You can store breast milk in a sterilised container or in special breast milk storage bags. The temperature in the door does not remain as constant as on the shelves.
Expressed milk may be added to already frozen breast milk provided the milk you want to add is cooled in the fridge beforehand.
What to freeze breast milk in. This will help to protect the quality of the breast milk. Using a flat surface like a plastic container or baking pan for the initial freeze can help the milk freeze as evenly as possible. Do not store breast milk in the door.
It will also make it the perfect size and shape for long term storage. Characteristic of frozen refrigerated milk When breast milk is stored in fridge freezer the fat will separate from the rest of the liquid forming the top layer see the picture. If you put your breast milk in the refrigerator first freeze it within 24 hours.
When freezing your breast milk or storing it in the refrigerator you will want to make sure you are storing it in the freezer or refrigerator. And you can use this product when your little one starts eating solids to freeze purees that you make. How to thaw breast milk in the refrigerator You can thaw frozen breast milk by placing it in the refrigerator overnight or for approximately 12 hours.
For easier thawing and minimal wastage store your milk in small portions less than 60 ml. For 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a. Freeze Breast Milk Flat This is the right way to freeze breast milk in my and many others opinion.
To freeze expressed breast milk start by portioning it out into 2 to 4 fluid ounce servings to avoid waste. Breast milk is good in the freezer for up to six months and good in a deep freezer for up to a year. Thawing Frozen Breast Milk The easiest way to thaw your frozen breast milk is to take out what you need the day before and let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Put the milk into BPA-free food-grade containers glass bottles with tight-fitting lids or bags designed for storing breast milk. Breast milk can also get stuck in the plastic bags during the storing process causing losses of some essential nutrients. Freeze your breast milk as soon as possible after expressing.
Because of this I would strongly suggest just mixing as you need it rather than mixing your frozen breast milk and fresh breast milk in large batches. If a refrigerator or freezer is not available you can put your milk in an insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours and then freeze it. A freezer located inside of a refrigerator can be used to store frozen breast milk for two weeks.
Freeze breast milk in small amounts of 2 to 4 ounces or the amount that will be offered at one feeding to avoid wasting breast milk that might not be finished. This is fine and does NOT mean your milk is spoiled. From there you can store thawed breast milk.
When to Transfer Milk to the Freezer After youve pumped you can keep your breast milk in the fridge for up to five days three days is best. This pan is actually the perfect size for freezing breast milk bags flat in your freezer link to Amazon. Breast milk can remain frozen in a stand-alone deep freezer for one year.
After that its a good idea to bag it up and freeze it. Each bottle should contain an amount of milk for one-time feeding. However its optimal to use or freeze the milk within three days.
Pumped breast milk may be kept in a standard freezer thats part of a side-by-side or top-and-bottom refrigerator-freezer unit with separate doors for up to six months. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in the back of the refrigerator for up to four days in clean conditions. After thawing you can just swirl the milk gently no-shaking please so it will blend uniformly again.
Other Things to Consider. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC freshly expressed breast milk can be only safely stored in the refrigerator at 40 degrees F 4 degrees C for 4 days. Pour in a bottle 2-4 ounces of breast milk.
The main thing to consider is that it is best to only allow milk to sit in the refrigerator for one or two days before freezing. Dont add body-temperature milk to frozen milk. This will help to ensure your milk is as fresh as possible at the time of freezing.
When freezing breast milk leave about an inch of space at the top of the container because breast milk expands as it freezes. Ideally you will store anywhere from 2 ounces to 4 ounces of breastmilk per bag. Label each container with the date that you expressed the milk since youll want to use the oldest milk first.
Store breast milk containing plastic bags in a plastic or glass box which helps prevent leaking while storing. In the fridge for up to 8 days at 4C or lower you can buy fridge thermometers online if you are not sure of the temperature of your fridge or it is higher than 4C use it within 3 days. As a bonus you can use it in your kitchen once you are done with your breastfeeding journey.
This will depend on how much milk you can pump in a day. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in an insulated cooler with ice packs for up to one day. If youre pumping for a milk bank for donation then this is definitely the most efficient way to freeze seeing as the only other option is bottles.
