Storing and re-using expressed BM - is this advice on kellymom correct?

[Primafacie]

Background: I have been EBFing my son, who is now nearly 12 weeks. I also try to express milk everyday so that my husband can feed the occasional bottle. I typically make bottles of two or three ounces - I am feeding on demand and my son is quite small (born early, though gaining really well) so takes lots of little feeds during the day. Whenever we offer a bottle he rarely drinks all of it and I become ridiculously upset at throwing BM away have been wondering what to do with the leftovers. I coud do smaller bottles but sod's law means that whenever I do that he ends up needing 3+ ounces!

Kellymom says it is fine to put expressed milk back in the fridge and offer at the next feed: "If baby does not finish milk at one feeding, it may be refrigerated and offered at the next feeding before it is discarded." Does anyone know whether this is correct? I would have thought that once the BM had been re-heated it couldn't go back in the fridge?

[NotQuiteCockney]

I am pretty sure that reheated milk can't go back in the fridge - maybe they mean, if you express it, and offer it right away (no refridgerating, no heating involved)?

This leaflet says you cannot refreeze breast milk. I am pretty sure you can't re-refridgerate and re-heat it.

Are you generally around when your husband gives your son a feed? If you made up smaller bottles, and he needed more after that, you could just feed him directly?

[Primafacie]

Thanks NotQuite, that's what I thought too. Kellymom however says you can't refreeze milk but you can put it back in the fridge for up to 48 hours. It also gives a number of references on why it is safe to re-use BM here

We only feed bottles when I am asleep or not home so top ups from the breast wouldn't really work.

[MissTinaTeaspoon]

It wouldn't be safe to reuse. If your baby has drunk from the bottle then he has 'contaminated' (for want of a better word, I'm not saying he's dirty!) the milk because the milk was sterile and his mouth and saliva aren't. Once it's out of the fridge and rewarmed it needs to be used fairly quickly.

[mawbroon]

MissTina - that is true of formula, but not of breastmilk which has antibacterial properties.

OP, yes it will be fine.

[MissTinaTeaspoon]

Well I wouldn't do it at work (scbu) with ebm or formula

[suzikettles]

OP if you're not sure then you could always try offering it to him cold. There's no reason you need to warm the milk except that it might be his preference.

I stopped heating expressed milk when I found that ds was perfectly happy to have it straight from the fridge.

Having said that, all the guidance on expressed milk I've seen is the same as Kellymom. Will try and find some NHS guidance for you.

[Primafacie]

Thanks all, the speed of responses on this board is ace! Suzi I would be interested in NHS guidance if you find it. So far the sprog isn't keen on cold milk but this has reminded me I need to keep trying. :)

[nannyl]

personally i would not be reheating breast milk (or any other type of milk)

It is true that breast milk can be kept longer than formular and doesnt need binning after an hour, but i certainly wouldnt re-heat and offer again and again, especially 48 hours later

you could try offering it at room temp, perhaps for 2 consecutive feeds?

[Primafacie]

I read the advice on kellymom as saying you can re-heat and offer once, not again and again. Good point on offering at room temp, will try that too. Although we never give two bottles in a row as my breasts would explode , hence why putting it back in the fridge is so attractive.

[Lynders]

I keep dd1's expressed breastmilk at room temperature if she doesnt drink it all, then offer for up to around 5-7 hrs then it must be discarded. Has served us well and no health repercussions that ive been aware of i.e. upset tummy or anything like that.

Lynders