Storage of breast milk. How correctly and how much to store the expressed breast milk in a small bottle in a refrigerator and a freezer?

The article describes the rules, the observance of which will allow to store breast milk without losing its properties.

If desired, breast-feed the baby even inher absence, her mother should know the rules for storing breast milk in order to avoid losing her useful qualities.

How much breastmilk is stored?

Storage temperature is the main criterion affecting the shelf life of breast milk, which varies from 4 hours to 6 months of .

And the temperature, in turn, depends on the storage location: room, refrigerator or freezer.

Storage conditions of expressed breast milk

IMPORTANT: Shelf life does not depend on the container in which it will be stored, but directly depends on the storage conditions.

Breast milk storage temperature

Stored milk is stored in the temperature range from -19 ° C to +25 ° C.

At temperature 23 ° C - 25 ° C can store a maximum of 6 hours .This is not the best option for storing milk.

IMPORTANT: It is better if the temperature does not exceed 22 ° C.

With normal room temperature 18 ° C - 22 ° C in milk, all useful elements will remain for 10 hours .In this case, the milk will not turn sour.

15 ° C allow milk not to lose its properties within 24 hours .

With 0 ° C - 4 ° C can store milk for for 8 days .

The greatest shelf life is achieved in the freezer. If the freezer without a separate door , then store no more than 14 days .If the freezer has a separate door - 3 months .

For a constant temperature of -19 ° C in a separate freezer store it for 6 months or more .

Storing expressed breast milk in freezers

How to store breast milk in the refrigerator?

A maximum of 8 days will leave the milk in the refrigerator. Place containers with milk away from the refrigerator door, so the constant opening of the refrigerator door will affect the shelf life.

Do not store breast milk in the refrigerator

When stored in a refrigerator, the properties of milk are not lost.

IMPORTANT: If you are preparing milk for feeding for the next 8 days - put it in the refrigerator, and not in the freezer.

If you have already thawed milk, then you can leave it in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours.

Containers and bags for storing breast milk

There is no fundamental difference in the storage capacity of breast milk.

Where to store expressed breast milk:

containers IMPORTANT: Sterile capacity is the main rule for storing milk.

You can use special medical plastic cups , designed for storage of food and their freezing. But minus them in that they are quite voluminous and there are not many of them in the freezer. So, it will be problematic for you to make a large supply of milk if necessary.

Storing expressed breast milk in plastic cups

The best storage option is packages, designed exclusively for for storage of breast milk. Features :

• sterilized
• sterilized
• takes up little space
• tightly closed
• can be put directly on the breast pump
• have a place for writing the date of decantation

Minus , perhaps only in price .

Storing expressed breast milk in special packages

The most budget option will be storage in glass containers( from baby food, for example).But there are significant disadvantages:

• you should make the capacity of the sterile
• the capacity should be tight

If you are sure that you will create such conditions, then you can use this storage option.

Freezing of breast milk

Conditions and ways of storing expressed breast milk

If it is supposed that the milk will be needed for a baby later than 8 days, then it needs to be frozen.

Freezing rules for breast milk:

• , before freezing, freshly refrigerated milk should be placed in the refrigerator for several hours.
• should be frozen in such portions as the child
• will need to mix the cooled milk and the frozen milk if the chilled milk is several times less. The meaning of this rule is that the frozen milk does not start to be thawed by the addition of cooled
• when mixing several batches, the difference in the expression date should not be more than a few days.

IMPORTANT: Do not freeze the same milk portion repeatedly.

Sterilization of breast milk at home

If you need to sterilize milk, you can do it at home.

To do this, prepare a sterile bottle. To avoid unnecessary milk transfusions, sterilize the bottle from which you will feed the baby.

Sterilization of breast milk at home

Put a bottle of milk in an enamel saucepan. Pour water as much as necessary for the stability of the bottle.

IMPORTANT: The bottle should not float in water. She must stand firm.

Bring the water in a saucepan to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Gently use a potholder or towel to get the milk. Cool to the proper temperature and feed the baby.

IMPORTANT: After sterilization, breast milk has fewer beneficial microelements and properties. Do this procedure only in necessary cases.

The value of mother's breast milk

The rules for defrosting of breast milk

• If you follow all the rules for storing milk, but incorrectly defrost it, then all your labors will be in vain.
• Milk from the freezer is first thawed naturally, then heated in warm water
• Milk from the refrigeratorheated in warm water

IMPORTANT: Do not use a microwave oven to heat milk.

Heated breast milk

IMPORTANT: Frozen - defrost. Defrosted - we warm. Warm - give the baby.

A special appliance can be used for heating.

Breast milk storage: advice and feedback

The best breast milk is the one that the baby receives from your chest. It has the necessary temperature, it is sterile, it has all the necessary properties.

Mother's milk is the best milk in the world, which has no analogues

IMPORTANT: Feed your baby with expressed milk only when there is no other way out.

But if you had to express milk for further feeding, then follow the rules:

• be sure to write the date of decantation
• the container must be sterile
• observe the storage temperature
• observe the storage time
• the second time to freeze the same milk can not be
• the remaining excess after feeding the milk pour
• try not to mix the expressed at different times portions of milk
• it is impossible to store milk in bottles, intended for feeding
• before feeding, shake milk until you achieve homogeneity

Video: How to express and store breast milk