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➤ Can You Put Breast Milk Back in the Fridge?
➤ Why Warmed Breast Milk Should Not Be Put Back in the Fridge?
➤ How Long Does Breast Milk Last After Warming?
➤ What is the Quickest Way to Warm Up a Bottle of Breast Milk?
➤ Can I Thaw Frozen Breast Milk at Room Temperature?
➤ Can I Refreeze Frozen Breast Milk?
➤ What Can I Do With Leftover Warmed Breast Milk?
As a mom, your top priorities when feeding your baby are convenience and safety. Every day, you are pumping, yet there’s always a leftover. And you are stressing out about what to do with leftover milk, wondering if you can put breast milk back in the fridge? In this article, you will explore everything about it and how it works.
Can You Put Breast Milk Back in the Fridge?
The short answer is "No", don't put it back in the fridge. Once breast milk has been taken out of the fridge or freezer and either warmed up or has reached room temperature, you need to use it within two hours. Any leftover milk that's been out longer than that should be discarded to ensure your baby's safety.
Why Warmed Breast Milk Should Not Be Put Back in the Fridge?
Warming breast milk puts it in the ideal temperature for feeding, but also accelerates bacterial growth. The rate of growth is significantly faster compared with breast milk that's in the fridge. It is also faster than in milk that has stayed at room temperature.
It does not mean that warming breast milk should be avoided. It is still safe to consume within 2 hours after being warmed. After that, consider it unusable. Feeding your baby with unused, warmed milk may cause foodborne illnesses.
Now, you may think about putting it back in the fridge to fix it. The problem is that refrigerating breast milk only slows down bacterial growth. It does not kill bacteria that are already in the milk. That said, the milk is still not safe to consume. Also, keep in mind that refrigerating does not fully stop bacterial growth. It continues, just much more slowly. As such, the milk will become more and more dangerous to your baby's health as time passes by.
With all that said, throw away breast milk that was warmed but was not used. Do not put it back in the fridge.
How Long Does Breast Milk Last After Warming?
Once the breast milk is warmed, it should ideally be used within 2 hours. Two hours is also the answer to the similar question, “How long can heated breast milk stay out?” After that, any leftover milk should be discarded to avoid bacterial growth. It’s also important not to reheat the milk more than once.
Can I Reheat Breast Milk?
Most experts and pediatricians agree that the best practice is to warm breast milk only one time. This is because reheating breast milk repeatedly can increase the risk of bacterial growth and can affect your breast milk’s quality. Each time you heat the milk, you also may lose some of its benefits and nutrients.
Tip: Avoid using a microwave to reheat your breast milk. Microwaves heat unevenly, which can create hot spots that may burn your baby’s mouth. Additionally, microwaving can break down some of the valuable nutrients in the milk.
What is the Quickest Way to Warm Up a Bottle of Breast Milk?
While it might seem simple, there are important things to follow to ensure the milk retains its nutrients and is safe for your baby. Having the most convenient, hygienic, and safe way to warm your milk can be a big ease for everyday struggle. Here are the quickest ways to warm up a bottle of breast milk.
- Warm Water - You can use warm water to heat your milk. Place the bottle of a sealed bag of milk in a bowl or warm water. This method helps heat the milk evenly and gently. Make sure that the water is not too hot. You should think of it as a nice warm bath, not a hot tub.
- Bottle Warmer - A bottle warmer is a handy appliance made to heat breast milk, formula, or even baby food jars safely and efficiently. You can think of it as a specialized heater just for your baby bottles. It looks like a small chamber where you can place the bottle, and it uses gentle steam or hot water to warm the milk evenly. This method helps keep the nutrients in breast milk, and it avoids creating hot spots.
Why use a bottle warmer?
- Unlike microwaves, which can heat evenly, a bottle warms milk evenly. This means the milk is at a consistent temperature, making feeding time more comfortable for your baby.
- By heating the milk gently, a bottle warmer helps preserve the important nutrients in the breast milk, ensuring your baby gets the best nourishment.
- Many bottle warmers come with different settings to suit your needs.
- Bottle warmers can usually accommodate various types of bottles, glass, plastic, or silicone. So you can use them with whatever bottles you have.
You can use Momcozy Cordless Portable Baby Bottle Warmer for Travel. It is perfect for busy moms on the go, and it offers more than just milk warming. It can also heat baby food from frozen, cold, or fresh, and it fits over 80% of milk bottles and bags. It can heat 4oz of milk in just 2 minutes. It is made from food-grade materials, has a ceramic heating plate that ensures fast, even heating, and is leak leak-proof design. It is also easy to clean. Just wipe down the ceramic plate and stainless steel parts.
Can I Thaw Frozen Breast Milk at Room Temperature?
Yes, frozen breast milk can be thawed at room temperature. When thawing frozen breast milk frozen breast milk, it's crucial to follow specific guidelines for safe use, and remember that thawed milk cannot be refrozen. If you thaw breast milk on the countertop at room temperature (77°F or colder), it must be used within one to two hours. However, if you thaw it in the refrigerator at 40°F or colder, it can be safely used for up to 24 hours.
Can I Refreeze Frozen Breast Milk?
If the power goes out and you are worried, you can refreeze your breast milk when the power returns. The answer is it depends on how long. You will need to check your frozen breast milk to make sure it’s still safe to use. Here’s what you need to do:
- If your breast milk is starting to thaw but still has ice crystals in it, it’s okay to refreeze ice crystals meaning it has not thawed completely. It is still safe to put back in the freezer.
- If the breast milk is fully thawed but still feels cold to the touch, you should put it in the refrigerator. You can use it within the next 24 hours.
What Can I Do With Leftover Warmed Breast Milk?
If your baby did not finish all the breast milk during feeding, you can still use the leftover milk for up to 2 hours. After that, you need to throw it away to keep your baby safe from bacteria.
To reduce waste breast milk, it is a good idea to warm and store breast milk in smaller amounts. For example, instead of thawing or warming a full bottle, you can divide the milk into smaller portions. This way, if your baby doesn’t finish one portion, you won’t have to throw away so much.
There are several creative ways to use leftover breast milk that your baby can’t drink. Instead of throwing it away, you can repurpose it for other uses. Here are a few ideas:
- Milk baths - Simply add the leftover milk to your baby’s bathwater to help with a variety of skin conditions. It can help soothe dry skin, cradle cap, rashes, eczema, and itchiness from bug bites or simply provide a gentle skin conditioner for overall skin health.
- Breast milk lotion - You can find simple recipes online that mix breast milk with oils like coconut or olive oil. Breast milk’s anti-inflammatory properties and natural moisture make it a great base for skincare products.
- Syringes for first aid - If you have small amounts of leftover breast milk, you can store it in 1 ml syringes to use for first aid purposes. It can be useful for cleaning wounds or helping with eye infections, ear infections, or minor skin irritations.
- Dilution - If your baby is refusing milk due to a high lipase content, you can try diluting the warmed milk with fresh breast milk. This can help reduce undesirable tastes and make the milk more palatable for your baby.
- Breast milk soap - If you want to make something long-lasting, breast milk soap is a fantastic option. Like lotion, breast milk soap carries nourishing and moisturizing properties of breast milk, making it gentle for sensitive skin. You search online for how to make it.
How to Tell if Breast Milk Has Gone Bad?
To ensure your baby has clean and safe milk, it is essential to know how to tell if breast milk has gone bad. Here are some signs to look for:
- Fresh breast milk has a milk, sweet smell. If your breast milk smells sour or rancid, it is a sign that it has spoiled and should be discarded.
- Breast milk should be smooth and slightly creamy. If you notice any clumps or changes in color, such as a yellowish or grayish tint, the milk has gone bad.
- You can taste the milk using a clean spoon, and it should taste slightly sweet. If it tastes sour or off, throw it away.
- Freshly pumped breast milk is typically smooth. If you see any separation into layers or if it appears curdled, this can be a sign of spoilage.
FAQs
Here are more questions moms often ask about putting breast milk back in the fridge:
Q1. Can you mix refrigerated breast milk with freshly pumped milk?
No, it is not recommended to mix freshly pumped breast milk with refrigerated or frozon breast milk. The warmth of the new milk can slightly rewarm the older milk, which could potentially lead to bacterial growth. A safer practice is to first cool the freshly pumped milk in the refrigerator before combining it with older refrigerated milk. This helps maintain the overall cool temperature of the stored milk, keeping it safe for your baby.
Q2. Can you put breast milk back in the fridge after room temperature?
No, you can't. The CDC recommends that once breast milk has reached room temperature after being refrigerated, you use it within 2 hours. If the milk has remained unused, you have to discard it. You should not refrigerate or freeze it again.
Q3. How long can breast milk stay in the fridge?
Breast milk can stay in the fridge for 4 days. It can last longer in the freezer. To be exact, the CDC says that frozen milk can stay there for 6 months and even up to 12 months. Just remember that you need to follow storage guidelines strictly.
Conclusion
To sum up, maintaining your breast milk safety and quality is the key. It is okay to have questions like ‘Can you put breast milk back in the fridge?’. Asking these questions means you are doing good. Prevent any harmful bacteria from your nutritious breast milk. By knowing all these, you can ensure that your baby receives the highest quality milk, keeping feeding time both safe and convenient.
