How to store expressed milk. How to store breast milk at room temperature, in the refrigerator, in the freezer. Safe shelf life

It doesn't matter how you feed your baby breast milk - from the breast or from a bottle. In any case, questions about expressing and storing milk should be of interest to you. How to express milk? How to store breast milk? Where to store breast milk? How long can breast milk be stored?

Breast milk: how to express and how to store

Today, there are not as many questions as those related to infant feeding. How to feed, for how long... And if we focus specifically on breastfeeding, we will understand that the most a large number of Controversy arises around the topic of expressing milk. Yes, someone manages to feed their baby without pumping, we can only praise them and rejoice. But in most families, feeding with expressed milk is the norm, so they have a lot of questions. So let's answer them.

Do you need to express milk until the last drop?

The vast majority of grandmothers and aunties unanimously tell young mothers that in any case and always they need to express milk to the last drop. If simply persistence does not work on young mothers, they begin to scare them with mastitis, stagnation, or the complete disappearance of milk...

First, we want to reassure you, your relatives and doctors want only the best for you. After all, it’s true that 40 years ago there really were such recommendations! And they were only for the reason that at that time the concept of “feeding on demand” did not exist; the baby was put to the breast exactly on the clock. The baby at that time ate only once a day. But the woman’s body was not “ready” for such rare feeding, so milk was produced in excess. And that is why mastitis and other problems were frequent; women were forced to pump after each feeding, because much more milk was produced. And of course, with this approach, women almost always developed mastitis first (they produced a lot of milk, but the baby rarely ate), and then the milk disappeared completely.

Times have changed, and so has the attitude towards feeding. Therefore, if you feed your baby not according to the clock, but on demand, then you are in no danger and should not express after each feeding.

But sometimes pumping is necessary.

Reasons to express milk after each feeding:

Mom has too much milk. BUT in this case you shouldn’t get carried away, you need to “free” the breasts only until relief comes;
There is very little milk. In this case, you need to stimulate the breasts as often as possible: latch on to the baby more often or use a breast pump more often.

What to do during hyperlactation:

Many lactation consultants will advise you to simply not express milk and to latch on to your baby as much and as often as possible to give you relief. If the baby is full, and your breasts hurt from excess milk, express yourself, BUT only until RELIEF. Remember the golden rule: the more you pump, the more milk will come in next time. The baby is growing, his needs for milk are increasing every day, so be patient, everything will get better soon;
Try to avoid anything that stimulates lactation, namely: hot tea, baths;
If things are really “bad” and the milk does not decrease, then express it, but only a little, and freeze it. It may be useful to you in the future, when you go away and leave the baby with someone or during the first feedings, you can use it to make porridge or even cottage cheese for your baby.

How to express breast milk

When you express milk, what happens in your body is a little different from what happens when you naturally breastfeed your baby. The body perfectly distinguishes the baby from the breast pump; when expressing, the breast does not receive enough stimulation, so milk production deteriorates slightly.

Therefore, there are several recommendations for best quality pumping. Before pumping, mom needs to stimulate her body, for example, by drinking a cup of hot tea. Also, if there are no contraindications, you can put something hot on your chest, for example a towel soaked in warm water, or just take a bath or warm shower. It is important that the mother relax and think about the baby. In this state, the hormone oxytocin is released, which is responsible for the production of breast milk. You can also massage your breasts with light movements so that when expressing the milk comes out better and faster.

How to express breast milk

Manual method of expressing milk

Place your thumb on the upper border of the areola (approximately 2.5-3 cm from the nipple), the index and ring fingers opposite the thumb, on the lower border of the areola, the points of the fingers should be at the 6 and 12 o'clock position, if you imagine a watch dial.
Gently squeeze your chest towards your ribcage.
Roll your fingers forward towards the nipple.
When the milk comes out, release the pressure.
Do it all over again. Move the position of your fingers throughout the breast so that milk is released from all lobes. Ideally, pumping should be painless.

Express carefully and delicately, breast tissue is very delicate, it can be damaged due to strong pressure or friction.

But most mothers now use breast pumps. We can advise them to sometimes resort to manual expression, since it is with manual expression that breast massage and kneading occur. And this contributes to good milk production.

How to choose a breast pump

Many women are surprised to find breast pumps in pharmacies, which are glass tubes with a rubber bulb. We strongly advise you to avoid this purchase, if you decide to buy a breast pump, do not save. For most women, such a device cannot even suck out anything, and besides, it can cause harm.

There are no essential requirements for breast pumps. It all depends on your desires and capabilities. But the only thing that is definitely worth paying attention to is that the breast pump can be completely sterilized without difficulty. Please note that some Chinese or other cheap breast pumps are marked “not subject to boiling or sterilization.” With such a breast pump there is a high risk of infecting the baby.

Another important question for many mothers is whether to choose a manual breast pump or an electric one. It's all up to you. They both have their advantages. Manual is more under your control; you can constantly adjust the degree and frequency of its operation. And the electric one will free you from, albeit small, but still physical activity. We can probably say that electric is convenient to use for those who need to pump both breasts; some models have this option

How to store breast milk

The safest place to store breast milk is this moment are special sterile bags for creating a breast milk bank. Baby bottles and baby food jars are not suitable for such purposes. This can even be dangerous, because plastic bottles, after use, washing, and sterilization, can begin to release harmful substances. The only plastic jars that can be a good container for storing breast milk should be made from high-quality medical polypropylene. The packaging of such jars must be marked accordingly. Glass baby food jars can, in principle, serve as a storage area for your breast milk, but glass has a little twist. When milk is stored in a glass, important substances from the milk stick to it, so a baby with such nutrition runs the risk of seriously lacking important microelements.

How to store expressed breast milk

How to store breast milk:

If you are going to use the milk within a week, store it in the refrigerator on a shelf. This way it will not lose, at least a little, its usefulness compared to frozen milk;
In the refrigerator, milk should not be stored in the door;
If you want to freeze freshly expressed (still warm) milk, then cool it in the refrigerator before doing so;
Mark the date of pumping;
In the freezer, place the milk against the far wall, so temperature fluctuations when opening the freezer will affect it less;
Defrost the milk gradually, first in the general compartment of the refrigerator, then at room temperature;
Milk can only be heated to body temperature (36-37 degrees), otherwise beneficial enzymes are destroyed;
We recommend heating it in a special bottle warmer. It is very easy to overheat it in the microwave or on the stove, and in the microwave you can also kill some of the beneficial properties;
It is completely normal that frozen milk changes color and smell, this is how some fatty acids manifest themselves when frozen;
It’s very easy to check if milk is spoiled - smell it. A spoiled product has a pronounced smell of sour milk;
If you plan to be away often, then a milk bank is essential. Well, if not, then 4-5 servings will be enough just in case of fire.

How long can breast milk be stored?

Calculation for a healthy full-term baby

Collecting breast milk

Today, everyone knows that the healthiest, best nutrition for a newborn baby and infant is breast milk, so mothers do everything to prolong lactation and feed the baby for as long as possible. But there are times when a young mother does not have the opportunity to breastfeed her baby and experts recommend feeding the baby with expressed milk.

The main reasons that complicate the feeding process associated with the mother are:

abnormalities or irregular shape of the nipples, making it difficult for the baby to grasp them;
pronounced abrasions and cracks of the nipples and areola, which make the act of sucking extremely painful;
galactorrhea (spontaneous leakage of milk from the breast);
mastitis;
hypogalactia;
“tight breasts”, in combination with organic diseases of the baby (perinatal pathology, prematurity, malnutrition);
severe illnesses of the mother - psychoneurotic pathology, endocrine disorders and heart defects in the decompensation stage.

Difficulties also arise from the baby:

for defects and diseases of the nasal and oral cavity;
with habitual regurgitation;
in case of severe illnesses of the child (intracranial birth injury, pneumonia, sepsis, extreme prematurity).

What does expressed milk look like?

Expressed breast milk looks very different from regular milk from a bag - if you let it sit, it will separate into layers. The upper layer of breast milk is formed by its fattier part, and when the container is shaken, it again becomes homogeneous. Also, breast milk expressed at different times will look different, due to the fact that its quantitative and qualitative composition and even color are influenced by many factors - nutrition, drinking regimen of the nursing mother.

Both colostrum and “mature” breast milk contain a large number of antimicrobial factors, which allows it to remain fresh for a long time, even without freezing. But even if freezing is necessary, breast milk loses some of its beneficial properties, due to its unique composition remains better than adapted mixtures.

The color of breast milk may vary.

Colostrum has a yellow to yellowish-orange color, a salty taste, and a slightly slimy appearance.

After its transformation into “mature” milk, which occurs within two weeks, its color gradually changes from yellowish to bluish-white.

Also, the color of breast milk can change depending on the mother’s diet, medications, and food dyes.

Fresh breast milk usually has a slightly sweet, delicate odor.

Breast milk storage containers

Store expressed breast milk in special containers made of food-grade plastic or glass containers, hermetically sealed, which are produced by companies that produce accessories for breastfeeding. breastfeeding. They are compact and easy to use, convenient and do not require special treatment, and milk can be expressed directly into them. For convenience, some types of bags can be attached directly to the breast pump. Various bags and containers are used to store milk. Each type of container for storing expressed milk has certain advantages and disadvantages.

When choosing containers for storing expressed milk, experts recommend:

First of all, use glass vessels.
On the second are containers made of polycarbonate (transparent hard plastic).
On the third - polypropylene opaque plastic vessels.

Containers for storing expressed breast milk, if the baby rarely drinks expressed milk, then the container can be made of any material - both glass and plastic, it is important that all its beneficial substances and immune factors are preserved, so they must be clean, dry and close tightly.

One of the important factors when choosing a container for storing expressed milk is ease of use.

Bottles for breast milk must be purchased at pharmacies - this means that this type of container for collecting and storing expressed milk is of high quality, has passed all tests and is airtight. Avent products have good recommendations from experts. There are several types of bottles:

Glassware, which is better for storage, but can be damaged by sudden temperature changes - cracks and damage are possible.
Plastic bottles are slightly inferior in storage to glassware, but are more practical and resistant to temperature changes.

Breast milk storage containers

Today, the pharmacy chain offers a wide range of different special containers for storing and freezing breast milk. These sterile containers do not require additional processing. Containers for breast milk are special plastic jars that are sealed with a lid. They also have a special graduation, with which you can determine the volume of expressed breast milk (number of milliliters).

The most commonly used containers are the Philips AVENT storage system.

Breast milk storage bags

Breast milk collection bags are sterile plastic containers that are closed with a clasp or tied with strings, with space for recording the date of collection of breast milk and special graduations for collecting breast milk.

Dividing the volume of expressed breast milk.

They take up little space and can be directly connected to breast pumps. Bags intended for storing milk are sold sterilized and can be easily sealed. Long-term storage of frozen breast milk in disposable plastic bags is not recommended.

Containers for storing expressed breast milk should hold from 70 to 120 grams of milk, which is the average volume required for one feeding of the baby, so as not to constantly open sterile containers, as this will spoil faster. This way you will be sure that the rest of the milk is safe and sound. It is important to label the breast milk container so you know exact time expression and storage duration.

Rules for storing breast milk

The shelf life of expressed breast milk at room temperature (23-25 C) is no more than four hours, at a temperature from 19 to 22 C - no longer than 10 hours, and from 15 to 18 C - no more than a day, then the milk must be poured out.

Storing milk in a cooler bag depends on the quality and ability to keep the temperature, but not more than 24 hours.

Milk is stored in special sterile dense plastic or glass containers or special breast milk freezing bags. It is not recommended to freeze breast milk in disposable bottle bags, and the new portion must be refrigerated before adding a new portion to already frozen milk. You can add a new portion of chilled milk

mint with another portion of frozen or cold milk, provided that the amount of milk added is small enough that it cannot defrost the previously frozen portion. But it is better to freeze breast milk in a small volume (from 60 to 130 ml).

Expressed milk, which must be given to the baby within 5 days after expressing, is best stored in the refrigerator, without freezing, so that the vitamins and immune factors contained in it are better preserved and do not even partially lose their properties, unlike frozen milk. But if you need to store milk for more than 8 days, it is better to freeze the product.

Thawed milk can be left in the refrigerator for 24 hours, but this portion cannot be re-frozen.

Storing breast milk in the refrigerator

In a refrigerator with a temperature range of 0 to -4 degrees, containers with expressed breast milk can be stored for no more than 4 days, and at a temperature of -5 (-6 C) - no more than 5 days.

Storing breast milk in the freezer

The shelf life of expressed breast milk depends on the type of freezer, how often it is opened, where the milk container is stored and its temperature regime. In a freezer with a temperature of -20 degrees, if the refrigerator is not self-defrosting, the shelf life is up to 6 months, in a freezer with a separate shelf - no more than 3 months. If the freezer compartment has a separate door, the shelf life of frozen breast milk is no more than 3-4 months, due to the fact that the temperature can vary due to frequent opening of the door.

Frozen milk on a freezer shelf inside a refrigerator that does not have a separate door should be stored for no more than two weeks. When storing expressed milk in a separate stationary deep-frozen freezer with a constant temperature of -19 C, the shelf life can be 6 months or more.

Shelf life of breast milk

The shelf life of expressed breast milk depends on the temperature:
outside the refrigerator: indoors at a temperature of 23-25 C - no more than four hours, from 19 to 22 C - 10 hours, and from 15 to 18 C - no more than a day;
in a refrigerator bag - no more than a day;
in the refrigerator - from four to five days (depending on constant temperature inside the refrigerator);
in the freezer - from three to six months.

How to properly defrost or warm expressed breast milk

To defrost or heat milk, you need to place the container in warm water. Do not heat milk until it boils or heat breast milk in the microwave.

Breast milk is the main food product for a baby. Every mother should know how to properly store breast milk so that it does not lose its nutritional properties. The baby needs daily nutrition, but breastfeeding is not always possible.

Unfortunately, none of the artificial formulas can compare with the benefits of breast milk for a baby. During lactation, a woman may encounter a situation where breastfeeding becomes physically impossible. There are many such situations in life, and here are some of them:

The need to leave your child for an extended period of time.
There are situations when the mammary glands produce large amounts of milk. In such situations, it will be necessary to express it so that excess does not remain in the breast and cause health problems. For further storage, expressed milk is packaged in special containers.
From an early age, the child begins to grow teeth. Teeth can be a big problem when breastfeeding, as the baby bites. At first, this may remain unnoticed, however, as the teeth grow, it will be impossible to ignore the bites.
Sometimes children may refuse to breastfeed; in such situations, feeding occurs with a bottle.

Expressing milk is the only solution to these problems. However, expressing is half the problem; it is more important to know how to properly preserve it for further consumption by the child.

Expression containers

Used to store breast milk special containers. These can be special containers, bags, cups and bottles. Storing it in ordinary bottles is strictly prohibited. Such containers are not sterile, so it is unsafe to contain food for a child in them.

Criteria that a container for storing breast milk must have:

The container must be completely closed. Otherwise, there is a risk of dust and dirt getting into the container.
Complete sterility.
Availability of liquid measurement scale.
Simple design.

For freezing Special plastic bags are suitable. The advantage of plastic bags is that they close tightly and airtight. The materials from which this container is made are very strong, and they will not break during storage. These bags have a measuring scale, as well as a place to write the date. You can buy a similar package at any pharmacy.

Some mothers use regular plastic bags to freeze and store breast milk. Storage in this way is allowed for a short period. This method is unreliable, since ordinary cellophane can break through. However, if it is not possible to purchase a special container, it is advisable to use several plastic bags at once for freezing so that they do not break.

Among solid containers for storing milk, glass containers, as well as plastic and plastic containers are used. The material from which the container is made does not affect the shelf life of breast milk.

Storage at room temperature

After pumping it is allowed store breast milk for 24 hours when the room temperature is 16 -17 degrees. If the air temperature reaches 25 degrees, then the milk can be stored for no more than 5 hours.

When exposed to room temperature, microbes develop in liquids. It is necessary to use sterile bottles to avoid premature spoilage of the milk. It is advisable to use transparent containers, and also write down the time after pumping. It is highly recommended not to feed children milk of questionable quality. Spoiled milk leads to health problems for the child.

Cold storage

Unlike room mode, baby food can be stored in the refrigerator for long periods of time. There are simple instructions for this that must be followed:

You need to know not only how to store milk in the refrigerator, but also how to heat it properly. Baby food can be heated in the following ways:

Using a water bath. The container is placed in a pan of water. Next, the pan is placed on the stove and heated. During heating, shake the container to stir the contents. It is necessary to warm up to human body temperature.
Using electrical appliances to heat food. Such devices allow you to accurately heat milk to the required temperature.

Expressing for freezing

Freezing allows express and store milk for a long time. The most important thing in this matter is choosing a suitable container. Containers or bottles are not suitable, as storing them in the freezer is inconvenient. The optimal container would be bags for storing breast milk. These bags are very convenient to use; they are made from durable materials and have date fields.

Special storage bags are sterile containers that keep the contents in a safe environment. The material from which the bag is made is very durable. Therefore, there is no reason to worry about the integrity of the container.

When freezing milk, you must follow these rules:

If you stick to these simple rules, there will be no problems with storing breast milk.

Shelf life

When stocking breast milk, you need to know the shelf life.

In various situations, you can extend the storage of breast milk in a regular refrigerator for up to 8 days. The temperature should be from 0 to +5 degrees. Do not place the container on the refrigerator door, as the bottle may fall after opening the refrigerator. After expressing milk, let it sit for a while before putting it in the refrigerator.

Freezers allow you to preserve baby food products for a long time. Freezers can maintain temperatures from -13 to -18 degrees. In such conditions, it is allowed to store containers of baby food for no more than a year.

The most problems arise when storing milk at room temperature. Milk in warm rooms quickly curdles and becomes unfit for consumption. Food for children in a sterile container remains suitable for no more than 10 hours, at a temperature of 19 to 22 degrees. If the room temperature reaches 26 degrees or higher, then milk can be stored even in a sterile container for no more than 6 hours.

Is there any point in pumping? breast milk ? Whether it is advisable to express while breastfeeding is still actively discussed by both young mothers and specialists. There are often cases when doctors promote pumping just because, without giving convincing reasons to support such a need.

But if you follow WHO recommendations, there is no need to express milk with properly established lactation. Under such conditions, mother's milk is produced in the breast on demand, since the secretion of the hormone oxytocin occurs precisely at the moment when the mother needs to feed the baby.

Therefore, you should express milk only if there is a need to preserve it for the nursing mother. Below we will talk about when to do this, how to express milk correctly, and also how to properly store it at home.

When should you practice pumping?

So, whether you need to express milk after feeding depends on the situation. In fact, there are not many cases when you need to express. But it is precisely in those cases that will be mentioned that this is really necessary. If questions arise about why to express after feeding and whether it should be done, a woman can always ask their doctor.

So, expressing breast milk should be practiced in the cases listed below:

If the baby was born premature

When a baby is born prematurely, sucking reflex he hasn't yet, so he just can't breastfeed. However, the body of such a baby can easily absorb mother’s milk, and, moreover, it is vital for a premature baby to receive natural nutrition, which will provide him with all the necessary substances, which will activate his growth and improvement of all body systems.

Presence of pathologies in the baby, poorly developed sucking reflex

Babies whose sucking reflex is poorly developed are called “lazy suckers” in medicine. A poorly developed sucking reflex can be associated with various reasons, including pathologies central nervous system . But even if such a problem occurs, this is not a reason to suspend lactation. You can practice pumping and give your baby a bottle - this will make it easier for him to suck.

Formation of lactation

After begins to be produced, which is not yet milk. Colostrum is thicker and richer. And although little of it is produced, the baby gets full very quickly.

Breast milk appears 2-3 days after the baby is born, and its volume is usually very large. The child simply cannot cope with it. This is why mom has to release her breasts, which are getting heavy. After all, if the baby does not suck milk, this is a signal for the body that it needs to be produced less. In order to ensure sufficient milk production, it is necessary to express. But this should only be done until the chest is relieved and softened.

Lactation deficiency

Many young mothers are faced with advice that they need to express milk if they are producing little milk, in order to stimulate its production in this way. However, not all doctors give such recommendations. After all, natural feeding and pumping are completely different things.

It is feeding that best stimulates milk retention. However, if a woman still tries with all her might to establish lactation, you can try all available methods. So, if the mother stays next to the baby and thinks about him while pumping, this helps stimulate milk production.

Milk stagnation and the threat of mastitis development

This condition can develop if the baby sucks the breast incorrectly or if the baby’s sucking reflex is poorly developed. Also stagnation leading to development , possible if a woman expresses incorrectly. With mastitis, you need to try to express specifically from those lobules that have hardened.

Use of medications that are excreted in breast milk

During breastfeeding, very few medications can be used, both herbal and synthetic based. If, however, circumstances develop such that a nursing mother is forced to take medications that are prohibited during feeding, she must regularly express and pour out the milk. During this period, the baby will have to be fed with formula. However, this way you can maintain lactation.

If the mother knows that she will have to start a course of treatment, you can try to store breast milk for future use, knowing how to properly freeze it for storage.

Inverted, flat nipple

But if even with the help of such a device it is not possible to establish the baby’s nutrition, you will have to express your breasts and practice feeding with a bottle.

The need to be separated from the baby

If breastfeeding is a priority for the mother, but at the same time she needs to be absent periodically, pumping is a real way out of the situation. A similar situation occurs if the baby is undergoing treatment without his mother. Then you can express the milk and transfer it to a medical facility.

Procurement for future use

To practice natural feeding for as long as possible, mothers sometimes simultaneously feed their baby and express milk to use in the future.

However, it makes sense to do this only if the mother plans to stop breastfeeding soon, but wants to provide the baby with such a valuable product for as long as possible. It is important to remember how much milk costs in the freezer. It also has its own expiration date. In addition, with such storage, mother's milk loses its properties to a certain extent.

How to express breast milk correctly by hand?

A mother who, for a specific reason, is going to practice pumping, needs to know not only how to pump breast pump correctly, but also how to express breast milk with your hands correctly.

So, before you start expressing breast milk by hand, you need to properly prepare for this process. To do everything as it should, you should initially watch a video on how to express milk manually.

If a woman needs to stimulate milk production, it is necessary to carry out the procedure next to the baby or at the same time look at his photograph and think about him. Ideally, you need to touch the baby. About 15 minutes before the start of the process, you should drink some warm water or tea, then do a light breast massage or let the child touch it. A warm shower helps stimulate lactation.

How to pump correctly so that the process is most effective? First of all, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Next, place your thumb on the areola from above, 3 cm from the nipple, and place your index and ring fingers below, opposite the thumb, stepping back from the nipple in the same way. The breasts should be squeezed with your fingers in the direction of the ribs, doing this carefully but confidently, squeezing out the milk. Such movements need to be repeated.

A young mother needs to consider the following points:

To properly express stagnant milk, you don’t need to feel sorry for yourself, squeezing your breasts confidently enough.
A woman should be prepared for the fact that at first she may feel pain.
If the whole procedure is carried out correctly, then not drops, but streams are released.
To express from all the lobes, you need to gradually move your fingers in a circle.
It is important to ensure that your fingers do not slip when they are on the nipple, as it can be injured.
If the skin of your breasts becomes too wet, you should carefully wipe your breasts and hands with a clean napkin and continue expressing.
Expressing should not be done until the last drop, but until the breasts become lighter and a feeling of emptiness appears.

The woman should be explained how to carry out this entire process, as well as how often she needs to express milk, in the maternity hospital. However, if certain difficulties arise with its implementation, and the question arises of what to do if you cannot express, then it is better to seek help from a specialist.

How to express with a breast pump?

To facilitate this process for modern young mothers, they are now widely used breast pumps . These are special devices that can significantly simplify pumping. Currently, there are many varieties of such devices. How much a breast pump costs depends on the manufacturer of the device, the mechanism of action and other features.

You need to prepare for the process of using a breast pump in the same way as for the manual process. It is important that the device is sterile. The breast pump is always sold with instructions included. It is important to understand it carefully, since different models work differently.

It is also necessary to take into account everything general rules mechanical pumping:

The funnel of the device should be placed at the breast so that the nipple is directly in its center.
The funnel should fit very tightly to the chest to create a vacuum. To do this, the breasts must be dry.
Next, you need to act as written in the instructions: either first squeeze the bulb or pump, or press the piston handle, or turn on the device by pressing the button, if we're talking about about an electrical device.
If the breast pump is manual, you need to constantly press rhythmically on the pump, bulb, and piston handle.
Application electrical appliance requires only control - it is important to regulate the force with which it works, setting the power to suit you. When the process is completed, the breast softens and becomes empty, and the milk turns from a trickle to droplets.

It is important that the milk flows in a smooth, active flow. As a rule, expressing with a breast pump does not cause pain; discomfort when using some types of such a device appears only in the first minutes. After completing the process, you need to thoroughly wash the breast pump and sterilize it.

How to store expressed breast milk correctly?

It is equally important for young mothers to know how to store breast milk after pumping and where to store it so that the baby receives the maximum useful product. You should strictly follow the rules on how to store mother's milk for a baby. After all, if stored incorrectly, it not only becomes useless, but can also cause harm. Breast milk is exactly the same food product as other dairy products. Therefore, it can deteriorate and turn sour. So, first of all, it is important to choose a suitable storage container.

If a mother expresses milk at once, a bottle is enough to store after pumping, from which she can later feed the baby. Of course, before storing expressed breast milk in a bottle, it must be sterilized.

If a mother uses an electric breast pump, then, as a rule, special containers are attached to it. Milk is collected in them, stored, and then you can give it to your baby from them, putting a pacifier on top.

However, many mothers are interested in where to put the milk and whether it can be stored in the refrigerator if they plan to make a supply for a longer period. Those who are interested in whether it is possible to freeze breast milk should pay attention to special plastic containers that can be purchased at pharmacies or children's stores. Such sterile containers with contents can be stored in both the refrigerator and freezer.

If it is expected that expressed breast milk will be stored for a day or more, glass jars that contained baby food are suitable. First, they, together with the lids, need to be boiled in water for 2-3 minutes. However, it is better not to place glass containers in the freezer.

There are also special bags designed for storing food. They are very easy to use as they have graduations and a place to mark the date and time of pumping. These containers are closed with a rivet or cord. And the answer to the question whether it is possible to freeze milk in such a bag is clearly affirmative: it is the most convenient.

Mom should take into account that you should not pour the contents from one container to another: you need to express them immediately into the container in which they will be stored.

How long can milk be stored?

It is important for every mother to clearly know how long expressed breast milk is stored, so as not to make a mistake and not give the baby a spoiled product. First of all, it is important to know how long breast milk can be stored at room temperature. Without refrigeration, it can be stored for no more than 4 hours. Therefore, you can store the product for future use only for one feeding. It is important that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.

Those who are interested in how long breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator should take into account that at a temperature of 0 to 4 degrees it can be kept for about 4 days. But it is very important that the temperature is always the same, so it is better to keep it near the back wall of the refrigerator. How long breast milk is stored in the refrigerator also depends on the quality of the unit. If the refrigerator operates intermittently and is not able to maintain the same temperature, it is better not to risk storing milk in it for several days.

Another question that is important for mothers who want to preserve frozen milk for future use is how long can breast milk be stored in the freezer after expressing. How long breast milk can be stored in the freezer depends on the temperature. If the freezing temperature is approximately -18 degrees Celsius, the shelf life of the product is about six months. With low-temperature storage, you can get a huge supply of time, which is why freezing is so popular among mothers.

Freezing rules

Before freezing milk, it must be placed in the refrigerator in the same container in which it will later be stored in the freezer. You need to be careful not to overfill the milk. The fewer transfusions, the more sterile and high-quality the product will be. When the container has cooled completely, place it in the freezer and turn on the freezing mode. It is important to immediately allocate a separate shelf or drawer in the freezer for storing baby food to prevent its contact with any other products. You should also label the containers, making sure to indicate the date when the freezing took place.

How to store breast milk if you have a long trip ahead?

To provide your baby with a safe and healthy diet, it is best to buy special devices before moving:

cooler bag with cold packs;
thermal bag with the same elements;
a thermos that can retain not only heat, but also cold, for which you need to pre-cool it and pour chilled milk into it.

With such devices, you can provide your baby with a fresh and high-quality product even when moving.

How to feed your baby expressed milk?

For those mothers who want to know how to properly feed their baby with breast milk, you can watch the corresponding video or simply take into account important points. First of all, it is important to properly reheat the frozen product.

How to warm up expressed milk?

Before heating baby food from the refrigerator or freezer, you need to take exactly the amount your baby needs. It needs to be heated in a water bath, in a special device on which bottles are heated, or in hot water. It is best to gradually defrost the product in the refrigerator until it becomes liquid and then reheat it later using the methods mentioned.

You should absolutely not use convection and microwave ovens for heating. Since exposure to microwaves can destroy beneficial substances and change the structure of milk, such a product can be harmful to the baby. After heating, the product can only be used once - any leftovers after feeding should be thrown away. Before you start feeding, be sure to shake the bottle.

How to use milk that has been expressed?

Depending on how much milk can be expressed at one time, a woman can use it in different ways. So, it is used as the main food; children's porridges are made with it. However, if you boil mother’s milk and use it to prepare porridge, omelettes and other children’s dishes, the final product will not be healthy for the baby. After all, after boiling, the beneficial substances in its composition will be destroyed, and the protein will become poorly absorbed.

Important points

Young mothers have a lot of questions about pumping, and answers to some of them can be found below.

Should I pump both breasts?

It all depends on what goals the woman is pursuing, how long she intends to be separated from the baby, and, accordingly, how much breastfeeding she will have to do.

If the mother is expected to leave for several hours, and you will have to feed expressed milk once, then expressing from one breast is quite enough. But if the mother's absence takes a longer time, then full feeding of expressed milk from a bottle can be ensured by expressing both breasts.

How often should I pump?

A woman must independently determine how much to feed her baby and how often she can express her breasts. However, you should not do this more often than once an hour. It is best that the interval is from one and a half to three hours. To make everything as convenient as possible, you can give one breast to the baby and express the other.

How many times should you pump?

It all depends on the life situation in which the young mother finds herself. In some cases, you have to practice this constantly, sometimes only periodic pumping is enough to ensure uninterrupted natural feeding. If this process is regular, then it is important to focus on the time when the baby is used to taking the breast. Of course, mom should take care of required quantity breast milk while she is away.

Should I pump at night?

If the baby is separated from his mother immediately after birth, it is very important to express at night, as this process will help maintain lactation. But to successfully establish lactation, you need to do this at least once every three hours. During this period, you can store milk for the future or simply pour it out if the newborn cannot consume such an amount. The most important thing these days is to establish the feeding process, which regular pumping will help with. If the baby no longer breastfeeds at night, night pumping is not necessary.

Will it be possible to feed the baby and express the other breast at the same time?

This is very technically difficult to practice. However, some women still succeed. Many mothers believe that this method helps stimulate milk production. If this does not bother the baby, you can practice this method. However, for most women, this distracts them from their baby. Therefore, it is still advisable to distinguish between feeding and pumping.

How long does this process take?

The procedure, which the mother carries out without a breast pump, lasts approximately 20-30 minutes. Using a breast pump speeds up the process - it takes about 15 minutes.

Should you mix milk obtained at different times?

This does not need to be done, regardless of the size of the portions received. It is worth feeding the baby only with the product that was expressed at one time.

Is it acceptable to feed a baby milk that has been stored outside the refrigerator for more than 4 hours?

Despite the fact that breast milk, in theory, does not spoil for 6 hours, being at temperatures up to 25 C is not worth the risk. It is especially dangerous to give your baby a bottle that has been stored for so long in the summer.

Which is better to express - with a breast pump or manually?

Using a sterile breast pump is reliable and safe. However, it is better to choose a method based on the mother’s individual feelings. Proper hand expression, provided that the mother adheres to all the rules, can also be practiced.

Is frozen food good for your baby?

Even if breast milk has been affected low temperatures, it is still much healthier than any artificial mixture. However, it is important to adhere to the freezing and thawing technology and not to boil it after defrosting.

Can I drink my breast milk?

Most doctors believe that breast milk is not as beneficial for adults as some resources say. It provides an immunostimulating function, but nothing more. After all, the purpose of this product is to feed infants, but not adults.

Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most enjoyable experiences for many women. However, sometimes situations arise when it is necessary to express a certain amount of milk. Perhaps it’s worth mentioning right away that there are few such situations, and regular pumping after each feeding does not make sense if the mother and baby are not separated, both are healthy, and feeding is carried out on demand.

You have to pump in the following situations:

the birth of a premature baby who is temporarily separated from the mother due to the need for treatment (or is with the mother, but cannot adequately grasp the nipple and suckle);
the birth of a child with any disease that requires medical intervention and/or interferes with the sucking process;
separation of mother and child for any reason (illness of mother or child, mother going to work, etc.). In this option, pumping is necessary both to meet the baby’s needs and to maintain the mother’s lactation. If the mother goes to work and pumps regularly, it is worth leaving morning, evening and night feedings if possible;
feeling of fullness in the mammary glands. This often happens in the early stages of lactation. It is optimal in such situations to put 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 introducing complementary foods (when preparing porridge with breast milk).

The optimal supply of nutrients and immunoglobulins to the baby is ensured by feeding recently expressed milk (for example, if the mother goes to work and pumps regularly, the baby can today receive milk expressed yesterday).

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

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

It is better to give your child breast milk that has been stored for 6 months than formula;
If in unforeseen circumstances you had to be separated from your child, and there is no supply of breast milk left at home, 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 (if the circumstances are successful, this milk can be transferred to the baby; if the circumstances are unsuccessful (the use of a number of drugs), the milk will have to be poured out, but this is extremely important for maintaining breastfeeding when reunited 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 containers not intended for expressing);
Pumping is possible only after feeding the baby. If a woman feeds from one breast at each feeding, it is possible to express the second breast immediately after feeding. If a woman breastfeeds from both breasts at each feeding, pumping is possible in between feedings (ideally, if there is a long night break, pumping in the middle of this break will allow greatest number milk and “not deprive” the baby);
After expressing, the milk can be transferred to special milk freezing bags and placed in the freezer. You must sign the date the milk was received. Before freezing, milk can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator within the time limits indicated in the table below;
Do not add a new portion of expressed milk to previously frozen bags;
Do not use milk for freezing or storing from a bottle that the child has already drunk from (if it is left over after feeding).

Storing breast milk

Storage conditions	Temperature	Duration	Comments
On the table	Room temperature (up to 25°C)	6-8 hours	The milk container should be tightly closed and placed in the coolest place
Cooler bag	-15- 4°C	24 hours	It is mandatory to use cooling elements that must be in direct contact with the milk container
Fridge	4°C	5 days	Place the milk container as close to the back of the refrigerator as possible
Freezer			Place milk as close to the back wall of the freezer as possible. Milk that has been stored longer than indicated in the table is safe for the child, but does not satisfy all his needs due to the destruction of lipids.
Freezer inside the refrigerator (without 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

To defrost milk, you simply need to remove the milk carton from the freezer in advance or place it in a bowl of warm water;
Do not refreeze milk. If the milk is left in the bag (after defrosting, you only poured part of the milk into the bottle), it can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days. If milk remains in the bottle from which the child drank, further storage is not allowed;
Usage microwave oven It is not recommended for defrosting breast milk 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 the milk out of the microwave on time;
Liquids are not heated evenly in a microwave oven, so some portions of milk may be too hot or too cold.

My experience

With my first child, I pumped and stored milk on an industrial scale (in case of illness, traffic jams (if I’m not with the child), and, apparently, nuclear war). I was very worried that the baby would go hungry. I introduced porridge with breast milk. And then…. Then we went on vacation, our electricity went out, and the refrigerator stood without power for 2 weeks. I don’t want to describe what was basically happening in the apartment when we returned, but the supply of milk on which 5 children could have been raised was lost without a trace!

With my second child I didn’t pump at all! I realized that I hate this process and am not ready for it. I’m ready not to part with the baby, to take him with me everywhere and everywhere, but not to pump. Psychologically I was ready to give the mixture if anything happened. The mixture didn’t work, I didn’t make strategic reserves, and I didn’t encounter any problems with it.

Yes, and advice for those who make strategic reserves in case mom is prescribed an antibiotic.

Remember, there are antibiotics allowed while breastfeeding.

And there are extremely rare situations when you have to resort to illegal drugs and stop/interrupt breastfeeding.

Happy lactation to everyone in the mode that is convenient for you and your baby!

Sources:

Recommendations of the Academy of Lactation Medicine (2004);
American Academy of Pediatricians;
www.cdc.gov.