If you are breastfeeding and using a breast pump, you can freeze your milk by carefully writing the date on labels. When you decide to use it, you will need to defrost it properly. For precise instructions, start with step 1.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Part 1: Thaw Frozen Breast Milk
Step 1. Thaw a quantity of milk for immediate use
Breast milk should be frozen in containers containing enough milk for one use only (be sure to use bags specially designed for storing human or bisphenol-free milk. A). Remove a container from the freezer.
Step 2. Choose the oldest milk
Ideally, you should attach packaging date labels to each container. If you have a lot of packs, use the older ones first, but do not leave the milk in the freezer for a long time as when the baby grows, the quality of the milk changes and after four months, the milk no longer has the same nutritional values it had during the first month.
Step 3. Put the milk in a bowl with cold water
Fill a bowl with cold water so that it covers the milk container and leave it until it begins to thaw.
Alternatively, you can put the milk in the fridge. The easiest way to thaw breast milk is to leave it in the fridge overnight, but it may take up to 12 hours for it to thaw completely. You will need to plan for defrosting in advance - try to think ahead of how much milk you will need to use. Or, use the cold water method
Step 4. Change the water
After the milk begins to thaw, replace the cold water with water at room temperature. Let the milk rest for a few minutes.
Step 5. Gradually raise the temperature
Continue to heat the milk until it is completely thawed.
Step 6. Store thawed milk safely
If you use the cold water method, you must use the milk immediately or put it in the fridge for no more than four hours. If you thaw the milk slowly in the fridge, you can use it within 24 hours (but after you take it out of the fridge it must be used within 4 hours).
Never freeze already frozen milk; It's not safe
Method 2 of 2: Part 2: Using Thawed Breast Milk
Step 1. Turn the container slowly
Frozen breast milk is separated into two layers: a layer of fat on a layer of cream. Before serving to the child, turn it well to blend the two layers together.
Step 2. If you wish, heat it up
If your baby likes lukewarm milk, fill the bottle and place it in a bowl with hot water to slowly raise the temperature. The ideal temperature is 37 degrees Celsius. Do not use it at higher temperatures.
Do not heat the milk on the stove. Sudden and excessive changes in the temperature of the milk spoil it and you could risk giving the baby too hot milk. Furthermore, high temperatures could destroy the proteins and vitamins in the milk
Step 3. Measure the temperature
Before serving, sprinkle some milk on your arm to make sure it's not too hot. It should be lukewarm.
Step 4. Taste it
After the milk has been thawed, it may have a strange taste; learn to recognize this flavor. While some children may refuse it, it is still safe to use. If it tastes sour or smells bad, it may have gone bad. In this case, throw it away.
Advice
- If you put date labels on the milk packages, it is much easier to defrost and serve it as you will use the older milk first and avoid leaving it in the freezer for a long time.
- Once thawed, breast milk does not need to be heated. Some moms do this, but if the baby drinks it cold, that's fine anyway.
Warnings
- Do not refreeze already thawed milk or leave it in the fridge for more than 24 hours or at room temperature for more than a few hours.
- Do not heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove.
