Can't store breast milk- advice needed

[AlbertaWildRose]

Hi there, I'm new to MN and am hoping someone will be able to offer some advice. For some strange reason I don't seem to be able to store my breast milk- it goes bad in the fridge after about 6 or 7 hours. The bottles and containers are well sterilized and the fridge is cold (we keep cow's milk with no problem), so I can't quite figure it out. I even have problems freezing it if I thaw it on its own (have been able to thaw it quickly in hot water with some success, although it doesn't seem to last long in the freezer either). Has anyone encountered this problem before? Thanks for your help!

what do you mean by bad?

Tastes disgusing, very sour.

I meant 'disgusting'!

How long odes it last before it goes bad at room temp?

Good question. I don't know, I've always put it right into the fridge or freezer, so I'm not sure.

maybe try this got someinfor from La lache league abouyt storing human milk and they state BM should last 10hours at room temp?

Does it taste bad after or before heating it when its been in the fridge?

Have you tasted it as soon as it's been expressed? (just thinking that it might be the way it's supposed to taste, although I think it's supposed to taste sweet, isn't it? - can't remember).

Have you looked at kellymom.com It tells you how to store breast milk, how long it lasts and how to tell if it has one off.

One tip is not to put it in the door and put it in the middle of the shelf.

It tastes quite sweet as soon as it's been expressed, and after being in the fridge it's sour before and after heating.

I haven't looked at kellymom.com, I'll definitely try that, thanks!

also try laleche

Thanks Figgypud, I'll try storing it at room temp. and see what happens. Kellymom.com says that the sour taste may be due to 'an excess of the enzyme lipase in the milk', in which case scalding it might work. Sounds like a lot of fuss though! I just want to be able to go out and leave ds with dh for a few hours.

I hear you there! Couldn't be without expressed milk!
Good luck

I've got this problem too! I don't really have any solutions though - haven't used ebm much as ds isn't keen on bottles.
Glad to know it's not just my milk or my fridge! I'll be interested in any suggestions.

Too much lipase

That's the problem

I had this problem for my first baby, but oddly enough, not for my second! I didn't find a solution I'm afraid but scalding is your best bet.

I'm really glad to know it's not just me! I mentioned it to my HV who thought I was absolutely insane and had never heard of this problem before. I'll try scalding and hopefully that will make a difference. Thanks for all your feedback.

I've just started donating breast milk to a local hospital (for prem and sick babies) and mentioned to the breast feeding counsellor about a problem I was having getting my DD onto a bottle of expressed milk, she mentioned something about an enzymne in the milk and apparently if you put the milk into a saucepan and heat it until the small bubbles appear at the edge of the milk it kills this enzyme. You can then store this milk and use it as and when needed.

Have just made DH taste the milk he's giving DD now and compare it to milk I've just expressed and although the reheated expressed milk isn't sour, there was a bitterness to it, so maybe that's why we're having problems.

Anyway good luck, try contacting a breast feeding counsellor at your hospital as maybe they'll be able to tell you a little more.

also... not sure what sterlisation method you use, but if it is coldwater sterlisation, the sterilising solution may make the milk taste different. i had similar 'sour' probs, and assumed it was this, ended up chucking all my milk as i hadn't worked it out early enough (it was all frozen and nicely sterilised trays and bags).

I had this too. The scalding option is the only thing to do I think. PITA I know.

Hello there, could you enlighten me more on this 'scalding' method. My ds refuses to take the bottle which is heart rendering considering that it takes me hours to express 3 ozs of milk. should the milk be poured directly into a saucepan and what about sterilising of the saucepan. Also,Ellie mentioned something about coldwater sterilisation solution probably affecting the taste but surely if the equipments are rinsed well in cool boiled water this should not be a problem or should it? Any advice appreciated, we all need a break!!

Interesting - my milk never kept well and I never considered why. It's nice to know that I'm not alone and that there may be a way round it. Too late for me as I no longer express but hope it helps others.

Temy99: I've not tried scalding yet, but kellymom.com says this about how to do it:

To scald milk:
Heat milk to about 180 F (82 C), or until you see little bubbles around the edge of the pan (not to a full, rolling boil).
Quickly cool and store the milk.

As for sterilisation, I don't use cool water sterilisation, I boil all the bottles, containers, etc. so I can't be of any help there!

Mishw: Donating breast milk to a hospital, good for you!!!

Thanks Alberta, I don't know when I will get round to trying it as I am mostly at home now and it is much easier to bf my ds directly, perhaps when I start to wean him on baby rice (3 wks time) then I will try the scalding to mix. thanks again.