Whether you're preparing to return to work or just want to freeze enough milk for emergencies, the idea of pumping and storing your breastmilk can be a bit daunting. How long can I leave breastmilk in the freezer? Is it okay to leave milk in a bottle from one feeding to the next? These simple breast milk storage guidelines can help reduce the stress of needing to express and store your breast milk! Breast Milk Storage Guidelines Room temperature. After expressing your breastmilk, it can safely be left at room temperature for four to six hours. If the room is very warm, it is ideal not to leave your milk out longer than two to three … [Read more...]

Ahhh, that stash of frozen breast milk is building! In fact, your freezer is overflowing and, what you once thought might only last a couple weeks, you’re now wondering if you have enough to eventually send her off to preschool with bottles! Which brings a new question to light: how long will that frozen breast milk truly last? The Storage Life of Frozen Breast Milk If you have a freezer unit that is attached to a refrigerator, your frozen breast milk has a storage life of up to six months. The temperature should be kept below 39 degrees. If you have a separate deep freeze unit, the storage life can be up to 12 months (though it's … [Read more...]

As if breastfeeding, pumping, and waking up every three hours or so isn't exhausting enough, sometimes we have to tack on the hassle of keeping up with the dates and times that our milk was pumped, fed, warmed, refrigerated and/or frozen. There's many different guidelines for breast milk storage, but most are pretty consistent with little variations. Sometimes people get overly paranoid about what's best when it comes to storing breast milk and keeping up with dates and times, but quite honestly breast milk is pretty good at holding up to its end of the bargain. Guidelines for breast milk storage all seem to be about the same no matter … [Read more...]

When I had my twins, pumping became a way of life. I should have purchased breast milk freezer bags in bulk as soon as I found out I was having identical girls! Nursing newborn twins involved as much pumping as it did nursing and diaper changing. At times, probably more. The first three months with a toddler and twins were rough, but they were made much easier once I found products that worked for me. My favorite swaddles, awesome baby swings, and fabulous high chairs all served to make life with three kids under 3 run a lot more smoothly. Since pumping was such a big part of my life, happening after every single nursing session for the … [Read more...]

Does your pumped breast milk taste bad? Does your baby refuse to drink it or perhaps they still accept the bad-tasting milk? If so, we need your help. If your breast milk is offensive in taste, it is most likely caused by excess lipase activity. Lipase is an enzyme that is in the breast milk of all women. It helps break down the fats in the milk during digestion. When lipase is a bit over-active, it starts to break down the fats in the refrigerator or freezer instead of waiting to break down the fats in your baby’s stomach. There are many things that can change the taste of breast milk including vitamins, medications, supplements, … [Read more...]

By now you must be aware of how awesome your body is at keeping up with your baby's needs! Assuming you continue to create a demand for milk, your breasts will continue to supply the awesome nutrition that your baby needs until he or she weans. This isn't always done through the tap, however. Oftentimes mothers find themselves pumping and storing breast milk for various reasons. Whether it be to keep up with a NICU baby or so that mom can return to work, there are several things to take into account when pumping and storing breast milk for your baby. Supply & Demand Breastfeeding is supply and demand. That means that the more of a … [Read more...]

Have you struggled with milk production? Or just with breastfeeding in general? Maybe you were on the opposite side of the scale and you have had an abundance of milk! Read about my struggles and experience with milk donation, milk banking and all the taboos that come with it . . . Milk – the New, Old Story   … [Read more...]

When you're ready to pump breast milk for your baby, you'll need to find a good storage container for the milk. There are a lot of breast milk container options on the market, and it's a good idea to experiment and see what container, or set of containers, works best for you. 5 Types of Breast Milk Containers 1.) Bottles - Bottles designed specifically for storing breast milk are a great option because they can twist right onto your breast pump, then twist or snap onto the bottle's nipple without having to transfer the milk. They come in many shapes and sizes, and their rigid form gives you an accurate reading of how much milk you're … [Read more...]