How to Not Ruin Your Breastmilk
When it comes to storing your breastmilk the guidelines change every so often. Here are the current guidelines for you to quickly reference! Breastmilk is precious, and we hold each drop with great value. Make sure it is not unintentionally contaminated by following these simple guidelines.
HYGIENE HYGIENE HYGIENE! In our busy lives it can be the simplest things that fall behind, and unfortunately hygiene tends to be the most impacted by a fast paced rush to store milk. You want to always wash your hands before handling anything used to collect, feed, or store breastmilk. Breast pump parts should be freshly cleaned and completely dry to prevent excessive moisture exposure to your breast pump. Never store parts wet as mold growth will occur. Make sure you rotate stored breastmilk by always pulling the oldest for use first. All seals on a fridge or freezer need to be sealing properly - if cracked, torn, or out of place, look into replacing it or the appliance altogether. Doing so will help protect against warming during short term failures in power and provide stability as well as efficiency in managing temperatures. When defrosting milk, do so in a clean bowl to catch milk in case there are any leaks in the bag. Using freeze flats can help with storage space management. All these things can feel overwhelming, but with time and practice you will get your rhythm nailed down. Hopefully these tips get you to that rhythm faster. If you want to understand washing and sterilizing your pumping parts and baby items see our blog “ Basics of Washing and Sterilizing”.