breastmilk storage bags Malaysia

Top 4 commonly asked questions on breast milk from mothers

by Khairil Yusof

Before doing anything WASH YOUR HAND PROPERLY!! It is better to worry than sorry and it has never been enough to wash your hand carefully. 

What is the best container for storing breast milk?

Mothers should best save and preserve expressed breast milk with cleaned food-grade containers that have caps to ensure proper isolation between the milk and air from bacteria. These containers could be made from glass or plastic that must not contain chemicals such as bisphenol (BPA) or special breastmilk storage bags Malaysia baby stores often suggest to parents. 

How do mothers store breast milk? 

How to? 

Divide breast milk into small feeding portions that could be used for each meal, ranging from 30 millilitres to 120 millilitres. Make sure the containers are clean and tailored and/or friendly with breast milk storage – contain no BPA. Label each container with waterproof ink with information like the expressing dates and the capacity of the portion. This is to help parents control the milk quality, and safety to use, as well as the baby eating portion for parents to predict and detect any irregularities in case of occurrence. 

Additionally, always try to place the milk containers deep inside the refrigerator where the temperature is coolest so that the milk could stay preserved better. In case there is no refrigerator around, parents could temporarily store the breast milk in a temperature insulation bottle with ice packs. Another precaution is that most liquid will also expand on a small scale when frozen, don’t fill the container to the brim. 

Tips 

  • The refrigerator door is not an ideal place to store breast milk due to the temperature changes when opening and closing the door. 
  • In case of delayed feeding, and you don’t think that you would use the freshly expressed breast milk in the next 4 days: freeze it immediately as this will maintain the quality of the milk. But don’t let the baby consume frozen milk stored in the freezer for a long time.
  • When delivering breast milk to a childcare facility, make sure to clearly label the child’s name on the container and give the caregiver notice ahead of time. 
  • In case of travelling, breast milk storing in an insulated container with an ice pack, the milk would last for 24 hours, ensure the milk is use right away or frozen in the refrigerator after reaching the destination 

How long does breast milk last after expressing?

Room temperature: freshly expressed breast milk could last up to 6 hours at room temperature, but make sure to use proper containers and the milk can only last up to 4 hours if the room is warm.

Insulated cooler: As mentioned above, when stored in an insulated container with ice packs, the breast milk could last up to 24 hours. 

Refrigerator: fresh breast milk could be stored at the back of the refrigerator up to 4 days in a clean and proper container environment but it is optimal to use the milk within 3 days

Deep freezer: when frozen, the milk could last up to 12 months but it should be best to use the milk within the first 6 months.