Human milk is a fresh living food with many antioxidant, antibacterial, prebiotic, probiotic & immune-boosting properties, in addition to nutrients.
Breastmilk has good bacteria, which establishes normal gut flora, and probiotics, which ward off bad organisms.
Feed your baby the freshest available milk first.
Milk quality is best when it's fresh, and current antibodies fight infections you and your baby were recently exposed to.Melatonin levels in your breastmilk are highest at bedtime, to help your baby sleep. If you are pumping, consider trying to feed your baby that milk at bedtime. If it's hard to keep track of, DON'T obsess over this! It probably doesn't make a huge difference!
Storing milk sacrifices a bit of your milk's qualities, which is explained below.
Storing freshly pumped milk
Keep your breastmilk cool and clean.Bacteria grows faster in warm air, so keep the temperature cooler than 80 o F.
Fewer bad bacteria means you can store your milk safely for a longer time.
Keep things clean while pumping to limit the bacteria hanging around.
- There’s no need to discard the first drops of milk when you start pumping.
- Wash equipment in hot soapy water and rinse, or wash in the dishwasher.
- Air dry, or dry with paper towels.
Dry erase markers are handy to use to write the date and time of pumping on the bottles or lids. Just wipe it off!
| Room temp
(50-85 o F) |
- Freshly pumped
breastmilk is OK for 4-6 hrs (maybe 8 hrs) (if the room is under 80 o
F). - It can be out for only 4 hours if the room is over 80 o F. - Warm air grows bacteria faster. - Baby can continue to drink from the room temp bottle through the 4-6 hour time frrame. - *Dr. Anderson says it's OK to put the unused milk in the fridge one time, but feed it first at the next feeding session (after nursing). - If you’re unsure when you’ll use the milk, refrigerate it right away. |
| Cooler ice pack(60 o F) | - Freshly pumped breastmilk is good for 24 hours. |
| Refrigerator
(40 o F) |
- Freshly pumped breastmilk is good for 4-8 days
in the fridge if untouched. - It’s OK to store breastmilk in a work place refrigerator. |
| Frozen
(-4 to 25 o F) |
- Thawed milk is OK in the refridgerator for 24 hours. - Unused thawed milk left in the bottle should be discarded after 1-2 hours at room temp. - Breastmilk is good for at least 3 months in the freezer. Label with the date. - You can combine milk pumped on the same calendar date. - Cool freshly expressed milk before adding it to already cooled or frozen milk. - Many say it’s acceptable for 6-12 months, ideally in a deep freeze. - Prevent intermittent rewarming of frozen milk. .Store it in the back and deep to avoid exposure to warm air upon opening the door. .Keep it away from the walls of a self-defrosting freezer. - Seal up containers well. Avoid punctures in freezer bags. .Leave space at the top for expansion. |
| Discard left-over breastmilk
within 1-2 hours.
Previously fed milk may be contaminated with bacteria from the baby’s mouth. You can use your judgement if things are very clean and the room temperature is cool. Also consider how long the milk has been thawed. |
|
Preparing stored breastmilk for feedings
Cooler breastmilk is better. It gives your baby more milk fat than warm milk does.-Refrigerated milk at 40 o F contains solid fat which floats in the milk.
-This solid fat melts to oil fat at body temp (98.6 o F).
-The oil fat in warm milk sticks to the side of the bottle and gets left behind. So, less fat gets to your baby.
To thaw frozen breastmilk
- It’s best to set frozen milk in the refrigerator overnight.
- Or, run it under warm water, set it in a container of warm water, or use a waterless warmer.
- Don’t refreeze thawed milk. There’s too little research on this.
Warming breastmilk, if your baby won’t drink it cold.
- Warm breastmilk over 20 minutes in lukewarm water (less than 104 o F).
- The milk is body temp (~98.6 o F) if you can’t feel a drop of it land on your wrist.
- Don’t microwave or heat the milk in a hot water bath (~175 o F). Overheating inactivates the good stuff.
Declining quality of stored milk – what is known.
Frozen breastmilk (-4 o F):
0 o F keeps foods safe from bacterial contamination, but enzymes may remain active,
which changes milk quality.
- Frozen 6 weeks – has the same good bacterial viability as fresh milk.
- Frozen 3 months – less fat, protein, & calories. Lower lactoferrin levels and activity
- Frozen 1-5 months – very low vitamin C levels
- Frozen 6 months – colostrum’s cytokines, IgA, & growth factors remain stable.
- 48 hrs – IgA, cytokines and growth factors are good
- 4 days – Lipids and lipase are stable
- 5 days – Lactoferrin is stable
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