Breastfeeding mothers frequently express (or pump) milk in order to save it for later use. If a woman goes back to work, shares feeding responsibilities with other caregivers, or needs to be away from the baby for a lengthy amount of time, this is beneficial. Breast milk may be securely stored in a few different ways, and knowing how to do so can guarantee that your breast milk is ready for your baby.
Breast milk can be kept in a variety of ways depending on when your baby will ingest it:
Keeping breast milk at room temperature is a good idea. Breast milk will stay safe for your infant for up to 4 hours at room temperature (up to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). To ensure safety, keep your breast milk as chilly as possible. A clean, cool towel should also be used to cover the milk, according to experts. If your infant has consumed some breast milk, the remainder should be utilised or discarded within two hours.
Breast milk can be kept safe for up to 24 hours if kept in an insulated cooler bag with totally frozen ice packs.
Refrigerating breast milk is a good idea. Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 days at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is best used within 4 days. To optimise the length of time your breast milk will stay safe, refrigerate or chill it as soon as possible once it is expressed. Cool down freshly-expressed milk before adding it to an already-refrigerated container of milk.
Place chilled breastmilk in a small basin and run it under warm (not boiling) water to reheat it. Breast milk should never be microwaved. Not only might your infant get scalded if the water warms up unevenly, but the procedure also eliminates some of the essential components in breast milk. Before giving it to your infant, check the temperature; it should be warm but not hot on your wrist.
Freezing breast milk. It’s better to freeze breast milk if you don’t expect to use it within four days. Keep in mind that as the milk freezes, it will expand, so don’t overfill the bags or containers. Make a note of the date when the milk was gathered, and use the oldest milk first. This will ensure that your collection is rotated and that no milk goes bad which makes it the best way to store breast milk in the freezer.
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