All new Mamas know that it’s not easy to collect milk. This is why it’s important to know how to properly store it to prevent wastage. In this article, we are going to provide complete guidelines on everything that you need to know about breast milk storage.
As soon as the baby is out, providing the right nutrition for them is the top priority. As a Mama who will start to embark on her breastfeeding journey, it is important to make sure that you know how to store and extend the shelf life of your milk.
Since there are so many myths out there, we are here to set the record straight and give you a comprehensive guideline about how to successfully store your breast milk.
Guidelines on Effective Breast Milk Storage
There are many things that you need to remember in order to safely and effectively store breast milk. However, to get you started on the right track, there are only three things that you need to keep in mind.
These are the following:
- Have a go-to storage bag.
Having the right bag will make or break your success in breastmilk storage. Luckily Mama’s Choice has created a specialized Breast Milk Storage Bag to help Mamas extend the shelf life of their milk.
In choosing the right storage bag it is important to pay attention to its material. For instance, this breast milk storage bag is food-grade and BPA-free material. It keeps the milk safe and fresh until your baby is ready to consume it.
Furthermore, it can hold just enough amount for every feeding session (up to 120ml).
Lastly, you should also consider how easy it would be to travel with the bag. This should be a consideration since you will need to bring stored milk whenever you travel with your baby.
With all of this in mind, we are proud to share that Mama’s Choice Breast Milk Storage Bags check all of these boxes — and more! Each pack costs Php 149 and already contains 30 bags.
- Prepare for spillage.
Not a lot of people talk about this but there will be many instances where you will encounter breast milk leakage. It can sit through your nursing bra or clothes if left unattended.
Of course, this can be very embarrassing for Mamas, especially if you are outside of the house. But more importantly, if you don’t catch the spillage, the milk that can otherwise be stored will simply be wasted — which can be frustrating, especially for those who have fluctuating milk supply.
This is why it is important to have support like Mama’s Choice Breast Milk Collection Shells. This will allow you to collect every drop of precious breastmilk as you go about your life as a new Mama.
Since it has a capacity of 20 ml, you can also be assured that your clothes will remain dry and fresh during the day. For only Php 489, you can get 2 breast milk collection shells and silicone covers made of food grade quality that are BPA-free.
- Collect milk efficiently.
Another thing to keep in mind when preparing for successful breastmilk storage is to pay close attention to how you collect your milk.
Contaminants are one of the major issues when it comes to storage. This is why it is important to make sure that everything is clean and efficient from the get-go.
One of the best ways to do this is to have a trusted breast pump that can quickly and safely collect milk.
We suggest using Mama’s Choice Electric Breast Pump so that you can express milk with minimal effort and less time. Since it comes with multiple expression modes and levels of suctions, you can also adjust the machine based on your comfort and liking.
It also comes with a convenient USB cable that is compatible with laptops, power banks, and AC adapters — making it easy to use it anywhere. For only Php 999, the Mama’s Choice Electric Breast Pump will get you a good bang for the buck!
As for those who prefer the Mama’s Choice Manual Breast Pump, this is also an easy way of collecting breast milk since it is also portable. It is simply perfect for Mamas who are always on the road. You don’t have to worry about sourcing electricity for it to work. Its quality is worth it for the price of Php 449.
Whatever your choice may be, both electric and manual breast pumps are efficient means of collecting breast milk while minimizing the risk of contamination.
Other Things to Remember When Storing Breast Milk
Here are other tips that you need to be aware of:
- Label your bags.
When it comes to storing breast milk, it is best to follow a first-in-first-out policy to prevent any wastage. The easiest way to accomplish this is to ensure that you label each bag according to the date that you collected your milk.
In case you collect milk multiple times in a day, you can also include the exact time along with the date to be more organized.
Aside from helping you keep track of which bag to give to your baby first, it will also set you up for success when it comes to making sure that the milk is stored within the proper time frame. This leads us to our next tip.
- Keep track of the time.
Now that your bags are labeled, it is important to make sure that you use this as a reference when it comes to how long you can store breast milk.
This is how long you can store freshly collected milk and thawed milk.
| Freshly Collected Milk | |
| Room Temperature | Up to 4 hours |
| Refrigerated | Up to 4 days |
| Frozen | Up to 6 months (best quality)
Up to 12 months (acceptable quality) |
| Thawed | |
| Room Temperature | Up to 2 hours |
| Refrigerated | Up to 24 hours |
Furthermore, experts strongly advise against refreezing cold milk due to possible contamination and diminished nutrients.
We suggest that you store an amount of milk that is sufficient for one feeding session only. This is so that you don’t have to thaw more than what you need.
After all, you can always have another batch if your baby wants more milk.
- Properly thaw frozen milk.
There are several ways to properly thaw milk. The first one is to let it defrost at room temperature.
Doing so will take about 24 hours — which can be time-consuming for busy Mamas. The alternative is to place the milk storage bag under warm water.
Whatever you do, make sure that you do not expose the milk to heat that can boil it. This can be dangerous for your baby.
On top of all of the tips that we have mentioned here, it is beneficial to get in touch with a doctor so that they can guide you. With this, we wish you nothing but positivity on your breastfeeding journey.
It’s not going to be easy, Mamas. But it will definitely be worth it. Good luck!
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