So, I just started building my stash of BM. Like many others, I didn't want to store 1-2 ozs. of BM so I would combine. I just read a few posts below that you should only combine BM if they are the same temperature. But, I haven't done that - I would usually combine my freshly expressed BM with my refrigerated BM. I did this because the cold BM would clump/coagulate on the sides of the bottle and I would have a hard time unclumping it when I combined my milk. Is it a really bad No-No to combine room temp. milk and cold milk??? Do I need to dump the stash that I've already built up if it is bad??
TIA!
Re: Combining BM - Temperature Question
Most things I've read/heard recommend the milk be the same temperature before mixing. But I just found something online that said you can pump directly into refrigerated bm as long as you do it within 24 hours. The site said the source was a LLL publication. And the article was linked to from kellymom.com, which I generally trust. I think that's really interesting--I have the same trouble you mention about the cream sticking to the side of the container once the milk is cooled. So now I don't know what to do.
In any event, I certainly wouldn't throw out what you've already got. Bad milk smells and tastes sour, so if it doesn't smell bad once it's warmed up, I'd use it. No need to waste good milk.
about the milk around the sides of the bottle- that is just the fatty part of the milk. the best part.
just warm the bottle in water when you want to serve or transfer to freeze- so you can get all of that good stuff.
That's what I've been doing because I hate to waste that good fatty stuff, but I wasn't sure if I was breaking some sacred rule. Good to know!