Instructions for freezing breast milk properly

This is an automatically translated article.


In many cases, mothers who have a lot of milk or have a busy job that cannot be with their baby to breastfeed all day have chosen to freeze breast milk for their baby to use gradually. However, in order to maintain the quality of expressed breast milk and ensure the safety of the baby's health, nursing mothers as well as caregivers should adhere to the scientific method of expressing and storing frozen milk. Recommended by nutritionists.
Freezing breast milk after using a milking machine sounds simple, but in reality, it confuses many mothers for the first time, especially in issues such as choosing a container, freezing breast milk, defrosting Freeze breast milk and some other tips.
Some guidelines for properly freezing breast milk include:
Before expressing breast milk: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol before expressing milk. For freezing, breast milk can be expressed manually, with a hand pump or an electric breast pump. Choose the right breast milk freezing bottle or bag, do not store breast milk in disposable bottles or regular plastic bags, not specifically for freezing breast milk. Storage time for breast milk: At room temperature: For up to 4 hours; In the refrigerator: Up to 4 days; In the freezer: Best for about 6 months, but can also be stored for up to 12 months. After expressing: There should be a label on each container stating the date the breast milk was expressed; If you are in a child care facility, the child's name should be added to the label. Place the milk in the coolest place in the back of the refrigerator or in the freezer. In addition, mothers can also temporarily freeze breast milk in insulated items if a refrigerator or freezer is not available when traveling. Each storage bottle holds only the amount of milk your baby needs at one feeding, starting around 59 - 118ml and then adjusting as needed to avoid waste. You can add freshly expressed breast milk to previously chilled or frozen milk on the same day. However, freshly expressed breast milk should be completely cooled in the refrigerator or freezer with an ice pack before adding. The safe freezing time of breast milk will depend on the storage method, the volume of the milk, the outdoor temperature, the temperature adjustment in the refrigerator/freezer, and the cleanliness of the environment. While freezing can keep food safe for a very long time, following shelf life requirements and properly freezing breast milk are recommended to ensure milk stays fresh. Best quality for baby.

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