Quick q re: EBM - can I keep adding to chilled EBM?

[Lucy1977]

Hi

I can't seem to find the answer to my question so does anyone here know please?

I expressed some milk this morning and put it in a bottle in the fridge. I've just expressed some more and want to know if I can just add it to the bottle in the fridge or should I store it in another bottle in teh fridge and add the two together then warm when I give the bottle to DD?

Also, I'm going to the hairdresser tomorrow and DH will look after DD at his sister's flat. If they take a bottle of EBM milk out of the fridge and let it get to room temp and DD doesn't finish it can they give it to her later on? Anyone know the amount of time the EBM will last once it's taken out of the fridge? I guess I shouldn't put it back in the fridge after it's got to room temp?

Thanks in advance!

Lucy

\link{http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html\Breastmilk storage and handling}

There is loads more info on the kellymom website about expressing/storing/general breastfeeding

YOu can add to it now - you can add small amounts over a day no problem.

You can use left over EBM if you return it to the fridge. I think it can be stored in this way for about 4hrs then the rest used. Can't remember how long it can be out of the fridge for but you can find it on www.kellymom.com. To be really safe/sure, you could send two bottles with half the amount in each, if means you'd worry less.

Was just about to go off and find that link, you saved me the effort!

Hi

Thanks for your replies, I've looked at KM site and it says that "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 if its ok to do that if you have warmed the EBM initially?

Thanks

Lucy

I basically go by the rule of bittyness - if it appears bitty after a good shaking, and has a slightly unpleasant odour then don't use it, apart from that it's fine whatever the circumstances, just my opinion, I've expressed exclusively for both children.

(I'm Fastasleep en Francais)

Fastasleep, with a bow to your far superior experience can I just say it is possibly best not to shake the milk - another thing I learnt from \link{http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/shakenot.htm\kellymom - here is the bit on not shaking}

I think as breastmilk has antibacterial qualities etc, it can probably be warmed a little then refrigerated and used later.

But if I don't shake the refridgerated milk it stays seperated into an unsuckable mound of fat at the top and water you can't get to underneath.

So nerrr

Hi FA in french!

Thanks - I'll see how the milk looks/smells when the time comes, I hate to think of pouring the EBM down the sink if DD doesn't take it all but don't want DH to be stuck without enough milk (I will put it in two bottles as suggested).

Thanks
Lucy

I don't violently shake it!

Oh yes, I remember that cream on top! Shocked me the first time I came back to the fridge! I found a bit of a swirl (actually, quite a few minutes of swirling) did the trick.

ner ner to you too

bien.

bonne nuit.

That's what I meant, oh FGS now I have to go into some kind of descriptive saga about shaking...

gently remove bottle from fridge, place it into the palm of one hand, enclose your fingers lovingly around the cool bottle, and swirl it around and around to preserve the heavenly 'beads' of goodness, then ever so carefully heat it to an exact temperature of 35.5 degrees, just to be sure you don't kill anything in the manna from heaven.

Well to be fair you did say a 'good shaking' -- I'm only trying to be helpful!