8 Ideas for Easy Breast Milk Storage

by Alicia Bodine, Contributing Writer

Image © Beukbeuk; Public Domain, Commons.wikimedia.org  

There are a few reasons why a mother would want to pump her milk and save it for later. First, she may have to go back to work. In this case she will need to provide milk for the caregiver to use while she is away. Second, she may want to feed the baby with a bottle because the baby drinks the milk faster this way. Since the breast milk is best, she pumps it and uses it in the bottle. Finally, she may just want to allow someone else in the family to enjoy feeding the baby.

Once the milk is pumped, it will need to be stored. Here are 8 easy breast milk storage methods that you can use:

1. Place the milk directly in to the bottle at set it out on the kitchen counter. This is perfectly acceptable if you plan on feeding the baby within the next 4 hours.

2. Place the milk directly in to the bottle and set it in your refrigerator. You can do this for all of the bottles you think you will use over the next 3-4 days. The milk will still be fresh, you will just need to heat it up before serving it to the baby.

3. Pour your pumped milk in to some baby food jars and place them in the freezer. Breast milk will stay good for up to 4 months. Just take it out and place it in the refrigerator a few hours before you want to use it so that it thaws out naturally.

4. Purchase some nursing bags and pour your breast milk in them. These bags can be kept in a refrigerator or a freezer. These bags are sterilized and made specifically for storing your breast.​

5. Use store bought freezer bags to store your breast milk. You will need to purchase smaller ones because you won't want to store large amounts in one bag. You would end up wasting some after you thawed it out.

6. Pour the breast milk in to a plastic soda bottle. Make sure that you sterilize the plastic soda bottle first. You can then leave it on the counter,place it in the freezer, or place it in the refrigerator.

7. Use small Tupperware containers. Tupperware comes with a lifetime guarantee because it is so durable. You an then store the milk on the counter, in the fridge, or in the freezer.

8. Clean out your left over pickle jars and use them to store your breast milk. These containers have lids that screw on tight so they are perfect for storing milk. You can also place these in a refrigerator or freezer or just leave them out on the counter.

Tips:
Always write the date on the storage container or bag so that you know how long you have been storing it.

Warning:
Always use thawed out breast milk within one day and never place it back in the freezer.

​This article was previously published on the Yahoo Contributor Network.