Storing Breast Milk

Containers For Storing Breast Milk:

• Use glass or hard plastic containers with a tight lid (for example, small jars and bottles with lids).
• Special breast milk freezer bags can also be used.
• Do not use bottle liner bags. These are thinner plastic bags made for bottle feeding.

• For healthy babies, wash containers in hot soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Let the containers air dry.

• Store in 2-4 ounce portions to prevent wasting milk.
• Always cool freshly expressed milk before adding it to already cooled or frozen milk.
• Always add a smaller amount of cooled milk to frozen milk.
• Leave a 1 inch space at the top of the container when freezing.
• Frozen breast milk that has been thawed can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours.
• Do not refreeze breast milk once it is thawed.

Thawing Frozen Breast Milk

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Check the date on the stored breast milk. Use the container with the earliest date first.	Thaw frozen breast milk by leaving it in the fridge for 4 hours OR . . .	. . . place container under cool running water. Once it has begun to thaw, run warm water to finish thawing.
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Never thaw at room temperature.	Warm breast milk by placing the container in a bowl of very warm water.	DO NOT HEAT ON STOVE OR IN MICROWAVE

Feeding Tips:

• Test the temperature of the warmed breast milk on your wrist before using it.
• Many babies take expressed breast milk well when fed with a cup or spoon.
• Hold your baby when feeding expressed breast milk.
• Make feedings an enjoyable time for you and your baby. Talk to your baby and give lots of smiles.
• Burp your baby as needed.
• Throw away any breast milk that your baby does not drink after each feeding.