Guest storage of breast milk after pumping. How long does expressed breast milk last in the refrigerator, freezer, and at room temperature? What not to do when storing breast milk

express breast milk not at all necessary. Although in certain cases this manipulation helps: if you need to store milk or there is a feeling of fullness in the chest. There is no need to be afraid that the baby will not have enough food - the breast is not a bottle, it is absolutely impossible to empty it to the bottom. Liquid is produced in response to sucking - the more removed, the more comes in, so the baby will always have something to eat. The baby can be supplemented with expressed milk or fed, leaving it with a nanny or grandmother. If objective reasons There is no option for expressing breast milk - don't worry. Of course, there is no need to express every time after feeding or at night, as was previously advised.

Time of action: when and how to express breast milk?

You can express breast milk manually or using a breast pump. The first method is considered more gentle, but only if you use correct technique. You can start with a gentle breast massage. Relax, get comfortable, and get started. The thumb is located above the nipple, the index finger is symmetrically located below it. Both are on the border of the areola. First, you press on the mammary gland, as if pressing it to the chest, then, without stretching the skin, you squeeze your fingers, unclench and squeeze again. If the milk does not flow out, you can change the location of your fingers by moving them around the areola, moving a little further beyond its borders, or, conversely, moving them closer to the nipple. There is no connection between the force of pressure on the gland and the rate of milk separation - if you press too hard, you can damage the delicate glandular tissue. If you feel pain, it means you made a mistake - check the placement of your fingers, use your other hand, and resume the relaxing massage for 3-5 minutes.

Advice. It is better to express milk in the first half of the day, especially in the morning, when there is more milk than at other times of the day.

Expressed milk: not all and not at once

It is better to divide the milk that you are going to store into portions corresponding to the volume that the baby requires in one feeding. It’s good if you immediately express as much as you need; If you get more, divide it into parts and store each in a separate container; less - put it in the refrigerator and add what you collect later. “Topping up” is allowed, but for each subsequent expression of breast milk, use a sterile container, and pour from it into one that is already cooling in the refrigerator. And don’t take it out for a long time: add a new portion and remove it again.

Advice. During one period of expressing breast milk, there are several hot flashes - moments when fluid flows out very actively. Don't be distracted and make the most of this period. The more often you express milk, the more milk comes. There's no point in keeping it in your chest. Until the accumulated amount is gone, new portions are produced several times slower.

It is a fact!
The taste and appearance are not similar to those produced by female mammals. It's not that bright white. And this does not mean its low fat content and nutritional value. When standing for a short time, human milk separates into a fatty part - the “cream” that floats to the top - and a less fatty part. Before giving the settled milk to your baby, you can mix it carefully.

Suitable container for expressed milk

Special containers and bags for storing expressed milk are sold. They are convenient, but not cheap. If you can’t use such utensils, don’t worry: they’re easy to replace. The main thing is that the tank is clean, durable, with a lid that closes well, is easy to put on, and is made of a material that does not react to changes in temperature and does not react with milk.

Any container intended for storage fits these requirements. food products, even sterile ice packs.

Advice. Whatever container you choose, once you fill it, be sure to sign it. The date and time of pumping will not allow you to make a mistake with the shelf life of expressed milk.

Put it in the bank

If the expressed milk is used on the same day, it does not have to be put in the refrigerator. In a room with a temperature of 23–25 °C, the liquid can stand for 4 hours, and at 19–22 °C – up to 6–10 hours. If you intend to use it later, immediately put it in the refrigerator, not on the door, but on a shelf, and closer to back wall, where the temperature is fixed at 2–4 °C. There the milk will “last” from three to eight days. Mothers who are forming their own bank for the longer term are advised to first refrigerate and then freeze. In a freezer that has a common door with a refrigerator, storage can last up to 3–4 months, and in an isolated compartment, where it is maintained at –18°C, for six months to a year.

Advice:

• What if the shelf life of expressed milk exceeds the recommended one? There is a point of view that milk can be treated like a regular food product - if there is no unpleasant taste or smell, it is acceptable to use it. Although it is better to adhere to recommendations backed by research.
• It is convenient to use a breast pump with a transparent funnel: this allows you to control the position of the nipple. It is good if the device comes with funnels of different diameters - you can choose the one that suits the size of the nipple. It is convenient to use models that come with storage containers. But such models are often more expensive.

Reverse process

When it comes time to feed your baby, choose the oldest portion. If it was stored in room temperature, give it to your baby right away; if in the refrigerator, warm it up to body temperature – 36.6°C. Do this in a water bath, under running hot water, or in a special heating device. Frozen expressed milk must first be completely defrosted on one of the bottom shelves of the refrigerator (approximately 12 hours). And only after this the “thermal” procedures will begin. To determine whether milk is warmed to body temperature, place a container of milk on your upper eyelid. The skin of the upper eyelid is very sensitive and will instantly sense the subtleties of heat.

Advice. Frozen milk may change color or separate - do not worry. The main thing is that it does not have an unpleasant, rancid taste.

Served to eat: how to feed expressed milk

If you give your child your milk, it does not need to be pasteurized, that is, subjected to a special processing method that allows you to destroy pathogenic microorganisms in the liquid. But it is better to further process the donor material. The process takes place in a water bath: the container with the portion is placed in a container with water, heated until bubbles appear (plus 62.5–63 ° C) and kept for 30 minutes. At the same time, the maximum possible amount of useful substances is preserved. The baby can drink expressed milk from a bottle, but there is a chance that, once he gets used to drinking from a bottle, he will change the way he latch onto the breast. To prevent this from happening, breastfeeding experts advise using so-called non-sucking objects for supplementary feeding: a spoon, a syringe without a needle, a cup, a glass. Try different options, one will definitely suit you.

Advice. Take the time and effort to search the best way moving expressed milk into the baby's mouth. Despite the assurances of bottle nipple manufacturers that their products exactly imitate the female nipple, there is still a difference. And no one guarantees that after meeting a surrogate, the baby will not refuse to breastfeed.

Everyone knows that mother's milk has unique properties. No artificial mixtures can replace it. But what to do if the mother is busy and the baby is soon to be fed? There is no need to be upset, because milk can be expressed and stored. However, you need to know how to store expressed breast milk. After all, such a mixture must necessarily retain its beneficial qualities.

Modern mothers do not stay at home. They often work and are constantly busy. Sometimes a woman needs to go away for a long time, but how to feed the baby? This can be done by dad or one of the relatives.

However, it is not necessary to purchase a special formula, because you can express your own milk and keep it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Not all women know how to properly express formula for feeding, so they are afraid to do it. There is no need to worry: this process does not pose a danger to the female breast.

Reasons why pumping is mandatory:

1. Usually, immediately after giving birth, a young mother has a very large amount of milk. If it is not used up, the woman may feel unwell. Pumping is necessary for this reason, although it should not be abused. How long should the process take? Expressing should be done until it becomes easier.
2. In some cases, breast formula may not be enough. In such situations, pediatricians advise breastfeeding the baby more often or using a special breast pump. This procedure will stimulate the breasts in a special way. If you express milk, there will be more formula next time before feeding.
3. If after feeding there is still “food” left.
4. If mom is sick and the doctor forbids her to breastfeed. However, pumping is not prohibited.

How to do it right

Expressing and feeding are different processes. Therefore, the body reacts to them differently. During the first, the body “feels” a catch, so the milk is not released enough. Doctors advise drinking hot tea with milk before the procedure. You can take a warm shower or apply a warm cloth to your chest. The main thing is to provide the mammary gland with enough warmth.

You can also massage the mammary glands. This will stimulate milk production.

Expressing can be done in two ways:

Hands

Some women are afraid of doing something wrong and thus harming themselves. It's actually simple. You just need to follow a couple of recommendations:

• Before the process, wash your hands well and rinse your breasts with warm water. You can massage it lightly.
• It is necessary to grasp one breast with your hand and, using massage movements, gently press from the base to the nipple. Big and index fingers are located at opposite ends of the halos.
• You need to apply gentle pressure, so movements should be soft and careful. No pain should be felt.

You may not be able to express milk the first time, but with experience everything will come. You just need to get used to it.

Such devices are presented in an assortment. There are no special instructions, you just need to choose quality products.

The main thing is that all components of the breast pump can be washed and sterilized. You should not buy products that cannot be boiled. They can contribute to infection.

There are special electric breast pumps. They do not require physical effort and can express milk from both breasts at once. However, they cannot be controlled. Manual mechanisms are easy to operate, but require the use of force.

The pumping process is as follows:

• You can’t do without preparation here either. First, you need to thoroughly rinse not only your hands and chest, but also the components of the device. It is very important that they can be sterilized.
• The chest can be washed with warm boiled water.
• Then the device must be applied to the center of the chest. Usually the instructions for a breast pump allow you to quickly get the hang of it. The process itself depends on the specific model. The pumping force can be adjusted. It is also necessary to monitor the flow. It doesn't have to be very strong.
• Immediately after use, the breast pump is thoroughly washed and put away. All is ready.

How to store

Even expressed milk is much healthier than artificial formula. So that such a substance does not lose its healing properties, it should be stored correctly.

How to store expressed breast milk? How long should the term last? First you need to determine the storage capacity. Doctors think the best option glassware. You can also use plastic. However, now there are special dishes and bags for storing milk. It is better to use them, since only high-quality materials are used to make such products. Another advantage is that the containers are already sterilized. Pediatricians advise choosing these products.

You can also use containers. They are convenient to store and use in different situations.

What should the deadline be?

How to store breast milk? It is not necessary to store it in the refrigerator. After expressing, milk can be safely stored at room temperature for 6-8 hours. Therefore, mother can leave, leaving milk on the table in the room.

However, the lower the temperature, the longer the healthy mixture will be stored. So, at 25 degrees storage lasts about 6 hours, at 20 – 10 hours, at 16 degrees – a day.

Many mothers try to store expressed milk in the refrigerator. If you need to go away or do important things, you can put the dishes in a cold place. But in the refrigerator the product loses its healing substances much faster. They keep better at room temperature.

How long can storage be carried out correctly? You can store breast milk in the refrigerator for up to two days. It is heated before feeding.

There are situations when a mother needs a large amount of milk at once for a long time. What should I do? You can freeze a small portion in the freezer. Frozen milk can be stored for 6 months.

It needs to be defrosted properly. The process must be very gradual. First, the container is simply left in the refrigerator, and then left indoors at room temperature for a short time. And only then you can place the container or bottle under a warm stream of water.

You can also use special devices for heating. Doctors prohibit heating the mixture in microwave oven or boil.

It is important to remember that the processes of freezing in the refrigerator and thawing can negatively affect the beneficial properties of milk. No matter how long it is stored, some of the benefits are still lost. Although such milk will still be healthier than infant formula, it is still better not to get carried away with such procedures. Real breast milk is the most nutritious and beneficial for the health and well-being of the baby.

Many mothers resort to expressing and storing breast milk. Some do this occasionally, leaving a portion of expressed milk for the baby during a short absence, others express milk regularly for the future, knowing that they will have to be away for a long time and provide the baby with the most valuable nutrition for him. In any case, information on how to store breast milk after pumping will be useful to most mothers.

Options

A nursing mother can pump at work, because even at room temperature, breast milk will not spoil for ten hours. This milk can be given to the child after returning home or frozen.

To extend the storage of milk expressed at work, if there is no regular refrigerator nearby, the mother can take to work a cooler bag or an ordinary thermos, which is cooled at home shortly before leaving (you need to pour ice into the thermos and empty it before placing it in the milk container).

If you are going to feed your baby your expressed milk in the next two days, it is preferable to store the product in the refrigerator. In this case, you will not need to defrost it. In addition, immune factors in such milk are preserved in greater quantities than in frozen milk.

If you are storing milk that you plan to give to your baby in the future (in two days or more), then freezing breast milk would be a suitable storage method.

What to store in - container options

Express milk only into a clean container. To store milk for a long time, you will need containers that close tightly. They can be made of either glass or plastic. The material of the storage container does not affect the quality of human milk.

Such containers can be presented:

• bottles,
• glasses,
• containers,
• in packages.

When choosing a container for breast milk, it is important to consider its ease of use. Thus, special plastic bags can be directly connected to the breast pump and take up less space in the freezer. Such bags are made from fairly dense material and are sold sterilized. They usually have a place where the date of milk collection is written down.

Human milk should not be frozen in disposable bottle liners. They have fragile seams that can come apart during freezing. If you do not have other containers, use two inserts together and do not store milk in such containers for a long time.

Let's take it for a walk

You can use a bottle thermos or thermal bag to take your expressed breast milk with you when you go out. The use of such things is very convenient for mothers who have planned a long walk, during which the baby may get hungry and there may not be an opportunity to breastfeed.

• The optimal volume for freezing is 60-120 ml. This volume can be used for one or two feedings and without throwing out the unused product, since defrosted milk cannot be put back into the freezer.
• You can add fresh chilled milk to an already frozen product if the volume of fresh milk is less than the volume of the frozen portion.
• You should not store expressed breast milk on the refrigerator door. Place the milk containers inside the main chamber of the device in the coldest place. The milk storage temperature must be stable.
• In the freezer, milk should also be placed against the far wall.

You should create a large supply of frozen milk when your mother is away for a long time. In other cases, let up to 5 servings of the product be stored in the freezer, since fresh milk from mother is still healthier.

If you don't get one full portion while pumping, put it in the refrigerator. Next time after pumping, simply top up the container. Please note that this must be done within 24 hours.

Expiration dates

If the shelf life expires or more than half the time has passed, you cannot increase the shelf life by changing its method. For example, if milk has been in the refrigerator for more than a day, it can no longer be frozen.

Signs of spoiled milk

If you have not pumped before, you may be surprised at the external differences between breast milk and cow's milk. When human milk sits, it separates into an upper fatty layer and a lower liquid layer. This is not a sign of spoilage, and as soon as you shake the container, the milk will again have a smooth consistency.

If quick freezing was used, the milk remains of a uniform consistency.

Expressed in different time milk changes both composition and appearance. Fat content may vary in different portions obtained both on different days, and even during one pumping session (at the beginning and at the end). The color is also very different - it can be bluish, yellow, pink, greenish. It all depends on what mommy ate. So it is impossible to determine by color that the milk has spoiled.

It happens that a mother, for one reason or another, needs to temporarily stop feeding, but she does not want to completely wean the baby off the breast. Then she should find out how to freeze breast milk so that it does not lose its beneficial properties and does not spoil during storage.

Freezing breast milk is only necessary if it is stored for a long time. If the supplies will be used within the next few days, it is better to store them chilled in the refrigerator without resorting to freezing. This will allow you to retain more nutrients.

Preparing to pump

First, the milk must be collected correctly. Be sure to wash your hands with soap before pumping. You can express by hand or with a breast pump. If a breast pump is used, all parts should be washed with baby-safe detergent and dried beforehand. There is no need to wash your breasts before expressing, since the areolas contain glands that produce a secretion that has bactericidal properties.

A daily hygienic shower is quite enough.

Which container to choose for storing supplies

It is important not only to follow all hygiene requirements, but also to choose the right storage container.

It is not recommended to use transparent plastic containers made of polycarbonate. This type of material contains the dangerous substance Bisphenol A, which is released during heating and enters the product. If such a container is used for freezing, then it will not be possible to heat the product in it. To reheat, the thawed milk must be poured into another container. Dishes that do not contain Bisphenol A are marked “BPA free”.

For storage, you can choose opaque polypropylene containers, which are considered safe.

Frozen breast milk can be conveniently stored in special plastic bags. These bags fit compactly into the freezer. In addition, they are sold already sterilized, which simplifies their use. The bags can be connected to a breast pump, which reduces the chance of milk contamination when expressing.

Any utensils, with the exception of sterilized bags, must be washed and dried in advance.

Freezing expressed milk

In order for milk to be stored for a long time, it is necessary to protect it from unnecessary contact with air. Immediately after expressing, the container must be closed. Excess air is removed from plastic bags.

Containers or bags in which breast milk is supposed to be frozen should be no more than 3/4 full, since the liquid expands when frozen and a container filled to the brim may burst.

It is better to freeze stocks in small portions up to 120 ml, so that the entire amount of defrosted milk can be used at one time.

If there is not enough milk to freeze, you can fill the container during the day and then freeze it. You can add fresh milk to the cooled portion if the amount is significantly smaller and does not heat up what has already cooled. Otherwise, it is better to cool the fresh one first in a separate container and then mix it with the already cooled one. You can add a little chilled food to the frozen one, avoiding thawing of the stored portion.

The breast pump and container must be pre-treated. Expressed milk does not require any processing before freezing.

Inventories should be stored without exceeding the following periods:

• in the general compartment of a refrigerator on a freezer shelf - up to 14 days;
• in a freezer with a separate door – up to 4 months;
• in a separate freezer with a constant temperature no higher than 20 0 C - up to a year.

How long will milk actually last? It depends on how correctly it was collected from a hygienic point of view.

During freezing, expressed milk sometimes changes color. This does not affect the quality of the product in any way. If the milk does not smell sour, it means it has not spoiled.

Cons of freezing

Freezing is not the best The best way storage If all cleanliness conditions are met, chilled milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 days. Moreover, the number of harmful microorganisms in it decreases over time, since the enzymatic system of milk is included in the work.

If a product is frozen, then when it thaws it will lose about half of its valuable substances. But their content will be five times higher than in substitutes. However, if expressed milk is used several days in advance, it is best to store it refrigerated.

After thawing, a specific soapy smell sometimes appears. Some children refuse to drink this milk. The odor is caused by the enzyme lipase, which is inactivated by high temperature. If expressed milk is brought to the pasteurization temperature (60 0 C), without allowing it to boil, the lipase will be destroyed, but some useful substances will also be lost - for example, vitamin C.

When frozen milk is stored in refrigerators and does not need to be defrosted, the fat composition of the product changes due to regular thawing and freezing.

Because of all these disadvantages, you need to think about how long you will actually have to store your expressed milk and whether it should be frozen.

If it is not known how long it will take before the expressed milk is consumed, it is best to store it frozen.

It is important not only to freeze the product correctly, but also to defrost it with the least loss for the quality composition.

However long it takes, the milk should be thawed gradually. To defrost, you need to move it from the freezer to the refrigerator. Then you need to heat the thawed milk by placing the vessel in warm, but not hot water. Such gentle thawing will preserve beneficial substances to a greater extent.

You should not use a microwave for heating, since uneven heating provokes the destruction of beneficial substances.

If the entire defrosted portion is not used immediately, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours.

Of course, in the first six months of life, breast milk remains the most valuable nutrition for the baby. But life circumstances sometimes they make their own adjustments, and if the mother does not want to switch the baby to formula, then she has the opportunity to stock up on expressed milk.

Even pre-frozen breast milk will be much healthier for the baby than the highest quality substitute.

Mother's milk is the most valuable and healthy product that cannot be compared with any alternative nutrition option. When a woman’s milk supply is fine, it would seem there should be no problems with feeding a newborn. However, there are situations when a mother does not always have the opportunity to feed her infant, because:

• she is forced to be absent for a long time;
• she has problems with her nipples (sores, cracks);
• the child may refuse to breastfeed;
• problems with lactation appeared.

At such moments, a bottle of expressed breast milk can replace the child's mother's breast - provided that the pumping technology and storage rules for this product have been followed.

1. If you use a breast pump, it must be thoroughly sterilized.
2. Before the procedure, wash your chest and hands well with soap and dry them.
3. The container for expressing must be sterile.
4. After filling the container, mark the date and time on it.
5. Do not fill the container to the brim if you plan to freeze the product, since milk tends to expand as it freezes.

Where is the best place to store the product?

Expressed milk can be stored in glass, plastic or plastic.

The container must be sterilized and hermetically sealed. For different purposes, you should choose the appropriate container shape.

So, in disposable bags, which can be purchased at a pharmacy kiosk, it is good to freeze expressed milk for long-term storage. For convenience, manufacturers put a measuring scale on the bags and leave a place where you can write the time of packaging of expressed milk. If a little time must pass between pumping and feeding the baby, you can use any solid container.

Many mothers, when choosing bottles, prefer glass products, and are wary of buying plastic and plastic containers. In fact, the material cannot in any way affect the quality of the expressed product and its shelf life.

It is most convenient to pour milk into containers, the volume of which is enough for exactly one feeding. Each bottle must contain the date on which the product was expressed.

How to preserve a product longer

Expressed frozen milk has the longest shelf life. Let it cool in the refrigerator for a while before placing it in the freezer. Due to strong cooling, the product will lose some beneficial features, but it will still be better than the most expensive artificial mixture in all respects.

Expressed milk can be stored in the refrigerator (everywhere except the door) for a little over a week. Chilled milk retains most of the nutrients. If you plan to feed your baby expressed milk on the same day, it is best to store it in a sterilized, airtight container at room temperature.

How to properly defrost a carton of milk

1. Move the bag from the freezer to the refrigerator and wait until it is completely defrosted.
2. Pour the melted milk into a bottle - as much as is required for one time.
3. Before feeding, heat the milk in a water bath.

• reheat in the microwave;
• heat over an open fire;
• bring to the boil;
• freeze more than once.

Due to these procedures, the product loses its beneficial properties.

Dependence of product shelf life on temperature

In the freezer at:

• from “-12” to “- 18” - up to 6 months;
• from “-19” to “-21” - up to 12 months.

On the refrigerator shelf at a temperature from “0” to “+4” - ​​no more than 8 days.

Product storage rules:

• place the milk on the shelf as deep as possible;
• Cool your expressed milk to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.

In a room at a temperature:

• from “+16” to “+22” - up to 10 hours;
• from “+22” and above - up to 6 hours.

For such a long time, breast milk does not spoil at room temperature thanks to the substances in its composition that prevent the proliferation of harmful microbes.

The table below details how long breast milk can be stored.

Product storage location	Temperature in degrees	Fresh milk, shelf life	Thawed, shelf life
In the room	up to 15	24 hours	24 hours
	from 16 to 22	10 hours	1 hour
	from 22	6 hours	1 hour
In a refrigerator	+ 4 to + 6	8 days	24 hours
In the freezer compartment, with separate door	from -5 to -19	6 months
	from – 20	12 months
In a freezer with a common door	from -5	14 days

There is nothing complicated about expressing and storing breast milk, but it can bring so many benefits to the baby’s health!

It’s not for nothing that this product is commonly called white gold. It contains a huge amount of useful substances and microelements, has an amazing taste and is safe for children's health.

Breast milk is the only product that contains so many antibodies that they can protect the baby from:

• diarrhea;
• pneumonia;
• allergic reactions and other common childhood illnesses.

Therefore, from the first day of life, the child simply needs this product. Some mothers think that colostrum (first breast milk) is too thick, so they try to give the baby extra water. In fact, this is a misconception: colostrum is a unique product that contains large quantities of leukocytes and antibodies to combat all kinds of childhood diseases.

Feed your children this product, express it and store it for future use; if you have a long separation from your baby, do not rush to switch to artificial nutrition.

Infant formula will not harm the child's body, but there will be little benefit from it.