My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Transporting milk

14 replies

TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 05/11/2018 17:28

Hello

Im going on a relatively long car journey soon for a short family break. We have a session arranged in the spa which was a present so i dont want to not use it. I wont have time to express when im there before using the spa.

Does anyone know how I can safely transport and use milk from my freezer. We will be travelling on a monday spa session is a wednesday

Id usually use a freezer bag and ice blocks but... i dont think that will keep the milk sufficiently frozen for the distance we have to go and time we hve to wait to get into acommodation (self cateted so will havw a freezer there)

OP posts:
Report
CherryPavlova · 05/11/2018 17:31

Can’t you just feed before the spa session and afterwards? All that warm water will get milk flowing freely. I’m not understanding why you need to take EBM?

Report
TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 05/11/2018 18:36

Will obviously feed before and after but want to relax knowing baby can be fed if im not there. Its quite a chunk of time.

This isnt a debate over formula or breast milk just asking for advice about how to transport milk so i can feed my baby with breast milk... thats all

OP posts:
Report
CherryPavlova · 05/11/2018 19:57

Could you express when you arrive as well as feed?
If you froze the milk, then kept in a cool bag with ice packs it probably wouldn’t even defrost by the time you were settled.

Report
MashNpeas · 05/11/2018 20:01

I've been wondering this too! If it leaves the freezer at 8am, is kept packed with lots of ice blocks it may defrost by 1-2, then if it stays cool surely we could use it that afternoon? As long as it doesn't sit at room temperature?! It's so hard to find clear guidelines online as it usually assumes if you're defrosting you're using it immediately... hopefully someone will know!

Report
dementedpixie · 05/11/2018 20:03

You can buy wee portable freezers that run from the cigarette lighter. Could that work?

Report
TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 05/11/2018 20:27

Look at Kelly Mom loads of advice about timescales one there Mash.

Cherry no i wont be able to express when i get there. Doubt i will have time and wont get enough off.

Its very likely to defrpst by 3pm if im setting off at 10/11. It defrosts quickly cherry cool blocks dont last that long I find Cherry.

Will look at freezer idea. Thanks do you ise one pixie i was wondering if such thing existed.

OP posts:
Report
Merename · 05/11/2018 22:33

You sound like you know from experience that cool blocks won’t last long? Have you tried this long? I’m too early to be expressing with dd2 but with first I seem to remember milk staying frozen for many hrs when sandwiched between two cool blocks.

Report
mindutopia · 06/11/2018 10:52

Breastmilk once defrosted is generally considered fine in fridge for 24 hours. But it's fine refridgerated for 6 days (not frozen). Could you find time to express over the weekend before and store that milk cold (but not frozen) and transport using ice blocks (will definitely keep cold enough in a cool box). If you expressed on Saturday and Sunday, kept cool, it would be fine to use on Wednesday. Otherwise, you may just have to find the time to express while there. Surely, sometime between Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning you could send your partner out for a walk with baby, relax and express for 20 minutes?

Report
TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 06/11/2018 10:55

Thanks utopua

OP posts:
Report
ZackPizzazz · 06/11/2018 11:05

Breast milk can, if necessary, sit at room temp for 6 hours safely so unless it's literally not going to be used until the next day I honestly wouldn't worry much. Freezer bag with ice packs sounds fine. You'll have to chuck it once completely defrosted if unused though.

Rough rule of 6: 6 hours out of the fridge, 6 days in the fridge, 6 months in the freezer.

Report
YellowStickies · 06/11/2018 15:12

I use the Medela cool bag with freezer block which keeps milk chilled for 12hours+ if the block is solidly frozen.

Report
YellowStickies · 06/11/2018 15:14

Sorry, misread your post. If milk is solidly frozen and in a small cool bag with ice blocks (and little air) then it will stay frozen for an age. Once the milk is defrosted it can be kept I. The fridge for 24hours.

Report
TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 06/11/2018 18:23

Thanks ywllow it was the bit about how long it can be kept for whwn defrosted i was unsure about.

Really? Yours lasts frozen that long in a cool bag. Mine doesnt!

Zack... thats the point i cant bare chucking it... thats what im attempting to avoid

OP posts:
Report
TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 06/11/2018 18:24

Zack travelling on a monday milk will be used on a wednesday

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.