Having met packages for freezing breast milk, not everyone can imagine what they are for. Meanwhile, 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 breast milk that is the best food for a newborn. And the longer the baby is breastfed, the better for his health and development. Unfortunately, there are circumstances when a mother cannot breastfeed her baby: in the case of separation for several days or an illness during which she has to take drugs that are harmful to her baby. In order to maintain lactation and not transfer the child to mixtures, food can be prepared for future use. To do this, it is important to know how to freeze breast milk and how to properly defrost it. And breast milk freezer bags will greatly facilitate the storage task and ensure complete sterility.
How to freeze breast milk
The creation of a βreserve fundβ of milk is not one day. If you know that you will soon have to leave the baby for several days, decant the remaining milk after each feeding. Pour into bags for freezing breast milk no more than the amount required for one feeding, otherwise the remainder will have to be poured out - re-freezing should not be allowed. Typically, 120-140 ml of milk is stored in a bag, given that the volume of liquid during freezing increases, so you should not fill the container to the edges in any case. Specialized packages have divisions that will help you determine the amount of milk as accurately as possible. If there are no bags, ordinary bottles will do. The main thing is that they are sterile before you fill them.
The filled container must be placed in the refrigerator until it is completely cooled, after which it can be moved to the freezer. It is unlikely that the volume of expressed milk after one feeding will be 120-140 ml, so that you can prepare a whole serving. It's okay: during the day you can add new portions to the package, after cooling them in the refrigerator. The main thing is that the volume of the new portion does not exceed the volume of the frozen one in order to avoid defrosting the milk. Do not forget to tightly close the container and set the date when the milk was collected. It is this label that will help determine the shelf life of each portion.
How to store frozen milk
For a long time, scientists argued which containers are ideal for storing frozen breast milk. Some claimed that glassware was better, others tended to plastic. Finally, peace came between the parties: research has proven that both materials are well suited for these purposes. The main thing is that the dishes are 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 do not need additional processing - they are disposable and are sold sterile. No harmful substances are released from milk or glass.
It is possible to store breast milk in frozen form for up to 6 months, if a constant temperature is maintained in the freezer - 19 or lower. Do not store milk for longer than 14 days on the freezer shelf (without door). If there is a door in the freezer compartment, then the shelf life increases to 3 months.
How to thaw breast milk
When milk is needed, inspect your breastmilk bags and choose the portion that was frozen first. Check expiration dates: if everything is in order, you can start defrosting. Many are interested in how to defrost breast milk so that it does not lose its properties. It is important not to expose it to high temperatures; defrosting in a microwave oven is also unacceptable. If you need to quickly defrost milk, put a container with it in warm water, but not hotter than 37 degrees Celsius.
Even if you are not going to part with your baby, it is best to always have a couple of servings of frozen breast milk in stock in case of unforeseen situations. They will greatly help you if the need really arises.