When famÂiÂlies have a baby, they must make the imporÂtant deciÂsion of whether to feed their child with forÂmuÂla or by breastÂfeedÂing. DesignÂing your child care proÂgram to accomÂmoÂdate the feedÂing pracÂtices of each famÂiÂly culÂtiÂvates a supÂportÂive, carÂing enviÂronÂment. Read this week’s blog to learn how to store and hanÂdle breast milk at an earÂly childÂhood program!
Supporting families
You can supÂport mothÂers who are breastÂfeedÂing by knowÂing how to safeÂly store and hanÂdle breast milk. Breast milk is clasÂsiÂfied as a food, so you can store it with othÂer foods in the same refrigÂerÂaÂtor or freezÂer. The same rules for food hanÂdling apply. Always be sure to wash your hands before hanÂdling expressed milk.
It is safe to store breast milk …
- at room temÂperÂaÂture (no more than 77° F) for up to 4 hours,
- in the fridge (at 40° F) for up to 4 days,
- in the freezÂer for 6 months (although it is typÂiÂcalÂly still good for up to one year).
After you thaw frozen milk, you can keep it at room temÂperÂaÂture for 1–2 hours or in the fridge for up to a day. Do not refreeze breast milk after thawÂing it.
Store expressed breast milk at the back of the freezÂer or fridge where the temÂperÂaÂture is more conÂsisÂtent. Do not store breast milk in the freezer/fridge door. StorÂing breast milk in the door makes it more vulÂnerÂaÂble to temÂperÂaÂture changes.
Breast Milk Prep Instructions for Families
A breastÂfeedÂing-friendÂly proÂgram has inforÂmaÂtion on breastÂfeedÂing readÂiÂly availÂable. Have posters, pamÂphlets, handÂouts, and inforÂmaÂtion packÂets on breastÂfeedÂing. Most imporÂtantÂly comÂmuÂniÂcate with famÂiÂlies how they should preÂpare breast milk so that your proÂgram will have a good supÂply of breast milk ready at your facility.
For frozen milk, use speÂcial breast milk storÂage bags, clean glass, or plasÂtic conÂtainÂers. Make sure not to use plasÂtic bags that aren’t specifÂiÂcalÂly intendÂed for breast milk. Any conÂtainÂer with the recyÂcle symÂbol numÂber 7 risks conÂtÂaÂmÂiÂnatÂing the breast milk with bispheÂnol A (BPA), an indusÂtriÂal chemÂiÂcal. Using a clean glass conÂtainÂer ensures that no plasÂtic chemÂiÂcals conÂtÂaÂmÂiÂnate the breast milk.
It’s best for famÂiÂlies to freeze milk in 1–4 ounce quanÂtiÂties so that careÂgivers can meet children’s needs while minÂiÂmizÂing waste. Ask famÂiÂlies to label their milk with their baby’s full name and the date and time colÂlectÂed. You’ll want to use the oldÂest milk first proÂvidÂed that it hasn’t expired yet.
Some proÂgrams orgaÂnize their breast milk with colÂored tape. Each baby is assigned a colÂor so that each baby gets the right milk.
Thawing and Heating Breast Milk
Breast milk can be served cold, at room temÂperÂaÂture, or warmed. Ask famÂiÂlies what temÂperÂaÂture they’d preÂfer for their child.
There are difÂferÂent ways to thaw frozen milk:
- Let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Put a sealed conÂtainÂer of frozen milk in a conÂtainÂer of warm or lukeÂwarm (nevÂer hot) water for a couÂple of minÂutes. If you don’t have a botÂtle warmer, this is a great method to warm up milk.
- Hold a sealed conÂtainÂer of frozen milk under lukeÂwarm (nevÂer hot) runÂning tap water for a few minÂutes. This method also warms the milk.
You don’t want to expose the milk to too much heat as this can destroy imporÂtant nutriÂents in the milk. For this reaÂson, do not microwave breast milk or warm it directÂly on the stove or in a crockÂpot of water. MicrowavÂing can also creÂate hot spots in the milk that burn the baby’s mouth.
The temÂperÂaÂture should not exceed 98.6° F. Test the temÂperÂaÂture by dripÂping a small amount on the inside of your wrist to see if it’s warm enough but not too hot. Once breast milk has been warmed, serve it withÂin 1–2 hours.
Breast milk is not homogÂeÂnized, so do not worÂry if it sepÂaÂrates into layÂers with the fat risÂing to the top or sports a bluish colÂor. Frozen milk also often has difÂferÂent colÂor or denÂsiÂty variÂaÂtions because of this sepÂaÂraÂtion. GenÂtly shake the milk to mix these comÂpoÂnents. If shakÂing proÂduces air bubÂbles, give the milk a few minÂutes to sit before servÂing. Air bubÂbles can cause babies to have gas.
DisÂcard any unconÂsumed milk after feedÂing and nevÂer mix the leftÂovers with fresh breast milk.
Would you like more helpÂful inforÂmaÂtion on makÂing your proÂgram breastÂfeedÂing-friendÂly? Take our SupÂportÂing BreastÂfeedÂing in Child Care course to become an expert. Have any quesÂtions about how to store and hanÂdle breast milk at an earÂly childÂhood proÂgram? Let us know in the comments!
LookÂing for more interÂestÂing blogs on child care topÂics? Read our blog on the top five misÂconÂcepÂtions about sun safe place in child care!
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