How do you store Breast milk?

[gorionine]

SIL just asked me for advice but I have no idea what to tell her.

Her DD is refusing to feed from her so she wants to express milk bu wants to know:

-how to store in the fridge/freezer how long?

-what containner to store it in?

If she freezes her milk how to defrost (leave to defrost by itself? microwave or in a pan?

Another thing, she mentionned her Dd has a a bit of a blocked nose, could it be why her Dd is not feeding rather than the fact that she does not want mum anymore? (I seem to remember it was hard to BF my Dcs when they had a cold)

Thanks in advance!

[Anifrangapani]

Froze it in ice cube containers - defrost by putting them in a bottle in a pan of warm water. The Microwave always managed to curdle it.

[alypaly]

freezer for three months in tupperwares

[BertieBotts]

I expressed into a bottle and then transferred into breastmilk storage bags and froze it, but you can really store it in anything as long as it won't spill. I just liked the bags as I could write the date on them.

In the fridge for a week, in the freezer, I'm not sure.

Never defrost in the microwave - defrost slowly on the side or place in a jug of hot water to defrost and warm if using immediately

Yes her DD is probably finding it hard to bf due to blocked nose. She could try saline drops or even a few drops of breastmilk up the nose (dropper, or squirt directly!) as this loosens the snot and makes it come out quicker making it easier to breathe. Also taking the baby into a steamy room, like the bathroom when someone is showering.

[BertieBotts]

Oh and tell her to keep offering the breast as she will most likely come back to it when she is feeling better and more able to breathe and it's better to encourage her to feed as soon as possible - don't get the baby stressed out by attempts though, just offer it and if she doesn't want to know leave it for now.

HTH

[Discodolly100]

I found the Lansinoh website www.lansinoh.co.uk/StoringBreastmilk.php has lots of great info about storing breastmilk. They also sell these handy little plastic bags to freeze it in too. Hope that helps!

[gorionine]

Oh thank you very much all!

BertieBotts, nice tip about using breast milk to unblock nose, i did not know you could do that!

[MrsBadger]

(NB I spent a fortune on those bags and had some soul-destroying leaks till I got hold of some Axifeed bottles (google them).
Reusable, just dishwash and/or sterilise, they stack neatly in freezer and never ever leak.)