Breast Milk Storage: How to Store Your Breast Milk
Breast milk, which cannot be compared with any other food, contributes to the development of the baby and strengthens his immune system. Due to the countless benefits of breast milk, mothers are in favor of their babies getting enough breast milk.
When breastfeeding mothers use baby milk storage methods correctly, they can ensure that their babies are satiated by preserving the quality of the milk. Especially working mothers prefer to apply techniques that offer flexibility in this regard. On the other hand, mothers may encounter a lot of confusing information about freezing, storage and thawing methods of breast milk. So how is breast milk stored? What are the correct storage techniques and what is the useful life of milk?
How Should Breast Milk Storage Conditions Be?
When breast milk storage conditions are met, milk can be used up to 24 hours. You can use milk pumps to store milk. Breast milk storage time may vary depending on storage methods. At room temperature, that is, around 25 C, milk retains its properties for up to 6 hours. But you can change the storage conditions to increase the time.
You can put the milk expressed in different time periods in the same storage container. In this case, there are points that you should pay attention to. The temperatures of the milks expressed at different times in the same container should be close to each other. For example, you should not add your newly expressed milk to the milk you have previously expressed and cooled. Before adding the milk together, you should make sure that both are cold.
Storage containers should not be filled to the brim, as the milk will expand after it enters the freezer. In addition, considering that babies drink between 60 ml and 120 ml of milk at a time, filling the storage containers with around 60 ml of milk provides convenience in terms of practicality. This amount can be 30 ml in a newborn baby with a low birth weight. After milking, the question of how to store expressed breast milk arises. You can store milk in the freezer or cooler. You can find a solution to this problem by using breast milk storage bags that are not affected by airflow.
How Many Days Should The Breastmilk Storage Period Be?
You can increase the lifespan of milk up to 24 hours in a cool box with ice packs. You can also keep the milk in the freezer if you wish. You can use the milk for 3 months when you store it in an environment of minus 18 degrees or colder. In fact, your method of storing milk may vary depending on how long you want to store the milk. Although the maximum storage period of breast milk is 3 months, this milk must be kept in the freezer at minus 18 degrees. If it is between 0 and 4 degrees, you can store it for up to 3 days. Breast milk storage times vary depending on the temperature.
How is Breast Milk Expressed?
It may be difficult to express by hand, automatic devices provide great convenience in expressing milk. The question of how to express breast milk comes into play at this point. If your preference is for a breast pump, your hands must be clean. Milk pumps are preferred because they are economical compared to automatic devices. In the use of a breast pump, after cleaning your hands, you need to massage the nipple with soft movements in order to increase blood circulation. You should continue to squeeze and release the handset by bringing the pump closer to the nipple. The vacuum feature of the breast pump allows milk to accumulate in the breast milk storage container.
How to Use a Breast Pump
Breast milking pumps can have different features. In addition to manual devices, automatic milking machines are also available. With electric pumps, you can save time in terms of milking from two breasts at the same time. Electrical devices are mostly powered by batteries. After the breast is placed on the breast cushion of the device and operated, the device begins to stimulate the breast with slow rhythms. The device, which has vacuum power, allows the milk from the breast to accumulate in breast milk storage bags after a while. Regardless of the features of the preferred milking machine, it must be cleaned after the milking process is completed. After the procedure, you can prevent the breast from getting sore by using a nipple cream.
How is Breast Milk Warmed?
The process of thawing the stored milk in accordance with the breast milk storage instructions is also done through some stages. Instead of bringing the milk you have stored in the freezer to room temperature directly, you need to put it in the cooler part of the fridge. You should pay attention to the fact that the milk dissolves slowly in the cooler part. But if you do not have time to thaw the milk in this way, you can thaw the milk in the storage bag by holding it under cold water. You can heat the milk in the refrigerator in a bowl filled with hot water.
Where is Breast Milk Stored?
The question of how much breast milk is stored, as well as where it is stored, is among the questions sought to be answered. Breast milk can be stored at room temperature or in the cooler parts of refrigerators. If the service life of the milk is to be increased, the freezer section can also be used to preserve the milk. You can choose the breast milk storage bag in order not to have problems in terms of space in the freezer.
Does Storing Milk Reduce the Benefit of Milk?
Specially produced breast milk storage containers ensure that milk can be stored without losing its properties. In addition, if you take into account the storage conditions and temperature values announced by the Ministry of Health, there is no loss of value in the stored milk.
How is it stored?
You can store breast milk, which has a special value for the immune and digestive system of babies, in glass storage boxes. A breast milk storage thermos or special bags may also be an option. No matter which product you prefer, you should take care that the storage containers are clean and hygienic.
How to Choose a Milk Storage Bag?
You can choose the milk storage bag according to the conditions in which you want to store the milk. If you are going to store milk for a long time, you can choose bags or bags. “How to use a breast milk storage bag?” The answer is easy:
Since the bags are produced in harmony with breast pumps, it is sufficient to place the bag at the end of the pump. It is advantageous to put enough milk in the bags to be consumed at once. If you plan to use the milk on the same day, you can use glass storage boxes instead of bags. Bags also have practical features in terms of providing space advantage in your refrigerator.