Pumping and storing breast milk is a painstaking process, so naturally, you don’t want to waste any of the precious ounces. Show But what if you have already warmed the chilled or frozen packet of milk and your baby didn’t finish it? Can you use it if it’s been sitting out or do you toss it? We’re going to consult a few experts to see what they suggest. Then we’ll give a quick rundown of best practices to ensure your milk stays safe to consume for as long as possible. Breast milk is a living food, full of nutrition as well as a certain level of bacteria. The milk itself has inherent antibacterial properties which keep the harmful microbes in check. Under normal circumstances, breast milk can be safely stored for up to eight days in the refrigerator. But this applies only to freshly expressed milk, not milk that has been stored then rewarmed. The question we’re asking is how long after warming the milk is it safe for your infant to consume it. In other words, how fast till it spoils? To date, there are no published scientific studies which specifically address the safety of offering previously warmed milk to your child. Frankly, there are breastfeeding advocates with opposing opinions. Some say, yes, you can use warmed milk for some time after it has been warmed for initial consumption. This article suggests that you put any unused milk back into the refrigerator within half an hour of warming to be heated up later. In this article by the lactation consultant, Jan Barger, she cites a small study stating there is little difference between first-time warmed milk and using the same milk later. Ruth Lawrence, MD, states the following on page 639 in her book, Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional: “[Fresh] Breast milk can safely stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours and need not be discarded if the first feeding attempt is incomplete.” (7th edition, 2011) The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol Committee suggests that whether human milk is safe to consume after being thawed depends on how the milk was collected, how it was thawed and, of course, how much bacteria was in the milk. The problem is that, as stated above, there are no studies showing whether or not warmed breast milk is unsafe after sitting out for a certain period. As such, many experts warn mothers to throw away any unused milk. Both sides have their points. You will have to use your own judgment as well as your nose to decide if the milk is safe for your child. You can give the unused portion a sniff test. Breast milk generally has a light, sweet scent. If it has a sour smell, play it safe and toss it. In the event that you choose to warm up and offer your infant previously thawed/warmed milk, there are times you should not risk using it. Never feed rewarmed milk to a child with a compromised immune system such as a preemie or when your infant is ill. But What About Wasting All That Precious Milk? There are two ways to handle this so milk won’t be wasted. One way is not to thaw any more than you need at each feeding. Don’t worry that you didn’t warm up enough since heating up milk only takes a few minutes. Alternatively, for those who are less concerned about offering warmed milk, consume it within a half an hour or immediately put in refrigerator for later use. Best Practices for Handling Breast Milk for Optimal Storage Life There is no need to be paranoid but since the health of your child is paramount, you will want to be careful with hygiene and milk storage practices. Here are some quick reminders: See more here ➝ Wash pump parts which came in contact with your skin in hot, soapy water and air dry, perhaps you could even use some specialized breast pump cleaning wipes Ultimately, you will be the best judge of whether to reuse breast milk which has been standing out of the refrigerator. But as the old adage says, “When in doubt, toss it out.” In the end, your child’s health is more important than quibbling over wasting a few ounces of milk. (This article has been used with permission from www.maternityglow.com) Before pumping: After pumping: Warming stored breast milk before serving it to your baby is a personal choice. Many babies like breast milk warm if they take it from a bottle, since breast milk is warm when babies nurse. Warming up breast milk also helps the consistency after it’s been stored. When breast milk is frozen or refrigerated, the fat tends to separate in the bottle. Warming breast milk, or at least bringing it to room temperature, can help you more easily mix breast milk back to its original consistency. Read on to learn how to warm up breast milk and safety precautions you should take. To warm breast milk from the fridge:
Before offering the bottle to your baby, test the breast milk temperature. You can do this by pouring a bit on your wrist. It should be warm, but not hot. To prevent germs getting into the milk, avoid dipping your finger into the bottle. You can also warm the milk by holding the sealed bag or bottle under very hot running water from the faucet. This takes longer and uses more water. You could also burn or scald your hand. To warm frozen breast milk, remove the frozen breast milk from the freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight. Then, follow the same instructions for warming breast milk from the fridge. If you need milk right away and all you have is frozen milk, you can heat the breast milk straight from the freezer using the same method you’d use to heat from the fridge. The only difference is that you’ll need to keep it in the warm water for 10-15 minutes, or longer. Never put breast milk in a microwave. Microwaves don’t heat food evenly, so they can make hot spots that can burn your baby. Microwaves are also believed to damage the nutrients and antibodies in breast milk. You can use a microwave to heat the water used for warming breast milk, however. Some parents swear by using a bottle warmer to heat breast milk or formula. A bottle warmer is a simple contraption used to help you heat up a bottle. Manufacturers of bottle warmers claim these devices heat more evenly than a microwave. However, opinions are mixed if they are actually useful or easier than steeping breast milk in hot water. The potential disadvantage of a bottle warmer is the increased chance of overheating breast milk and killing beneficial nutrients. In a 2015 study, researchers tested how warm different portions of breast milk can get in a bottle warmer. They found that the milk can get above 80°F (26.7°C), which could have a negative effect on the nutritional value of the milk. The study doesn’t state which brand of bottle warmer they used in testing. If you’re interested in the convenience of a bottle warmer, it might be worthwhile to use a thermometer and test breast milk temperatures as you use it. How to warm breast milk in a bottle warmerTo warm breast milk in a bottle warmer, put the whole bottle in the heating area and follow the manual’s instructions. Most bottle warmers take a few minutes to reach desired warmth. Keep an eye on the bottle warmer so that it doesn’t overheat, and unplug it when not in use. Do not reheat or restore breast milk that was previously warmed. Sometimes babies nibble at their food and don’t quite finish it. But after two hours of sitting out, it’s best to throw out any leftover breast milk. This helps prevent milk from going bad or being introduced to germs in the environment. If your baby eats on and off, or if you’re traveling, breast milk may end up sitting out for a while. Safety of breast milk left out will vary greatly depending on the overall bacteria levels in the environment. Breast milk is good at room temperature (up to 77°F or 25°C) for:
Always keep breast milk covered with the lid on or bag zipped while it’s sitting out. At least one study indicates that you can store breast milk in an insulated cooler with ice packs for up to 24 hours. Always use bottles and bags specifically designed for freezing human milk. Plan to store breast milk in 2 to 6 ounces, depending on how much your baby typically takes in a single feeding. That can help reduce the amount of unused breast milk you later have to discard. Always label breast milk with the date it was expressed, and use the oldest stored breast milk first in order to keep the rotation fresh. Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for four days and in the freezer for up to 12 months. However, after 90 days, acidity in breast milk can rise and nutrients can decrease. So, for the best quality, plan to use frozen breast milk within six months of when it was expressed. You can mix and store breast milk that was pumped on different days but always use it based on the first, oldest date. And never add fresh breast milk to already frozen breast milk. If your baby doesn’t like breast milk that was previously frozen, you can try just refrigerating breast milk and working through your supply faster. In general, refrigerated breast milk is better than frozen because it’s fresher and the nutrients and antibodies will be most current to the baby’s needs. However, freezing breast milk is a good technique if you need to have a lot on hand, for example, if you’re returning to work. Frozen breast milk is still considered to have more nutrients than formula. Warming breast milk is a very common practice, but safety and quality standards cannot be guaranteed due to all of the variables that come with storing and reheating. More research is needed on optimal use of frozen breast milk since many babies rely on it completely for their nutrition. In general, though, breast milk stores well in the refrigerator and freezer, and can be warmed to help baby take it easier. Always use storage bags or bottles designed especially for breast milk. Can you rewarm breast milk twice?It's not safe to reheat a bottle of breast milk. Give your baby an hour to finish up, and then dump whatever's left. Once a baby sucks on the bottle, it's contaminated with saliva and is a breeding ground for bacteria. Note: Babies don't require warm milk (whether it's formula or breast milk).
Can you put a bottle back in the fridge after warming?Bacteria from your baby's mouth can seep into the bottle, contaminate the formula, and make your baby sick if they drink it later. Also, if you've warmed a bottle, you'll need to feed it to your baby within one hour or throw it out. Don't put warmed formula back in the fridge to use later.
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Can you put breast milk back in fridge after warming
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