicate the date and time of pumping on the container.

How to store breast milk for a walk

Young mothers may face another problem - how to store expressed milk while walking. For these purposes, there are several options for thermal bags on the market, as well as special thermos for bottles. This is quite convenient, especially if you are on vacation for a long time and at the same time you can stock up on several servings of food.

Where to store breast milk

In between feedings and pumping, certain conditions must be adhered to for the correct storage of breast milk.

  1. If you plan on storing milk for a long time, then the best way is to freeze it. Freeze only freshly expressed milk, but be sure to leave it in the refrigerator for a period of 1.5 to 2 hours before freezing. And don't forget to write down the date and time. A frozen product, of course, loses a number of its beneficial properties, but it is definitely better than artificial mixtures.
  2. If the expressed portion of milk will be consumed within a few days, it is best to keep it in the refrigerator. Chilled milk will retain almost all nutrients. The main rule is not to store it on the door.
  3. If fresh milk will be drunk during the day, it is best to store it in a room in a sterile container and tightly closed.

Rules for defrosting and heating milk

To defrost a portion of milk, first place it in the refrigerator so that there is no sharp temperature drop. Then pour the portion into a feeding bottle and heat in a water bath. A bottle warmer is available for easy heating of milk.

Never heat milk for feeding in a microwave oven, do not heat it in saucepans, do not boil it - it will lose all its beneficial properties.

Never re-freeze already thawed breast milk. In this case, too, all properties are lost.

Note to moms!


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How much to store breast milk

Leaving stocks of breast milk, you need to know where, how long and at what temperature it can be stored.

In fridge:

Expressed milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours at a temperature of +4 + 6 degrees. At the same time, it must be placed as deep as possible. Fresh milk must be cooled before placing in the refrigerator.

In the freezer:

In the freezer, expressed milk at temperatures from -13 to -18 degrees is stored from a month or even up to three months, and at temperatures from -18 to -20 degrees for no more than a year. Cool milk in the refrigerator before freezing.

At room temperature:

At room temperature (from +19 to +22 degrees), fresh product can be stored for no more than 10 hours. At a temperature not higher than + 25 °, milk can be stored for no more than 6 hours (4-6 hours). More than 25 ° - up to 3 hours. Scientists have investigated that the substances that make up breast milk can counteract the multiplication of various microbes, so the milk does not spoil.

Shelf life of breast milk (visual table)

Storing expressed breast milk is a great solution to many of your baby's feeding problems. Even if you are forced to be absent for a period of time, then your baby will not stop receiving your love, protection and all the useful vitamins. The most important thing, of course, is to know the rules and conditions for storing this irreplaceable food for your baby.

Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most enjoyable activities for many women. However, sometimes there are situations when it is necessary to express a certain amount of milk. Perhaps it is worthwhile to immediately make a reservation that there are few such situations, and regular pumping after each feeding does not make sense if the mother and child are not separated, both are healthy, and feeding is carried out on demand.

You have to strain in the following situations:

  • the birth of a premature baby who is temporarily weaned from the mother due to the need for treatment (or is with the mother, but cannot adequately grasp the nipple and suckle the breast);
  • the birth of a child with any disease requiring medical intervention and / or disrupting the sucking process;
  • separation of a mother from a child for any reason (illness of a mother or child, mother's going to work, etc.). In this option, pumping is necessary both to meet the needs of the baby and to maintain the mother's lactation. If mom goes to work and is pumping regularly, it is worth leaving morning, evening and night feedings if possible;
  • a feeling of fullness in the mammary glands. This happens more often in the early stages of lactation. It is optimal in such situations to attach the baby to the breast. If this cannot be done for some reason, you can express a little milk (only until the discomfort disappears, but not all the milk that can be expressed);
  • in the early stages of the introduction of complementary foods (when preparing porridge in breast milk).

Optimal supply of nutrients and immunoglobulins to the baby is ensured when feeding recently expressed milk (for example, if the mother goes to work and is expressing regularly, the baby can receive milk that was expressed yesterday).

Long-term storage of milk (for several months) no longer satisfies all the needs of the baby, since the composition of breast milk changes from month to month, adjusting to the needs of the baby.

In this regard, if a mother, for example, is about to be hospitalized, it is better to express the required amount of milk a few days before hospitalization than to gain a large “strategic supply” in advance. Obviously, there are emergencies when it is not known in advance that the mother and the child will have to part. In these situations, it is important to remember 2 points:

  • it is better to give your baby breast milk that has been stored for 6 months than formula;
  • if, in unforeseen circumstances, it was necessary to separate from the child, and there was no breast milk left at home, a disaster will not happen if the child eats formula for several days. In such a situation, it is fundamentally important for the mother to pump regularly to maintain lactation (with a successful combination of circumstances, you can transfer this milk to the child, if unsuccessful (the use of a number of drugs), you will have to pour out the milk, but this is extremely important to preserve breastfeeding when reuniting with the baby).

If you still have to pump, you need to adhere to a number of rules.


Rules for expressing breast milk:

  • Remember to wash your hands before expressing milk;
  • When expressing, use special bottles that fit tightly to the breast pump. Do not express directly into plastic milk storage bags (or any other container that is not intended for expressing);
  • Expressing is possible only after feeding the baby. If a woman is breastfeeding from one breast at each feed, it is possible to express the other breast immediately after breastfeeding. If a woman feeds from two breasts at each feeding, pumping is possible during the break between feedings (ideally, if there is a long night break, pumping in the middle of this break will allow you to get the most milk and "not deprive" the baby);
  • After expressing, milk can be transferred to special milk freezer bags and placed in the freezer. Be sure to sign the date when the milk was received. Before freezing milk, it can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated within the time frames shown in the table below;
  • Do not add new expressed milk to previously frozen bags;
  • Do not use for freezing and storage milk from a bottle from which the baby has already drank (if it is left after feeding).

Breast milk storage

Storage conditions Temperature Duration Comments (1)
On the table Room temperature (up to 25 ° C) 6-8 hours The container with milk should be tightly closed and placed in the coolest place
Cooler bag -15- 4 ° C 24 hours It is imperative to use ice packs, which must be in direct contact with the container with milk.
Fridge 4 ° C 5 days Place the container with milk as close to the back of the refrigerator as possible
Freezer Place milk as close to the back of the freezer as possible. Milk that has been stored longer than indicated in the table is safe for the baby, but does not meet all of his needs due to the breakdown of lipids.
Freezer inside the refrigerator (no separate door) -15 ° C 2 weeks
Freezer with separate door -18 ° C 3-6 months
Separate freezer -20 ° C 6-12 months


Thawing breast milk

  1. To defrost milk, you just need to get a bag of milk out of the freezer in advance or place it in a bowl of warm water;
  2. Do not refreeze milk. If milk remains in the bag (after defrosting you only poured part of the milk into the bottle), it can be kept in the refrigerator for 5 days. If milk remains in the bottle from which the child drank, further storage is not allowed;
  3. Using the microwave to defrost breast milk is not recommended because:
  • overheating milk can lead to the destruction of some nutrients, thereby reducing the value of the milk;
  • when heated in a bottle, they can "explode" if you forget to take milk out of the microwave on time;
  • The heating of liquid in the microwave oven is uneven, and therefore some portions of milk may be too hot or cold.


Sources:

  1. Academy of Lactation Medicine Recommendations (2004);
  2. American Academy of Pediatrics;
  3. www.cdc.gov.

Expressing breast milk is a way to balance breastfeeding and an active lifestyle. How long is breast milk stored at room temperature and how to store it correctly?

Mother's milk is the healthiest food for a newborn baby. In addition to vitamins and trace elements, it contains antibodies that protect the baby from disease. Infant formula is therefore less preferred. They contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates, essential trace elements, but no anti-infectious substances. The World Health Organization recommends that mothers continue to breastfeed for up to 2 years. Pediatricians and mammologists talk about the need for breastfeeding for up to a year.

What if mom needs to go to work but wants to keep breastfeeding? Expressed breast milk comes to the rescue. Mothers who try to lead an active lifestyle after childbirth often resort to expressing. Any family member caring for the child in the absence of the mother will be able to feed the baby.

How to store expressed breast milk

It can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. It is more convenient to leave in small containers with a volume of up to 200 ml. There are special bags for storing breast milk in the freezer. Their advantage is that they are compact. They are convenient to arrange, especially if you are stocking large quantities. The bags are sterile and do not require additional disinfection. The disadvantage is that they are disposable. Sold in a set of 20-25 pieces, the price starts at 450 rubles per package. Typically, bags are available in 100 ml, 150 ml and 180 ml volumes.

You can purchase containers for storing expressed milk. They can be used many times, but they take up a lot of space. The great thing about the expressed breast milk containers is that they are pump compatible. This is very convenient for the mother: you express directly into a storage container and then simply close it with a lid. No additional containers need to be poured or sterilized. The volume of such containers is usually:

  • 180 ml
  • 200 ml
  • 150 ml.

Additionally, they can be used to heat meat or vegetables when introducing complementary foods.

Remember to include the pumping date and freezing date on each storage container. It is more convenient to do this on packages: write with a regular marker or felt-tip pen. And on containers this is not always possible: sometimes felt-tip pens do not write on them. If you bought a container on which you can write the date with a felt-tip pen, then there is always the risk of not erasing it later. And you won't be able to reuse it. Therefore, it is better to glue a small sheet with dates on the container with tape.

Shelf life of breast milk

The question of how much breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator cannot be answered unequivocally. This period depends on the temperature conditions in which it is stored. If you prefer to store your breast milk in the refrigerator, then the period will be up to 8 days. Make sure that the temperature in the refrigerator is positive, not higher than 4 ° C.

The shelf life of breast milk in the freezer varies greatly, ranging from 14 days to 1 year. If your freezer has a temperature of -20 ° C, then you can safely store supplies for a year. There are refrigerators in which the freezer compartment has a common door. In this case, milk can be stored for up to 2 weeks. In a freezer with a separate door, the shelf life is up to 6 months.

The temperature there should be no higher than -5 ° C.

There are times when mom needs to be absent for a short time. Is it possible not to freeze the milk, but leave it at room temperature? How long will it stay fresh? If the room is not higher than 15 ° C, then it can be stored for about a day. If not higher than 25 ° C, then up to 6 hours.

Even if you strictly adhere to all storage rules, always check the freshness of milk before feeding. How can you tell if it has deteriorated? The smell will be unpleasant and the taste will be sour or bitter. If it is fresh it will be sweet. If you see a thick layer on top of the jar, don't worry. It didn't deteriorate, just fat separated. This is normal. Many family members can draw the mother's attention to the fact that the milk is translucent or has a bluish tint. Don't worry, it's fresh but low in fat. Check with your pediatrician if your diet needs to be adjusted. If something worries you, it is better to pour out the product so as not to harm the child.

It is important to provide the correct conditions not only for storage, but also for expression. If you are expressing with your hands, wash them thoroughly before doing so. Using a breast pump is preferred. With this method, there is less risk of microbes getting into the container. It is necessary to drain it into a pre-sterilized container. Do not use household jars or bottles, buy special containers. They should be marked that the composition does not contain bisphenol A. If you prefer storing expressed milk in special bags, additional sterilization is not required. After pumping, immediately place the container in the refrigerator or freezer. You should express as many times as you need. If the baby is not eating enough or is gaining weight poorly, then do it after each feed and in between. If there are no problems with the weight of the child, then only when the breast is very swollen.

Try to fill the container with as much milk as your baby needs for one feeding. For infants, the norm is:

  • 1-2 weeks - 80-90 ml;
  • 1 month - 110 ml;
  • 2 months - 150 ml.

A child aged 3-4 months can drink from 150 to 180 ml per feeding. For children from six months to a year, the norm is 210-240 ml. Keep in mind that these numbers are relative, because every child is different. Thawed milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheated should not be frozen again, and unused should be discarded.

What is the correct way to use expressed breast milk? If you have stored it in the freezer, then first move the container to the refrigerator until it is completely defrosted. After that, you can warm up and feed the baby. The most convenient way to heat milk is to place it in a baby food warmer. Then you will need this device for heating meat and vegetable purees. You can simply place a container of milk in a bowl of hot water. It is also recommended to warm up breast milk in a water bath or in a microwave oven. This is not worth doing as it is difficult to control the temperature. And heating in a water bath will also take a long time. The temperature of milk for feeding a baby should be 37 ° C.

Don't boil breast milk! So its beneficial properties will disappear.

Which of the ways to store breast milk is more convenient, each mother decides for herself. The main thing is that now there are enough opportunities to preserve natural feeding.

It happens that a mother, for one reason or another, needs to temporarily stop feeding, but she does not want to completely wean the baby. Then she should learn how to freeze breast milk so that it does not lose its beneficial properties and does not deteriorate during storage.

Freezing breast milk is only necessary if it has been stored for a long time. If stocks are used up within the next few days, it is best to keep them chilled in the refrigerator without freezing. This will save more nutrients.

Preparing to express

First, the milk must be collected correctly. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water before expressing. You can express yourself by hand or with a breast pump. If a breast pump is used, all parts must be washed with a baby-safe detergent and dried beforehand. You do not need to wash your breasts before expressing, since there are glands on the areoles that produce a secret that has bactericidal properties. A daily hygienic shower is sufficient.

How to choose a container for storing stock

It is important not only to follow all hygienic requirements, but also to choose the right container for storage.

It is convenient to store breast milk in glass bottles, but do not freeze breast milk, as the glass can crack from temperature changes. Glass containers are also bad because during the freezing process valuable fatty fractions adhere to them, which the baby does not get later.

It is not recommended to use transparent polycarbonate plastic containers. This type of material contains the hazardous substance Bisphenol A, which is released during heating and enters the product. If such a container is used for freezing, then it will not be possible to reheat the product in it. To reheat, thawed milk must be poured into another container. Bisphenol A-free dishes are labeled “BPA free”.

For storage, you can choose opaque polypropylene containers, which are considered safe.

It is convenient to store frozen breast milk in special plastic bags. Such packages are compactly stacked in the freezer. In addition, they are sold already sterilized, which simplifies their use. The bags can be connected to the breast pump, which reduces the chances of milk contamination while expressing.

Any utensils, with the exception of sterilized bags, must be washed and dried beforehand.

Freezing expressed milk

In order for milk to be stored for a long time, it is necessary to protect it from unnecessary contact with air. Close the container immediately after expressing. Excess air is removed from plastic bags.

Containers or bags in which breast milk is supposed to be frozen should be no more than 3/4 full, as the liquid expands when frozen, and a container filled to the brim may burst.

It is better to freeze stocks in small portions up to 120 ml, so that the entire amount of thawed milk can be used at one time.

If there is not enough milk to freeze, you can fill the container during the day and then freeze it. You can add fresh milk to the chilled portion if its amount is significantly less and does not heat up the already cooled one. Otherwise, it is better to first put the fresh one to cool in a separate container and then mix with the already cooled one. To frozen, you can add a little chilled, avoiding thawing the stored portion.

The breast pump and container must be pre-treated. Expressed milk does not require processing before freezing.

Stocks should be stored without exceeding the following periods:

  • in a common refrigerator compartment on a freezer shelf - up to 14 days;
  • in a freezer with a separate door - up to 4 months;
  • in a separate freezer with a constant temperature not exceeding 20 0 С - up to a year.

How much milk will actually be stored? It depends on how hygienically correct it was collected.

The expressed milk sometimes changes color during freezing. This does not affect the quality of the product in any way. If the milk does not give off a sour smell, then it has not spoiled.

Cons of freezing

Freezing is not the best way to store it. Cooled milk, subject to all cleanliness conditions, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 days. Moreover, the number of harmful microorganisms in it decreases over time, since the enzymatic system of milk is included in the work.

If the product is frozen, then during thawing it will lose about half of its valuable substances. But their content will be five times more than in substitutes. However, if expressed milk is used for several days, it is best to store it refrigerated.

After thawing, a specific soapy smell sometimes appears. Some children refuse to drink this milk. The smell is caused by an enzyme called lipase, which is inactivated by heat. If expressed milk is brought to pasteurization temperature (60 ° C) without letting it boil, lipase will collapse, but some useful substances will be lost, for example, vitamin C.

When storing frozen milk in refrigerators that does not need to be thawed, the fat content of the product changes due to regular thawing and freezing.

Because of all these disadvantages, you need to consider how much expressed milk will actually have to store and whether it is worth freezing.

If you do not know how long it will take before expressed milk is consumed, it is best to keep it frozen.

It is important not only to freeze the product correctly, but also to defrost it with the least loss for a high-quality composition.

No matter how long it takes, the milk should be thawed gradually. To defrost it, it must be moved from the freezer to the refrigerator. Then you need to heat the thawed milk by placing the vessel in warm, but not hot water. This gentle thawing will allow you to preserve nutrients to a greater extent.

You should not use a microwave for heating, since uneven heating provokes the destruction of nutrients.

If the entire portion thawed is not used immediately, the leftovers will be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours.

Of course, in the first six months of life, breast milk remains the most valuable food for a baby. But life circumstances sometimes make their own adjustments, and if the mother does not seek to transfer the baby to the formula, then she has the opportunity to make stocks of expressed milk.

Even pre-frozen breast milk will be much healthier for the baby than the highest quality substitute.

Everyone knows that breast milk has unique properties. No artificial mixture can replace it. But what if mom is busy and soon to feed the baby? You should not be upset, because milk can be expressed and stored. However, you need to know how to store expressed breast milk. After all, such a mixture must necessarily retain its useful qualities.

Modern mothers don't stay at home. They often work and are constantly busy. Sometimes a woman needs to be absent for a long time, but how to feed a baby? This can be done by dad or someone from your family.

However, it is not necessary to purchase a special mixture, because you can express your own milk and keep it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Not all women know how to properly express the formula for feeding, so they are afraid to do it. There is no need to worry: this process is not dangerous for the female breast.

Reasons why pumping is mandatory:

  1. Usually, immediately after giving birth, a young mother has a very large amount of milk. If it is not used up, the woman may feel bad. Expression is necessary for this reason, although it should not be overused. How long should the process take? Expressing should be done until it becomes easier.
  2. In some cases, there may be little breastfeeding. In such situations, pediatricians are advised to breastfeed the baby more often or to use a special breast pump. This procedure will stimulate the breasts in a special way. Expressing milk will add more milk the next time you feed.
  3. If there is still “food” left after feeding.
  4. If the mother is sick and the doctor forbids her to breastfeed. Expressing is not prohibited, however.

How to do it right

Expressing and feeding are different processes. Therefore, the body reacts to them in different ways. During the first, the body “senses” a catch, so the milk is not released enough. Doctors advise to drink hot tea with milk before the procedure. You can take a warm shower or apply a warm tissue to your chest. The main thing is to provide the mammary gland with enough heat.

You can also massage the mammary glands. This will stimulate milk production.

Expressing can be done in two ways:

By hands

Some women are afraid to do something wrong and thus harm themselves. In fact, everything is simple. You just need to follow a couple of recommendations:

  • Before the process, wash your hands well and rinse your chest with warm water. You can massage it lightly.
  • It is necessary to clasp one breast with your hand and gently press from the base to the nipple with massage movements. The thumb and forefinger are positioned at opposite ends of the halos.
  • You need to press gently, so the movements should be soft and careful. The pain should not be felt.

It may not be possible to express milk the first time, but with experience everything will come. You just need to get used to it.

Such devices are presented in an assortment. There are no special instructions, you just need to choose quality products.

The main thing is that all components of the breast pump can be washed and sterilized. You should not buy products that cannot be boiled. They can contribute to infection.

There are special electric breast pumps. They are effortless and can express milk from both breasts at once. However, they cannot be controlled. Manual mechanisms are easy to operate but require the use of force.

The pumping process is as follows:

  • Preparation is indispensable even here. First, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse not only the hands and chest, but also the components of the device. It is very important that they can be sterilized.
  • The chest can be washed with warm boiled water.
  • Then the device must be applied to the center of the chest. Usually, the instructions for the breast pump allow you to quickly get the hang of it. The process itself depends on the specific model. Expression force can be adjusted. It is also necessary to monitor the jet. It doesn't have to be very strong.
  • The breast pump is washed and removed immediately after use. All is ready.

How to store

Even expressed milk is much healthier than artificial formula. So that such a substance does not lose its healing properties, it should be properly stored.

How to store expressed breast milk? How long should the period last? The first step is to determine the storage capacity. Doctors consider glassware to be the best option. You can also use plastic. However, now there are special utensils and bags for storing milk. It is better to use them, since only high-quality materials are used for the manufacture of such products. Another advantage is that the containers are already sterilized. Pediatricians advise choosing these particular products.

Containers can also be used. They are convenient to store and use in different situations.

What should be the term

How is breast milk stored? It is not necessary to store it in the refrigerator. After expressing, milk can be safely stored at room temperature for 6-8 hours. Therefore, mom can go away, leaving the milk on the table in the room.

However, the lower the temperature, the longer the healthy mix will last. So, at 25 degrees, storage lasts about 6 hours, at 20 - 10 hours, at 16 degrees - a day.

Many mums try to keep their expressed milk in the refrigerator. If you need to go away or do important things, you can put the dishes in a cold place. But in the refrigerator, the product loses its healing substances much faster. They last longer at room temperature.

How long can storage be done correctly? You can store breast milk in the refrigerator for up to two days. It is warmed up before feeding.

There are situations when a mother needs a large amount of milk at once for a long time. How to be? You can freeze a small part in the freezer. Frozen milk can be stored for up to 6 months.

It is necessary to defrost it correctly. The process should be very gradual. At first, the container is simply left in the refrigerator, and then left for a short time indoors at room temperature. And only then you can place the container or bottle under a warm stream of water.

For heating, you can also use special devices. Doctors forbid heating the mixture in the microwave or boiling it.

It is important to remember that the processes of freezing in the refrigerator and defrosting can negatively affect the beneficial properties of milk. No matter how much it is stored, some of the benefits are still lost. Although such milk will still be more useful than infant formula, it is still better not to get carried away with such procedures. Real breast milk is the most nutritious and beneficial for the health and well-being of the baby.

How long can expressed breast milk be stored after thawing in the refrigerator? No more than a day. At the same time, it cannot be re-frozen.

If the substance has acquired a new color, an unusual smell has appeared, you should not worry, this is quite normal. One has only to be alert if the smell is too sour: the milk has deteriorated and is not suitable for the child.