You’ve worked hard and now have extra breast milk in your freezer. Congratulations! But now you might be wondering how to thaw your milk so it can be fed it to your baby.
Try to use the oldest milk first. This will avoid having to waste expired milk. Milk that’s stored in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator should be used within three to six months. In a chest freezer or upright deep freeze milk can be stored for six to 12 months.
Move breast milk from freezer to fridge about 12 hours before you plan to use it. If you are planning on bringing milk to child care with your baby, take the milk out of the freezer each night that you will need for the next day. If you need to quickly thaw frozen milk, run it under hot water for a few minutes until the milk is warmed. Don’t feel like you need to purchase a bottle warmer. Placing the milk in a mug of warm water for a few minutes is just as effective and much cheaper! Do NOT microwave breast milk. This can create hot spots that can burn your baby’s mouth.
When breast milk is stored, the cream will rise to the top. Gently swirling the milk before feeding it to baby is the best way to mix. Shaking breast milk can damage some of the nutrients and should be avoided.
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Posted In Children's, Health Information
