Are you a new mum struggling with the whole breastfeeding thing? We completely understand. Beyond just the stress and exhaustion that accompany the very act itself, you might also be worried about the safest ways to store and transport all that liquid gold. This post will help you do just that, giving you the peace of mind you need during what’s likely an extremely challenging time.
Freezing & Storing Breastmilk
No matter which vessel you select for storage purposes, always ensure you store your expressed breastmilk (EBM) in a ‘food-grade,’ BPA-free container. Seal the container and clearly label it with the date before placing it in the coldest part of your freezer.
Want to add freshly expressed breastmilk to a batch already chilled or frozen? In that case, you’ll need to first cool it in the fridge before doing so.
Check out these handy breastmilk storage guidelines for additional insight…
Breastmilk Storage Guidelines
*Chest / upright manual defrost deep freezer that is opened infrequently and maintains its temperature. Reproduced with permission from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Infant Feeding Guidelines (2012).
Important Storage Safety Information
In addition to adhering to the guidelines noted in the handy-dandy table above, never freeze or heat breastmilk more than once. Store, defrost and offer small amounts of EBM to your baby at a time to avoid wastage, discarding any leftovers. If your little one needs more during any given feed, prepare another small amount accordingly.
Transporting Breastmilk
As so many mums know, you’ll likely need to shuttle your EBM from place to place at various times during your baby’s life (e.g., between the hospital and home, home and work, home and a carer, etc.). In these cases, the climate and length of your travel will influence what to do with your EBM:
- If your breastmilk is freshly expressed (i.e., never frozen), it will remain safe for consumption for 6 to 8 hours when stored below room temperature (<26 degrees C) or for 72 hours when stored in the refrigerator.
- In the cooler months or if you only live a short distance from where you’re heading, you may not need to do anything special with respect to transportation (yay!); simply remove your expressed breastmilk from the fridge and place it in another fridge (or freezer) when you arrive.
- If it's a warm day or you have a longer drive, you’ll need to keep your milk cool during travel. An insulated container housing a freezer pack is perfect in this case, and a small bottle can even fit inside a wide-mouthed vacuum flask (with ice added to keep it cool).
Don’t allow frozen breastmilk to defrost during transport, but if it does happen to thaw, use within 24 hours—noting refreezing is unfortunately not safe in this case.
Bottle (or Sippy Cup) Challenges? We’ve Got You Covered
Now that you’re fully in the know with respect to EBM storage and transport, it’s worth mentioning that Little Stackers has your back when it comes to dealing with all those bottles—and maybe sippy cups too, if you have older kiddos.
Not only do our bases stack on top of each other (cup-stacking style) for easy storage, but you can easily switch from a baby bottle to a sippy cup by swapping out the lid and adding a nifty set of handles. Just like your favourite travel mug, Little Stackers come in a range of uber-modern colours you can mix and match to your heart’s delight.
Click here to shop and shop away, envisioning cleaner cabinets and a much tidier home in the process.
