How to use breast milk packages to preserve milk stock

Meeting on the market packages for breast milk, not all represent what they are for. In the meantime, the convenience of such packages has already been appreciated by many mothers.

For a long time no one argues with the axiom that it is mother's milk is the best food for the newborn. And the longer a baby is on breastfeeding, the better for his health and development. Unfortunately, there are circumstances when a mother can not feed her baby: in case of separation for a few days or illness, during which it is necessary to take drugs harmful to the baby. To preserve lactation and not transfer the baby to the mixture, you can prepare food for future use. To do this, it is important to know how to freeze breast milk and how to properly defrost it. And packages for breast milk freezing will greatly facilitate the storage task and ensure complete sterility.

How to freeze breast milk

Creating a "reserve fund" of milk is not a matter of one day. If you know that you will soon have to leave the baby for a few days, decant the remnants of milk after each feeding. In packages for the freezing of breast milk, pour not more than the volume that will be needed for one feeding, otherwise the remainder will have to be poured out - it can not be re-frozen. Usually, milk is stored in 120-140 ml in a bag, taking into account that the volume of liquid during freezing increases, so it is not worth to fill the container to the edges in any case. Specialized packages have divisions to help you determine the milk volume as accurately as possible. If there are no packages, the usual bottles will do. The main thing is that they are sterile before you fill them.

The filled container should be placed in the refrigerator until completely cooled, after which it can be moved to the freezer. It is unlikely that the amount of expressed milk after one feeding will be 120-140 ml, so that you could prepare a whole portion. It's okay: during the day, you can add to the package new portions, pre-cooled them in the refrigerator. The main thing is that the volume of a new portion does not exceed the amount frozen to avoid milk defrosting. Do not forget to close the container tightly and put the date when the milk was collected. It is this label that will help determine the shelf life of each serving.

How to store frozen milk

For a long time, scientists argued which packaging is ideal for storing frozen breast milk. Some argued that glass dishes are better suited, while others were inclined towards plastic. Finally, there was a peace between the parties: it was proved by studies that both of these materials are well suited for these purposes. The main thing is that the dishes should be sterile. For glass bottles, this is achieved by boiling for half an hour or by sterilization in a special device. Plastic bags for freezing breast milk in additional processing do not need - they are disposable and are sold sterile. No harmful substances are emitted from either of them, or from glass into milk.

It is possible to store breast milk in frozen form for up to 6 months if a constant temperature of 19 and below is maintained in the freezer. On the freezer shelf (without the door), milk can not be stored for longer than 14 days. If there is a door in the freezer compartment, the shelf life increases to 3 months.

How to unfreeze breast milk

When the milk is needed, inspect your breast milk packages and choose the portion that was frozen first. Check expiration dates: if everything is in order, you can start defrosting. Many people are interested in how to unfreeze breast milk so that it does not lose its properties. It is important not to expose it to high temperatures, defrosting in the microwave oven is also unacceptable. If you need to quickly defrost the milk, put the container with it in warm water, but not hotter than 37 degrees Celsius.

Even if you are not going to part with the baby, it is better to always have a couple of servings of frozen breast milk in case of unforeseen situations. They will very much help you out if the need really arises.