breastfeeding
Safe handling comes first
Caréne Joubert, dietician and lactation consultant at Bump to Babe, starts with the foundational principle of milk storage: hygiene matters. As she says,“ It is important to handle expressed breast milk safely and hygienically to avoid nutrient deterioration, contamination and wastage.”
She leans on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’ s( CDC’ s) breast milk preparation guidelines and highlights several essentials:
•“ Always wash your hands thoroughly before handling expressed breast milk.”
•“ Always label the milk container with the expression date to allow you to use the oldest milk first.”
•“ Avoid leaving milk out on a countertop, rather place it in the fridge or freezer as soon as possible.”
•“ Avoid adding warm, freshly expressed breast milk into cold milk that has been kept in the fridge. The lukewarm temperature can cause bacterial overgrowth.”
Paediatric nurse and midwife Sr Rika Hoffman from Proselect Mother & Baby Clinic agrees with this protocol, adding that it’ s“ essential to follow proper storage guidelines to maintain the safety and quality of the EBM”.
Here she provides clear temperature-based rules for keeping EBM fresh:
Room temperature( 23-26 ° C):
Insulated cooler bag( 2-8 ° C):
Refrigerator( 4 – 5 ° C):
Freezer(-18 ° C):
• Opt for pre-sterilised bags or bags that can be easily sterilised.
• Select bags that can hold the desired amount of breast milk.
• Ensure the bags are safe for freezer storage.
Can you combine milk from different pumping sessions?
Short answer: yes, if the temperatures match.
Caréne explains:“ Breast milk from different pumping sessions can be pooled together for one or two consecutive pumping sessions. The key is to only add the milk together once it is the same temperature.”
Sr Rika offers further guidelines:
• Avoid mixing warm milk with cooled or frozen milk. You can combine it if the milk is used immediately.
• Use the oldest milk first when thawing frozen milk.
• Only combine milk that has been stored at a similar temperature, e. g. all refrigerated or all frozen.
“ Can be stored for 4 to 6 hours” |
“ Can be stored for 8-24 hours” |
“ Can be stored up to 3-5 days” |
“ Can be stored for 3-6 months” |
Thawing & warming milk
Caréne says,“ It is recommended that frozen breast milk should be thawed overnight in the fridge or in a container of lukewarm water.”
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Choosing containers & bags
Between both experts, one message is clear:“ safe”,“ sealed” and“ clean” are the magic words.
Caréne lists BPA-free hard plastic bottles, single-use breast milk storage bags, glass containers and reusable food-grade silicone containers as suitable options, though she warns that open ice cube trays are not recommended because exposed milk can oxidise.
Her personal favourite?“ Reused glass jars. They are free, green and sustainable.”
www. babysandbeyond. co. za
They also help keep those precious fats intact:“ The fat in the milk is less likely to stick to the sides of the container when using glass.”
Sr Rika warns that though storage bags are convenient, most of them are not reusable. When buying bags, she advises mums to:
• Consider BPA-free, non-toxic and durable materials.
• Ensure the bags have a secure seal to prevent leakage.
• Choose bags with easy pour spouts and simple sealing mechanisms.
Sr Rika adds a similar reminder:“ Do not use a microwave and do not use boiling water, as this will kill off all the good bacteria and unique breast milk properties. Never refreeze thawed milk.”
Breast milk storage can feel like a science experiment at first, but with thoughtful advice from experts like Caréne and Sr Rika, it becomes far more manageable, even empowering.
With the right containers, good hygiene habits, and realistic expectations, you’ re already on track. �
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