Storage And Handling Of Breastmilk

Many were asking, “How long can I keep the breast milk?” Well, here are a few tips that may help;

Fresh Milk

4 hours at room temperature. If your baby drink only a little, you could store the remaining milk in the bottle within 2 hours.

Refrigerated Milk

48 hours. If you decide not to store your breastmilk in the freezer, and opt to put in the fridge instead, it will remain fresh for 4 days.

Frozen Milk

9 months in the freezer. Breastmilk expands as it is freezes. Useful tip, don’t fill the milk all the way to the top! Label the milk (your baby’s name, date stored/pumped & expiry date) with sticker and permanent marker or whatever you find it handy.

Thawed Milk

24 hours in refrigerator, provided that you don’t exposed them to the room temperature and not to refreeze your thawed milk if it’s not been used. or 1 hour in room temperature.

How to thaw? Put the bottle/bag in the fridge overnight prior to usage, or set it in a container of warm water. MICROWAVE your breast milk is not safe be it at low or high temperature as it reduces nutrient content

References:

DiMaggio, D. (2016). American Academy of Pediatrics

Quan et. al. (1992) Effects of Microwave Radiation on Anti-Infective Factors in Human Milk. Pediatrics, Volume 89, Issue 4

NORSHAKINA BINTI ABDUL GHARIFF is a dietitian from Subang Jaya Medical Center. Received her degree in Dietetics from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Have deep interest in pediatrics, children and adolescents and her final year project entitled ‘The Assessment of Physical Activity Status in Adolescents in Kuantan’ makes her believed that optimal nutrition together with exercise in the early life stages is essential in life and has lifelong positive effects.