How much can you store the expressed breast milk and how to do it correctly?

Prolonged breastfeeding is a guarantee that your child will have strong immunity. However, it often happens that the mother can not be near the baby all the time. Many are forced to go to work, someone goes to the hospital or leaves home for several hours on business. What to do in order not to deprive the baby of precious mother's milk? There is a way out - this is its expression and storage. After reading the article, you will find out how much it is possible to store the expressed breast milk and how to do it correctly.

Why do you need to decant?

It is not necessary to stop breastfeeding when you are separated from your baby! Today your baby can get useful maternal milk even in your absence. To help caring mothers - modern breast pumps and milk freezers. A bottle of milk can be given by a grandmother or nanny when you are not at home, or a caring husband while you are sleeping.

The second reason for expressing is the establishment of lactation. Milk in the breast is produced on the basis of the "demand-supply" principle: pumping strengthens the stimulation of the mammary glands, which means that milk will come more.

The third reason is the preservation of breastfeeding. If you are prescribed medications that are not compatible with breastfeeding, the baby will have to feed the mixture. To preserve lactation, express in the usual time of feeding the baby. Milk in this case pours out.

The fourth is the decanting of lactostases, that is, stagnant milk. Most breastfeeding moms face this problem at least once - there is a lot of milk, and a painful compaction develops in the chest. In this case, express your hands, gently massaging your chest.

Storage and freezing of breast milk

Tare for the storage of mother's milk is usually plastic and glass bottles with caps. Modern breast pumps are often sold complete with containers for storing milk. We also sell special containers for freezing. Fill them with liquid for three quarters, because the milk will freeze when frozen. And it is better and more practical to store such a portion, which the baby will have enough for one feeding.

Do not forget to write down the date on the freezer, use the "oldest" milk.

How much can you store the expressed breast milk?

Mother's milk does not look like the cow's habit. A thick layer of fat will float on the surface, and the liquid itself can acquire a blue tint. Do not shake the container, just stir it gently. Milk should not have a smell, especially sour. The only exception is that the thawed milk sometimes smells of soap: it's fat that reacts.

There are various opinions of specialists on how much it is possible to store expressed breast milk. Consider them.

So, the milk has left the limits of the female body. Specialists say that at room temperature it can be stored for up to 8 hours. However, if the house is very warm, do not take risks - it's better to put it in the refrigerator, and not in the door! Such chilled milk must be used within 5 days. Do not use - pour out!

How much can I store the expressed breast milk in the freezer? At a temperature of -15 C - no more than two weeks, at -18 C - from three to six months. In a powerful freezer at minus 20 degrees, milk can lie for a year, but at the end of the shelf life its quality will decrease. Defrosted milk is not recommended to be stored in the refrigerator for more than 4 hours. So if you need to transport it, keep it chilled or do not unfreeze it to the end. Re-freeze milk is not recommended.

With how much you can store expressed milk, we sorted it out. But how to produce its defrosting? Take the container and put it under a stream of hot water. You can do this with a water bath. Do not use a microwave oven - all vitamins will be destroyed.