One of the most common reasons for breast milk spoilage is cross contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when you do not wash your hands properly before handling breast pump parts while pumping. Wash your hands with soap and rub your hands palm to palm for 20 seconds before every pumping session. If you are using the breast pump for the first time, make sure to wash it with soapy water, rinse them thoroughly under running water and air dry them.
After every pumping session, make sure to rinse every part of the pump. If you are washing pump parts in a kitchen sink, do not put the pieces directly in the sink. Use a dedicated bowl, place your pump in it. Also, invest in cleaning brush that will get inside the nook and corner of the parts and get them clean. I also recommend getting a separate drying rack like this one , to air dry pump parts.
Once or twice a week, do sterilize the pump parts by placing them in boiling water in a sauce pan for 10 minutes or using a steam sterilizer like this one. Keep in mind these main points while storing expressed breast milk.
Glass bottles with a tight, secure lid are great to store breast milk. However, due to storage space constraints, many opt for plastic BPA Free storage bags specifically designed for breastmilk storage. Make sure the bags and bottles are sealed tight. When storing breast milk, you should also note down the date and time when the milk was expressed and use a label or a marker to put that in the bottle or bag. Remember to always store breast milk at the back of the fridge or freezer.
It is advised not to store breast milk near the front door as there will be temperature fluctuations when you open and close the door often. There is a definite time frame within which you should use up pumped milk. The time frame varies if the milk was freshly pumped or stored in the fridge or freezer. For example, freshly pumped milk can stay good for 6 — 8 hours at room temperature. If the temperature is higher, then it stays good upto 3 or 4 hours.
Breast milk stored in the fridge should be used within 3 — 5 days and when stored in the freezer it can be good for 6 months. Here is a detailed post on how long you can keep breastmilk out, and in the fridge or freezer. If you are religiously following the above guidelines, then you can lower the chances of breast milk contamination. However, to be safe, it is better to always check the milk for signs of spoilage before feeding it to your baby. Ever smelt breast milk?
What does it smell like for you? I ask because mine has felt different at different phases. Once your baby has started to drink from the bottle, you should use it within 1 hour. You may find that different resources provide different variations on the amount of time you can store breast milk at room temperature, in the refrigerator, and in the freezer. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns or questions.
Although some women may choose to pump large volumes to be frozen, it's a good idea to actually store the breast milk in 2- to 4-ounce Label the bottles, cups, or bags with the date, then freeze them. You also could pour the milk into ice cube trays that have been thoroughly cleaned in hot water, let them freeze until hard, store them in freezer bags, then count up the amount of cubes needed to make a full bottle.
Breast milk that's been frozen or refrigerated may look a little different from fresh breast milk, but that doesn't mean it's gone bad. It's normal for early breast milk to look kind of orange and the mature milk to look slightly blue, yellow, or brown when refrigerated or frozen. And it may separate into a creamy looking layer and a lighter, more milk-like layer. If this happens, just swirl it gently to mix it up again. Thawed milk may smell or taste soapy due to the breakdown of fats in the milk.
The milk is still safe to drink, and most babies won't have a problem with it. If your baby doesn't like it, the milk can be heated to scalding bubbles around the edges right after it is pumped or expressed and then quickly cooled and frozen.
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Kate Kelly is a Pittsburgh-based writer who specializes in health and parenting. She is passionate about empowering women with good health information. She was an editor at Parents, American Baby and Shape magazines. Select Region. United States. United Kingdom. Health family. Advertiser Disclosure. By Kate Kelly. Expert Reviewed Amy Peterson is an international board certified lactation consultant and retired La Leche Leage leader based in Idaho.
Commissions we earn from partner links on this page do not affect our opinions or evaluations. Our editorial content is based on thorough research and guidance from the Forbes Health Advisory Board. On the Counter You can leave freshly expressed or pumped breast milk out at room temperature—77 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler—for up to four hours.
Meanwhile, thawed breast milk can stay fresh at room temperature for one to two hours. In the Refrigerator You can keep freshly expressed or pumped breast milk in the refrigerator for up to four days—just make sure your refrigerator is 40 F or colder. In the Freezer While breast milk is safe in the freezer for 12 months, over time the quality of the milk decreases.
Defrosting Always thaw the oldest breast milk first. However, if you choose to warm the milk, follow these steps: Place the breast milk in a container of warm water for a few minutes. You can also run warm not hot tap water over the container for a few minutes. Never warm breast milk for longer than 20 minutes.
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