One of the advantages of breast milk, many mothers just call the lack of need for its storage. A product produced in a natural way, as necessary, comes from the "manufacturer" directly to the "consumer". There is no need to think about how to prepare the mixture, how to sterilize the bottles and many other unnecessary things. It is enough to always always be near your child and listen to his requirements. But the situations are different, and sometimes mom needs to know how much breast milk is stored in the refrigerator. The answer to this question will be presented in our article. And at the same time we’ll talk about how to determine the freshness of expressed milk, how to choose dishes for storage and how to properly heat it.
The benefits of breastfeeding for a baby
To date, they have not yet come up with a complete analogue to mother's milk. Its composition is approved by nature itself. Even the most expensive and high-quality adapted mixtures can not satisfy the baby's needs 100%, as breast milk does. It contains:
- enough vitamins in the most favorable form for assimilation;
- the necessary amount of easily digestible iron - from breast milk it is absorbed in a volume of 70%, from cow's milk - 30%, and from substitutes - 10%;
- the optimal ratio of saturated and unsaturated fats, omega-6 and cholesterol;
- high-grade protein in a balanced amount, enhancing immunity;
- enough water, which allows not to finish the baby additionally before the introduction of complementary foods;
- the optimal ratio between calcium and phosphorus, which is not observed in any of the known types of milk;
- hormones necessary for the baby and biologically active substances that are not synthesized independently.
To preserve all the benefits and nutritional value of this product, a woman who has to express it for a number of reasons needs to know how much breast milk is stored in the refrigerator. So she can give her baby the most valuable that is inherent in nature, and not doubt the freshness of the product.
When do you need to express milk?
In the life of a nursing mother, sometimes situations arise when she inevitably has to give her baby neither a breast, but a bottle. In this case, the woman needs to take care in advance to prepare and place breast milk in the refrigerator. How much is this food stored? This will depend on a number of factors. These include a specific place in the refrigerator and utensils used for decantation. But first, we list a few cases when a mother has to collect milk in a bottle:
- The need to leave the baby for a long time with dad, nanny or grandmother. This situation often occurs when mom goes to work, when traveling on a long business trip, etc.
- Breast problems. If cracks or other microtraumas appear on the nipples, feeding a woman becomes a real test. To heal the breasts, it will take a little time, during which the mother expresses her milk in a bottle and uses it to feed the baby.
- Feeding a premature baby. For physiological reasons, such crumbs are not able to get their own milk from their breasts. Feeding expressed milk from a bottle is a temporary or only right solution.
What does expressed milk look like?
Mother's milk differs from cow's milk, which is presented on store shelves, not only in composition, but also in appearance. Firstly, if you let it stand for a while, you can see how it is stratified. As a result, the fatter portion of the milk floats, forming the top layer. But this does not mean at all that the product has deteriorated and has become unsuitable for feeding. Just shake it to make the milk homogeneous. After this, you can start feeding.
Secondly, breast milk is different in color and fat content. If we are talking about colostrum, expressed in the first week after childbirth, then it has a color from bright yellow to orange. After about 2 weeks, the milk will become ripe and its color will change to bluish-white. In addition, color and fat content may change during pumping. So, the front milk produced at the beginning of feeding looks “low-fat”, while the back milk coming to the nipple later is fatter, which can be determined by the characteristic yellow hue. But it is worth remembering that regardless of the type, this product remains as balanced as possible in composition.
The smell of breast expressed milk
Most people determine the freshness of a product by smell. But what about breast milk? How to determine if it is fresh or spoiled?
Even if the mother knows how much breast milk is stored in the refrigerator, and clearly observes the terms and temperature, before feeding it is important to make sure that it is not sour. To do this, just open the bottle and smell the product. Freshly expressed milk smells sweet and pleasant, but thawed milk resembles soap. The smell is sometimes specific. If the milk is spoiled, then it smells sour. Such a product should not be given to a child. It needs to be poured.
Where to store expressed milk?
This is not about a refrigerator or freezer. The choice of a particular storage location depends on how long it is planned to be kept there. We are talking about containers in which to express it. And here you should adhere to certain rules:
- The container for decantation should not only be clean, but sterile.
- The storage tank should be tightly closed, which will prevent the penetration of extraneous odors into it.
- The dishes can be made of glass, transparent or opaque plastic - this will not affect the quality of expressed milk and its nutritional value.
The choice of dishes depends on the time factor. To do this, you need to figure out how long breast milk is stored in the refrigerator. Below we dwell on the terms in more detail.
Which dishes are suitable for storing expressed milk?
Depending on where you plan to keep the product - in the refrigerator or in the freezer, it is recommended to use different containers. The correct choice of dishes will determine how much expressed breast milk is stored in the refrigerator, and how much - in the freezer. Otherwise, it can deteriorate much faster.
The following dishes are intended for storing expressed milk:
- for the refrigerator - plastic containers or bottles with a tight-fitting lid;
- for the freezer - special disposable bags for frozen milk.
Before adding another portion to frozen milk, it must first be well cooled in the refrigerator. On all containers, especially if they are intended for long-term storage, the date of decantation must be indicated.
Storage of expressed milk without a refrigerator
What should mom do if she is at work? To determine her actions, she needs to know how much expressed breast milk is stored without a refrigerator. Studies have shown that human milk has an amazing ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria and not deteriorate at room temperature for 10 hours. Therefore, for his quality mom can not worry.
So, a working mom needs to remember that exactly as much breast milk is stored without a refrigerator, how long a working day lasts - 8-10 hours. At a temperature of 15 degrees, it will not disappear after 24 hours. If in the office or on the street it is very hot, the bottle can be placed in a cooler bag or in a thermos. Otherwise, after 4 hours it may turn sour.
How much breast milk is stored in the refrigerator and freezer?
What are the recommendations for storing this product? The exact timing depends on a number of factors. First you need to find out how many days breast milk is stored in the refrigerator. At a temperature of 0 ... + 4 ° C it can be kept on a shelf for no more than 8 days. If it is planned to store milk longer, then it is better to freeze it. But in this case, it is important to adhere to the deadlines.
Frozen milk is stored in the freezer located inside the refrigerator for no more than two weeks. In a separate freezer compartment it can be kept for 3-4 months. The longest stored milk can be stored in a stationary freezer. At a temperature of about -19 ° C, it is stored for 6 months.
How to defrost or heat milk?
It is equally important to learn not only how to properly express and store breast milk, but also prepare it for feeding. Simply removing it from the freezer or refrigerator and reheating in the microwave or on the stove will be wrong. In this way, you can completely bring it to a boil. What to do in this case?
To defrost or heat breast milk, you just need to substitute a bottle or container with it under a stream of warm water. But you should not heat it for too long. To determine if the expressed breast milk has warmed up enough, you need to shake the bottle and squeeze a few drops from it onto the back of your hand. The temperature of the product intended for feeding should not be higher than the temperature of the human body.
How long is thawed breast milk stored in the refrigerator?
Each person can heat milk under a stream of hot water: dad, grandmother, and nanny. But no less relevant is the question of how many hours breast milk is stored in the refrigerator, if it has already been previously thawed. Can it be frozen again and reused?
According to pediatricians, if frozen milk was warmed up, then it can be left in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. Before feeding, the bottle is simply heated in warm water. Re-freezing this product is prohibited.
Dr. Komarovsky’s opinion on the storage of breast milk
Many mothers are interested in what a famous pediatrician thinks about breastfeeding. About this, the doctor prepared a whole cycle of television shows, publications and books, which it is advisable to familiarize yourself with before the birth of the baby. Regarding the question of how much breast milk is stored in the refrigerator, Komarovsky fully agrees with the recommendations presented above. It is about meeting deadlines and temperature conditions.
In addition, the doctor draws his attention to the fact that all recommendations were made for those mothers who:
- gave birth to full-term babies;
- they are going to feed the baby with expressed milk at home, and not in the hospital;
- wash their hands before collecting milk in a container;
- thoroughly rinse the dishes washed with detergents in hot water.
In general, the doctor has a positive opinion regarding breastfeeding and pumping under certain circumstances.