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Breastfeeding
Clueless about storing milk, help please!
I have just started pumping and have heard many different things about what you can and can't do.
1. Can you pump, leave it on the counter for a few hours, then refrigerate it? Can you then take it from the refrigerator (say the next day if you didn't use it) and freeze it?
2. If I pump and my husband gives DS the bottle, but he only finishes half, is the other half still good. Can I use at the next feeding, or refrigerate it/freeze it?
3. If I pump two mornings in a row, can I combine them once they are the same temperature? (Monday morning put in fridge, Tuesday morning put in fridge, then combine when both are cold and freeze)?
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Re: Clueless about storing milk, help please!
1. Can you pump, leave it on the counter for a few hours, then refrigerate it? I have done this...if I pump right before I leave for somewhere, bring that milk with to feed LO, and then still have some leftover when I get back, I will put it in the fridge. Can you then take it from the refrigerator (say the next day if you didn't use it) and freeze it? You can keep milk in the refrigerator up to 7 days. It's best to freeze as soon as possible, but if you want to wait a few days to get a few ounces into one bag you can do that. It does not have to go from being pumped to being frozen.
2. If I pump and my husband gives DS the bottle, but he only finishes half, is the other half still good. Can I use at the next feeding, or refrigerate it/freeze it? Most people will tell you to throw it out. But I normally save it for the next feeding as long as it is the same day. I have put it in the fridge, but then given it to DD cold and not reheated it. You should not freeze it. I avoid this dilemma by starting DD off with smaller amounts if I'm not sure she will take it all. You can always add more if you need to, but you can't de-contaminate milk.
3. If I pump two mornings in a row, can I combine them once they are the same temperature? (Monday morning put in fridge, Tuesday morning put in fridge, then combine when both are cold and freeze)? You can combine different days pumping sessions, just be sure to mark it as the earliest date (like if I pump monday and wednesday, and combine them, use Monday's date on the bag). Some people will tell you that you have to have them be the same temp, others say more recent research shows they do not need to be the same temp. I usually get them the same temp before combining just to err on the side of caution.
1. Yes. You can always go colder.
2. Technically, you should probably throw it out. Once the baby drinks some, bacteria gets into the milk. That said, I've definitely put bottles back in the fridge and used them later. I probably wouldn't do this more than once, and I personally wouldn't freeze the milk.
3. Yep. Like you said, make sure they're the same temp when you combine, but there's no problem with doing this.
It all comes back to basic safe food handling practices!!!
1. part 1: think about the above statement when it comes to your food... part 2: Yes
2. Yes - as long as you put it back in the fridge... Reheating it won't be an issue OTOH, I wouldn't refreeze it.
3. Once they're both cooled to the same temp it shouldn't be a problem to combine and freeze. Just remember to label the date on the bag when you freeze it..