How to freeze breast milkPhoto: Getty

Is it possible to freeze breast milk?

In the life of a nursing mother,when for some reason there is no possibility to feed the baby with the breast. For example, you need to leave for a while, undergo treatment with drugs that are incompatible with breastfeeding. What to do? The solution is to feed the child with expressed breast milk. There are several options for storing it: • without a refrigerator at a temperature of 16-18 degrees (about 4 hours); • in the general department of the refrigerator (up to 8 days); • in the freezer compartment (up to 4 months). The choice depends on how long you can not breastfeed. When the expressed milk is in the freezer compartment, all nutrients are preserved under the condition that a number of rules are followed in the process of freezing and thawing.

How to properly freeze and thaw breast milk

Compliance with hygiene rules during decantationplays an important role in preserving the quality indicators of mother's milk. Before decanting it is necessary to sterilize the dishes, where the milk will be poured (glass, plastic containers can be used). It is also necessary to wash your hands, chest and breast pump under running water. Express milk can not at one time, but for 2 - 4 hours. In the intervals between the decanting of the container with the product, it is necessary to put it in the refrigerator.

How to freeze breast milk

Before you put the milk in the freezer, itsyou need to cool in the general department of the refrigerator. Tare with food should be marked: sign the date and time of freezing. If there are several containers in the freezer, then the milk with the earlier collection date will first need to be used for feeding. Fill the dishes, where the milk will be frozen, should not be to the brim. It is necessary to leave 1 - 2 cm to the top. The fact is that the milk when frozen is expanding in volume.

How to Defrost Breast Milk

It is important: It is impossible to defrost breast milk in a microwave oven! In this case, useful microorganisms are killed. Repeated freezing milk is not. In case of thawing of breast milk, the following rules should be observed: • Remove the frozen milk utensils from the freezer 12 hours before the expected feeding. • Then the food should be put in the general compartment of the refrigerator until the product becomes liquid. • Before the feeding process, milk should be warmed to 36 - 37 degrees. This can be done with a special device for warming up baby food. Another option - in the "water bath": the necessary amount of milk should be poured into a bottle and put it in a saucepan with hot water for several minutes. If you freeze and unfreeze the milk correctly, it will not lose its valuable properties. Frozen mother's milk can be a solution to temporary problems. Do not immediately switch to artificial feeding, if there is no possibility to feed the baby. A worthy alternative to mother's milk is not. Read further:

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