Help! Frozen breastmilk disaster abroad

[JennaRainbow]

I can't believe this has happened. I spent a week pumping 3 times a day to get enough milk to take on holiday with us, and the hotel said they would put it in the freezer as soon as we arrived. It's now 6 days since they did it and my husband just went to get a frozen to use and they had actually put the milk in the fridge. I can't bare it. Literally had bleeding nipples to get enough. I know you're all going to say throw it out...is there any way it can be saved? I can't believe this has happened. Cried for 30 mins.

I'm sorry, I think it's only good for about 3 days refrigerated?

No past 24 hours in the fridge it will be off, so sorry.

I am wrong 5 days at 4 degrees or lower, so depends on fridge temp.

Jenna, smell it, you will know if it's off. (Personal experience!)

6 days at the back of a fridge it may be actually be ok

I don't get it? Why don't you just bf the baby instead? Genuine question.

I assume there is a complicated backstory about why you're not just feeding directly and why you needed to take so much away with you? Is that worth exploring in case we can help?

My plan would be to taste and sniff milk in fridge and if it's OK (off BM tastes off like any other milk) stick it in freezer and sniff/taste each one as you defrost it. You could scald it before putting it in too, I'm not sure that would make a difference but it might kill any nasties lurking.

Or buy a breast pump locally if you need pumped milk, and use that with formula top ups. Or honestly, you're on holiday, just use formula and give yourself a break. You've tried your best, something has gone wrong totally out of your control and needs must sometimes. If it's just for food you could use cows milk.

I wouldn't risk using it. If you have already been on holiday 6 days, what have you been feeding your baby with until now? I assume direct bf?

Wow thank you all so so much for replying so quickly, I can't tell you what it means. I should have said I do breastfeed, but not when I'm out in public, my boobs are a size J and I'm just not comfortable with it. The milk is for when we need to leave her with a babysitter and I can't feed her. I'll look into a pump, that's a good idea. Annoyingly now I only get about 2ounces a time if I'm lucky, but will try. Just feel so deflated, I can't believe this has happened. You try so hard! Thank you so much all of you once again x

Does she take bottles/formula/cows milk?

If she's ten months, really, relax and give yourself a break. It's a few feeds whilstt you're out. She's eating a variety of foods now and a bit of formula or cows milk will just be another part of the varied diet she's eating. Don't kill yourself pumping more.

Ah, I totally feel for you! Different situation, but with my DD I spent countless hours building up a supply in the freezer, only to find when I defrosted the first container that my milk was off. It seems my milk doesn't freeze well (lacking an enzyme or something). Every container was the same. It was devastating. Big hugs.

PS: I could tell it was off from tasting it (and probably from smelling it - I can't remember now)

I feel your frustration. The same tiinh happened to me as sweetpea, months of expressed milk I was storing for going back work - all binned because it smelled like rank soap. I cried.

I hope you can sort out an alternative, and don't feel bad if you get some formula - you did everything you could. Enjoy your holiday is the most important thing!

If anyone else's milk tastes soapy after freezing and defrosting, you can prevent it from happening again by scalding the milk after you've expressed and before you cool and freeze. This gets rid of the lipase which makes it taste soapy.