Breast milk is precious to nursing moms as they work hard to keep it pumping. Ask any breastfeeding mom and she will tell you that nothing is more tiring and exhausting than having to toss the milk that is gone bad for consumption. Lactation educator Sonali Shivlani has put out guidelines to keep the milk safe. Here are things you should not do while breastfeeding.
- If you plan to use the breast milk within a day, then store it in the refrigerator than keeping it in the freezer. Freezing breast milk can destroy some of the compounds that are essential to fight infections.
- To keep the milk fresh for your baby at room temperature store it at a maximum temperature of 25 degrees centigrade for up to four hours. If you are using a refrigerator store it at maximum 4-degree centigrade for up to a day. If you stay in a hot region, do not store the breast milk for more than a day. In colder areas, you can store the breast milk in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
- If there are frequent power cuts in your area, place a thermometer inside the freezer to track the changing temperature.
- When you store the milk, ensure that you store it in the back of the freezer away from the door as items kept in the front can susceptible to damage because of the changing temperatures. Also, ensure that the milk stored is in a clean place away from the uncooked foods.
- Label your bottles and bags and use up the old ones first. Store the milk in a sterilised plastic bag or a bottle as it can be an excellent way to keep things tidy and organised in the fridge. These foods will help increase breast milk supply naturally.
- Keep your breast pump and hands clean before expressing the breast milk for storage. And freeze your milk as soon as you express it.
- Also, heating breast milk is not advisable. If you are in a hurry, defrost it under warm running water.
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