When you produce freshly expressed breast milk for your baby, it’s a great idea to think carefully about the best ways of storing breast milk.
Fresh milk can be stored for up to eight hours at room temperature, or stored in the fridge for several days, but it’s also handy to ensure that you have a stock of frozen breast milk on hand in case of an emergency.
Freezing milk is a great way to store it for future use. For example, if your baby gets sick or one of you needs to be hospitalized, you will have a supply of refrigerated milk to give to your baby. Pumping is also a great way to increase milk supply
Mom can save and store freshly expressed milk in the freezer or deep freezer without worrying about thawed milk contamination or spoilage; thawed breast milk should be used within hours. However, many mothers are confused about the difference between a freezer and a deep freezer.
What are the factors you should consider when deciding which type of freezer is the best to freeze breast milk?
Whether you’re storing breast milk for a newborn, a premature baby, or just to have on hand, knowing the benefits of breastmilk storage and breast milk storage guidelines in each option can help you make an informed decision.
What Is the Best Way to Keep Breast Milk in the Freezer?
There are many methods for keeping fresh milk in the freezer. Some people prefer to use plastic bags, while others use glass bottles. There are also people who use a combination of both methods.
Make sure to store milk in a sealed container and that it is placed in the freezer as quickly as possible after pumping.
That’s why when storing breastmilk, it is important to label the breast milk container or the milk bottle with the date and time that you pump since there could be a lot of wasted frozen milk if people don’t know how long ago they pumped breast milk.
Handling breast milk is crucial. You may find that breast milk expands as it freezes, so do not fill the container up completely while at room temperature.
Place and store breastmilk in the back of the freezer, where it will stay cold and nutritious.
Avoid placing it near the door, as it could start to thaw when opened. Place instead near an area with consistent temperature like on the top floor.
The back of the freezer is a great place for human milk storage. It will be kept cold and consistent, without any risk of temperature change.
No matter which method you choose, it is important to make sure that the frozen breast milk is properly frozen and stored.
How Long Does Pumped Breast Milk Last In The Freezer
Freezing the freshly expressed warm milk is the best way to ensure that it lasts for as long as possible. You can keep the liquid in frozen containers for up to 12 months.
After that point milk starts becoming less effective since many of its nutrients are lost during freeze-thaw cycles. Safely store breast pump milk in glass containers.
Alternatively, store frozen breast milk in a BPA-free storage container or double bag that are specifically designed for freezing. They often come pre-sterilized and cannot be reused, which means you have one less thing on your list when it comes time to get back into breastfeeding!
Normally, frozen milk can be stored inside a freezer bag for 5 days in a fridge and as long as 6 months in the freezer. But if you are serious about pumping breast milk, a deep freezer is a must for your collection of freezers.
Benefits of Breast Milk Storage Freezer vs Deep Freezer
Though breast milk is the best possible food for a baby, there are times when it is not possible to nurse a child directly. In such cases, it is important to store cooled milk in a way that will maintain its quality and freshness.
Breast milk storage freezers and deep freezers are a great way to store your milk. They’ll keep it safe from harmful germs, contaminants, and bacteria.
What’s better, a deep freezer or a breast milk storage freezer?
If you’re breastfeeding it’s likely that you’ll need to store your excess breastmilk each week. But do you know what’s best for the health of your baby?
There is no definitive answer when it comes to the best way to store breast milk. Some mothers believe that freezing breast milk is the best way to maintain its quality, while others believe that refrigerating breastmilk is a better option.
Ultimately, the decision on how to store breast milk will depend on the individual mother and her specific circumstances.
There are a few different options to choose from when it comes to storage methods, so before you start storing your own breastmilk, make sure you know the proper storage and pick the one that will best suit your next feeding needs.
There are two primary places you can store breast milk that you don’t intend to use within a few days- in a breast milk storage freezer or in a deep freezer.
A separate freezer is not the best choice for every mother as it can be quite expensive to buy one, but this can be the easiest solution. Particularly when there are issues with women’s health, or if returning to work while breastfeeding, exclusive pumping is a viable option and will require plenty of freezer space!
Deep Freezer
Deep freezers, also known as chest freezers, are the best place to store frozen breast milk. The advantages of using a deep freezer over other storage methods are numerous. Unlike mini fridge freezers, they’re bigger, give you more storage, and can hold larger amounts of breast milk.
Another, the stored milk will stay fresh for a longer period of time since the temperature is more consistent- you may notice ice crystals when the milk is taken out to partially thaw, this is entirely normal!
You can also store more milk in a deep freezer than you can in other storage methods. Additionally, it’s easy to access and thaw breast milk when you need it- Heat breast milk slowly in a bowl of warm water or leave in the refrigerator overnight. You might like to use a bottle warmer, alternatively.
Breast Milk Storage Freezer
Breast milk storage freezers are primarily used to store breast milk before it goes out to other places, like to the fridge or the freezer compartment of my refrigerator.
A lot of moms use the storage freezer because they want that added security.
Storing your breast milk in a breast milk storage freezer can help to extend the shelf life of your oldest milk. You can store it for a longer period of time than safely possible in your refrigerator.
When you need it, simply warm breast milk up with the help of a warm water bath or under warm running water to thaw. Heat the milk gently with warm water to protect the nutrients and antibodies!
How Do You Store Breast Milk in a Deep Freezer?
If you are a breastfeeding mom, you’ve probably wondered what to do with your milk produced during breast pumping. Moms who are breastfeeding their babies can store their freshly pumped breast milk for several months in a breast milk freezer.
Storing your freshly pumped milk in a deep freezer for future use is one of the most important things you can do as a nursing mom.
Freshly pumped breast milk is rich in antibodies, growth factors, and other biological components that change over time. It’s important to store your breast milk properly so it can be completely thawed after several months.
Follow these breast milk storage guidelines when storing your breast milk to avoid leftover milk.
- Label your freezer bags of breast milk with the date and time it was pumped to keep track of what’s fresh.
- Make sure that the refrigerated breast milk bags flat in a configuration that will allow them to stack up effectively.
- Frequently clean out the fridge and freezer to discard spoiled milk.
- Utilize the sniff test and discard any milk that smells sour, even if it hasn’t met its expiration date.
If a bottle of frozen breastmilk thaws, it’s best to throw it out and empty the bottle thoroughly and clean it with very hot water before refilling it with freshly expressed breast milk.
How Much Breastmilk Fits in a Deep Freezer?
Most mothers are curious about how much space the breastmilk will fit in a deep freezer. A lot of refrigerated frozen food items come in bulk, so it’s natural to wonder if the same principle would apply to breastmilk.
After all, you wouldn’t want to run out of storage space for your precious expressed breast milk.
Deep freezers are specifically designed to maximize the volume of space compared to the amount of energy it uses.
This means they can get very cold but still use less energy than smaller freezers. You can fit approximately 65 five-ounce bottles of breastmilk side by side inside an upright freezer.
Does Breast Milk Last Longer in a Deep Freezer?
The type of freezer you store breast milk in can have an impact on how long it stays fresh. Breast milk usually goes bad in 3-4 days. Some mothers even store breast milk inside an insulated cooler bag in a deep freezer to keep it fresh, frozen, and good for up to 6 months.
After all, the consistent cold temperature of a deep freeze makes food last longer, including formula and breastmilk.
Should I Use a Bottle or Breast Milk Storage Bag?
Refrigerating breast milk is a great way to store milk for near future feedings. There are a lot of things that you need to consider when deciding what type of bottle or storage bag to use for frozen milk.
Some women prefer the convenience and portability of frozen milk in bottles while others enjoy the hands-free option offered by storage bags which attach to the pump and take up minimal storage space. Should I Use a Bottle or Breast Milk Storage Bag?Some women prefer the convenience and portability of frozen milk in bottles while others enjoy the hands-free option offered by storage bags which attach to the pump and take up minimal storage space.
You may want to choose carefully, and also you should choose the type that best fits your lifestyle as this decision could have an impact on the safety and health of your baby.
How Can You Tell if Frozen Breast Milk Is Bad? (4 Ways)
Frozen breast milk is good for 6 to 12 months. You can determine the date of storage with details like storage location and time. But sometimes, it can be tough to know whether or not frozen breast milk is still good to feed to your baby. After all, you don’t want them to get sick!
If you’re not sure whether or not the milk is good to give to baby, it’s best to:
- Check the Temperature
One of the easiest ways to tell if frozen breast milk is bad is by checking the temperature. Simply drip a few drops of the milk to your arm, it should be at body temperature roughly. If it’s too warm or too cold, then it’s not safe to give to your baby.
- Check the color and smell it
If the milk is discolored, smells sour, or has a slimy texture, it’s probably not safe to feed to your baby.
Understanding how to tell if frozen breastmilk is bad is probably one of the most important things that you need to know as a breastfeeding mom.
What Are Ice Crystals in Breast Milk?
Ice crystals are small, needle-like crystals of frozen water. They form in the milk during freezing. For the most part, ice crystals are not harmful.
In fact, they’re a sign that your breastmilk was frozen properly and has not thawed to a point beyond -32 degrees Fahrenheit [-35 degrees Celsius]. Milk with lots of crystals can have a glazed or frosted appearance.
What Kind of Freezer Is Best for Breast Milk?
When it comes to storing breastmilk, there are a few different freezer types to choose from. But which one is best for your needs?
You may want to consider features such as type, size, temperature control, portability features, ease of cleaning and warranty when making your final decision on a product.
There are several types of breast milk freezers for sale including electric and manual.
Even more important is being able to keep that breastmilk stored at the proper temperature so that it won’t spoil, becoming unusable if not frozen or refrigerated properly and often.
Best Freezer For Breast Milk 2022 Guide
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best freezer for breastmilk will vary depending on your needs and preferences.
The best freezer for breastmilk is not necessarily the most expensive. Consider the following factors when purchasing one and which ones would be the top picks.
Type
- Upright freezers are the best choice for freezing breastmilk. They allow you to see what’s inside and take out as many containers of frozen food at one time, which means it’ll be easier than ever before.
- Also, Upright freezers can be a great space-saver and they’re also cheaper than chest models.
- Chest style refrigerators work well too if space is limited but we recommend using an upright model because they’re more efficient in terms on capacity per hour-you can fit three or four shelves worth into each cabinet compared with two when storing items horizontally.
- Chest freezers are typically more adaptable than upright models.
Size
Though it is hard to guess the amount of space you will need for milk storage, babies can drink up to 900ml per day.
This means that if your goal was enough breastmilk on hand during an upcoming return-to-work period.
It may also help when deciding what type/size freezer is right for storing these excess amounts by considering its future uses.
Use of energy
Saving energy costs is a big priority for many people.
When you are choosing your freezer, look at the efficiency rating to see how much power it uses and choose accordingly so that the running cost will be minimal.
A lower KwH number will cost less to operate.
Chest models are typically more efficient than upright ones and can save you money on your electric bill too; plus they’re easier on all those food packages that need freezing.
Easy cleaning
One of the best features you can look for in a chest freezer is auto defrost.
It will make it so much easier to clean when there’s no need because your food doesn’t stick anywhere.
If an outlet drain fits over containers, then this task becomes even more simple than before since all we have do is wash out any leftovers from milk storage after each use- which saves time and money too.
Storage configuration
If you have a deep freezer, it’s important to maximize its space.
To do this successfully, you can put containers in the bottom of your refrigerator or cabinet where there is less humidity so they can stay colder longer.
Temperature Controls
Freezing and storing your breastmilk is a great way to ensure that it stays fresh for as long as possible.
To do this, you’ll want the right temperature controls in place so not only does freezing kill off harmful bacteria but also slows down their growth rate significantly which means they’ll need more time before being able to come back into good condition.
You may want to consider two options for this- either install an automatic freezer with built in thermostats or buy one of our many compatible remote controllers so you don’t need access keys sitting out where little ones might trip over them.
Take Away on Deep Freezing Breast Milk
When storing your breastmilk, it is important to consider a variety of factors in order to keep it fresh and safe for your baby.
By following the tips we’ve outlined in this article, you can ensure that you have plenty of stored breastmilk available when needed.
Also, labelling your ice packs of milk with the date and time it was pumped is an important step in storing your breastmilk. This will help you keep track of how fresh your milk is and when it was frozen.
Refrigerating breast milk is a good option for milk you will use within a few days and removes the need to thaw frozen breast milk; at room temperature it must be used in 6-8 hours.
Deep freezing breastmilk is a great way to ensure that you have plenty of stored milk available when needed. You can make sure that your breastmilk stays fresh and safe for your baby.
Size, type of freezer, and energy usage should all be factors that you keep in mind when choosing the best freezer for your needs.
This article was written by Sandra Baker – full time writer and the mother of four amazing kids (including twins!)
She’s also a breastfeeding counselor and has spent years helping new parents learn how to care for their children. When she’s not writing or caring for her children, Sandra likes to spend time reading and taking walks with her husband.
