How is breast milk preserved after being squeezed?

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Breast milk is considered to be the most important source of nutrition for babies, before they can digest other foods. Also in breast milk contains all the nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and essential trace elements for children to develop healthy.

Breastmilk is so good, but many milky mothers do not know how to preserve milk for their babies, which can be used for long-term or improper storage of milk, losing essential nutrients in breast milk. Therefore, to help mothers understand more about this issue, our following article will guide mothers on how to properly store milk to keep the nutrients for children.

1. Squeezed breast milk can be stored at room temperature for 6-8 hours

If a family does not have a refrigerator or wants to give their baby milk right away, they can be stored at normal room temperature. When the room temperature is 26 degrees C, breastmilk can be stored for 6-8 hours without fear of losing nutrients. And the room temperature is higher than 26 degrees Celsius, the bacteria will grow faster, so breastmilk only lasts 3-4 hours.

2. Breast milk is squeezed out for at least 72 hours in the refrigerator

If you want to preserve milk longer, the refrigerator will be the best place for you. With freshly squeezed breast milk, it can be stored for at least 72 hours. The best way to store breastmilk is to place it on the freezer, the coldest place in the refrigerator. Do not leave breast milk in the refrigerator because it is the coldest place.

3. Breast milk is squeezed out for 3 months in the freezer

The squeezed breast milk can be left for 3 months in the freezer compartment with a separate door (equivalent to -18 degrees Celsius), for 2 weeks in freezer compartment without a separate door with a freezer compartment (equivalent - 15 degrees C), leave for 6-12 months in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator with non-snow technology (equivalent to -20 degrees Celsius).

In the process of preserving milk in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, this process can lose some of the white blood cells as well as the amount of vitamin C in breast milk, but the amount of protein, fat, enzymes, Lactose and most vitamins and antibodies, other anti-inflammatory substances are almost guaranteed.

4. Freshly squeezed breast milk can be added to previously expressed breast milk

New milk and old milk can be stored together, but this is not recommended, because when new milk is squeezed, the old milk will cause the bacteria in the old milk to be disabled by the refrigerator. Suddenly, "province" could ruin all that milk. If it is imperative that the mother still needs to put it in a box to preserve, it is best to put the fresh milk in the refrigerator to cool it, then put it back into the old milk carton.

5. Some breast milk is squeezed out so that the refrigerator has . smell

There are many cases of breastmilk stored in the refrigerator, when taken out and used, there are often strange smells such as fishy smell, metallic smell, even the smell of soap makes many mothers think this milk has been broken and thrown away. But in fact, that's not true, breast milk has a strange smell because of the effect of the lipase enzyme that breaks down the fat in breast milk squeezed out during the refrigerator. In this case, the mother does not need to worry or throw away the milk bags, because it can still be used without problems.

To overcome the problem of milk smelling during storage, mothers can do the following: warm up expressed breast milk to 72 degrees Celsius for 2 minutes immediately after squeezing (before leaving the refrigerator) to prevent activity of lipase enzymes. Next, quickly cool the expressed breastmilk by placing the milk container in an ice bowl. Afterward, expressed breastmilk can be stored in the refrigerator as usual. Note that this approach may cause some of the immunity in breast milk to be reduced or destroyed but it is still better than having to completely discard milk.

6. Do not heat breast milk squeezed out in the microwave

Milk in the microwave will make the milk uneven, in addition to significantly diminish the anti-inflammatory and immune properties of milk. So, the best way to warm up is to soak the milk in a bowl of warm water or leave the milk bag directly under running warm water.

7. Do not reuse expressed breastmilk that the baby drinks excessively

When children drink no milk, many mothers find that there is a lot of excess and keep it preserved for their next drink. But you know, this is extremely harmful for children, because when babies use milk, a large amount of bacteria from their baby's mouth has developed in milk, not good for preservation for the next time.

8. Not necessarily warm the breast milk squeezed out

Some babies may drink expressed breastmilk at room temperature, cool temperature or warm temperature. This depends on the preferences of each child, she does not need to warm the milk very warm before feeding her.

9. Extractored breastmilk can be stored in plastic, glass or specialized plastic bags

Glass jars, plastic containers of good material or plastic milk bags are all tools that moms can comfortably store milk for their children.