Defrosting EBM - sorry long link!

[Mads1]

Just recently I went to a wedding and had to take EBM for the whole day. I had been expressing for 2 months prior to the big day and the night before took it all out and put it in the fridge. The next morning there were some bags that had still not defrosted and so I warmed them in hot water. I then took the defrosted milk in a cool bag with me. When we got to the wedding, DD refused to take the milk. I ended up having to breast feed in the back of the car in the end!!!

When i got home i saw that the milk had bits in it (as if the hind milk had not melted into the milk) and it smelt AND worse still i had the smallest taste and it was BAD!! I have tried fresh milk before and it was nothing like that! Had it gone off? Can anyone suggest what went wrong cos I have a day trip out on Saturday and again it won't be easy for me to breast feed. Thank you

it's called saponification! did it taste really soapy?

when exposed to extreme temperatures breastmilk can turn to soap. really!
to stop this you can scald it slightly in a pan before freezing.

I would guess that once you"d warmed it with hot water it needed to be used there and then>
perhaps with the rest you need to defrost just before you use>

You shouldn't have warmed it if you weren't using it then. If it was to fit it into a bottle - i used to crush it a bit so the lumps fitted iykwim. Milk that has been warmed should be disposed of within the hour because that is when the bacteria begin to grow.
Also, don't forget cool bags are nowhere near as effective as a fridge, i am not sure how long milk would last in a cool bag.
Why won't it be easy for you to breastfeed? I breastfed everywhere! If you are wearing a dress, would you not be able to slip one arm out and hang a muslin over your shoulder and babies head? Thats what i used to do to prevent the world from getting an eyefull . Much easier than faffing with expressing, freezing, defrosting then storing!

breastmilk can be kept at room temperature for 8-11 hours and in a fridge for 8 days...

so shouldn't be a problem using a coolbag etc...

If you take the frozen bags out just before you leave, carry them in a cool bag, and as and when you need them poor into the bottle? This way they'll stay cold, rather than putting in the fridge the night before. IF they aren't defrosted in time then you could ask for a jug of hot water to heat the bottle.

Yes but not after its been warmed to defrost?

I unfortunetly have to feed 'rugbyball' style and have to have a pillow tucked in under my arm too. So i am limited on where i can sit and how discreetly i feed!! It's a pain but it's the only way as i have biggish boobs and

Mads1 - did you see my post on the what can you do while breastfeeding thread re different breastfeeding positions?

I also have enormous boobs - 34G - so found positioning difficult in the early months.

Thank you all! I can see where i went wrong.
Hattie05 - i shall do just that! If i take the bags out the freezer and carry them in a coolbag, how long do you think i can keep them in there? will they be alright as long as they don't defrost totally?

Yes i think they'll be fine for several hours that way. You may even be able to crush it a little so it goes in the bottle frozen - make life easier when out in public! .