How many times can you reheat breastmilk?

[FirstTimeMum1]

Hi mums,

I'm currently trying to 'encourage' my 5 week old DD to take expressed BM in a bottle as she's decided she'd like to feed every hour through the night instead of her feeding every 2-3 hours through the day and every 4-6 hours through the night (also not sure if this is normal so advice on this too please!!) but she's finding taking a bottle difficult even though she could take one in her first week.

I'm storing it in the fridge and warming it up by putting it in hot water for a few mins but don't want to throw it away. How many times can you reheat it?

Also any tips on using a bottle would be helpful!

Thanks :)

I only ever heated it up once and chucked it if they wouldn't drink it. I am a bit neurotic though so I might have been over-doing it.

From www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BFNExpressing&Storing.pdf, it says fresh breastmilk are fine for 6 hours outside the fridge. What I've been doing is simply taking the EBM out of the fridge for a few hours and let it cool to room temperature naturally. I found my DD hated EBM warmed in hot water :O Same with Meglet, I'd just chuck it once it's heated up too (or left out of the fridge).

Can you not just give her smaller amounts each time, instead of reheating? Will leaving 4-5 hours of bottles on your bedside table help?

Maybe try breastfeeding her every hour in the day, and she might last a bit longer at night?

Though I must say 4-6 hourly feeds for a 5 week old is very ambitious! My ds was feeding 4 hourly in the night at 5 months.

4-6 hours is good going! Dd is 4w and barely manages every two hours. I would honestly think yourself lucky.

Sorry I misread your post op! I thought she was doing 5-6 hours already. Actually my Dd is more like hourly after the first three hour sleep in the evening. I usually see every hour on the clock after 1am. I am giving her ebm in the afternoon - about three oz - them another feed. And I just give an oz or so at a time rather than waste any.

i'm very lax on everything foodwise but i'd only ever heat cows milk once and therefore i am the same with breastmilk. Also i've looked after babies with D&V and frankly it's rubbish .
it sounds like it's her 6 week growth spurt and it Will Pass.....
www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurt.html
go with it - these first few weeks feel like they are going on forever and they really really don't. she's so tiny still and she's still getting your boobs to establish their supply. rita is on the right mark, can you try feeding her a bit more in the afternoon and evening??
and consider co sleeping if you aren't already trying it??

Can reheat once

Thanks mums :)

I'll try just heating small amounts then won't feel so guilty throwing it away!

As for nighttime, tried offering her more feeds in the evening and she's back sleeping 4-5 hours at night...happy days!

The world is a much better place with a bit more sleep!

Thanks for the advice!