Breastfeeding Tips

You may not be able to breastfeed your baby exclusively for six months. However, this does not mean that you cannot give them breast milk for the whole period. Whether you are leaving your baby for a few hours or have to resume work, expressing breast milk is advisable. One of the major concerns for moms is how to store pumped breast milk and ensure that it is safe for the baby. Newborns are very delicate and need to be handled with care. The storage location of the pumped milk and the temperature are important factors to bear in mind.

As a general guide, when you pump fresh milk and leave it at room temperature, you can give it to the little one for up to 4 hours. However, if you choose to refrigerate the milk, it would be good to go for up to 4 days. In order to avoid wastage, it is advisable to store pumped breast milk in small packs.  In this post, we will look at some guidelines on how to store pumped breast milk.

What You Need to Know About Pumped Breast Milk

As mentioned earlier, at room temperature, breast milk will be safe for up to 4 hours and up to 4 days when stored in the refrigerator. If you have a very high milk supply, and the milk cannot be consumed in 4 days, it is advisable to freeze it immediately after pumping. When looking for tips on how to store pumped breast milk you may come across cooler packs. These are meant to keep the milk fresh for up to 24 hours after pumping.

If the milk remains after the 24-hour period it should be refrigerated and kept in the freezer. There are specific bags that are designed to store breast milk in the freezer. However, you can also make use of hard plastic bottles or glasses with airtight lids. Never use disposable plastic bags or bottles to store human milk. There are so many options on how to store pumped breast milk.

When thinking about how to store pumped breast milk, the safety of your baby should be the main consideration. Did you know that breast milk storage bottles qualify as tax-deductible? There are also insurance plans that offer covers for breastfeeding accessories including breast pumps and storage bags for breast milk.  

When storing breast milk, ensure that the package is labeled with the day the milk was expressed. Changes in temperature can affect the milk and as such, you should avoid placing it in the refrigerator’s door. Frequent opening and closing of the fridge will expose breast milk to different temperatures.

Conclusion

When you learn how to store pumped breast milk, you will give your little one healthy breast milk for a very long period of time. Proper storage techniques will ensure that the quality and safety of the pumped breast milk are not affected in any way. Always ensure that all the baby’s feeding items are cleaned and sanitized properly so as to avoid contamination of the milk.