Can I freeze breast milk from different days?

Freezing Breast Milk: What You Need to Know
Freezing breast milk is a common practice for nursing mothers who want to ensure they have a supply on hand for their babies. However, many parents wonder about the safety and guidelines surrounding the freezing of breast milk expressed on different days.
Can You Freeze Breast Milk from Different Days?
Yes, you can freeze breast milk that has been expressed on different days, but there are important guidelines to follow to ensure the milk remains safe and nutritious for your baby. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that breast milk can be stored in the freezer for about six months for optimal quality, although it can remain safe for up to 12 months.
When freezing milk from different days, it is crucial to label each container with the date it was expressed. This practice helps you keep track of how long the milk has been stored and ensures that you use the oldest milk first, adhering to the “first in, first out” principle.
Storage Guidelines
When freezing breast milk, consider the following tips:
– Use Appropriate Containers: Store breast milk in clean, BPA-free containers, such as hard plastic bottles with tight-fitting lids or pre-sterilized breast milk storage bags. Avoid using disposable bottle liners or regular plastic bags that are not designed for breast milk storage.

– Portion Sizes: Freeze milk in small amounts, typically 2 to 4 ounces, to minimize waste. This size is generally suitable for a single feeding.
– Avoid Overfilling: Remember that breast milk expands as it freezes, so leave some space at the top of the container.
Thawing and Refreezing
If you thaw breast milk, it is important to handle it correctly. According to the CDC, breast milk that has started to thaw but still contains ice crystals can be safely refrozen. However, if the milk has completely thawed, it should be used within 24 hours and should not be refrozen.
Conclusion
In summary, freezing breast milk from different days is not only possible but also a practical way to manage your milk supply. By following proper storage guidelines and keeping track of dates, you can ensure that your baby receives safe and nutritious milk. Always prioritize safety and quality to provide the best for your little one.

Can you freeze breast milk that’s been in the fridge for a few days?

Breastmilk can only be frozen once. Once thawed, it needs to be used up. It can stay in the fridge for up to 48 hours after being thawed, then/or once it has been brought up to room temperature, it needs to be used up within 5–8 hours. It cannot be refrigerated again.

Can you combine breast milk from different days to freeze?

Yep, you’re right! You can definitely combine frozen milk from different days/bags, as long as all the milk you’re mixing is already frozen or has been thawed to the same temperature. The advice about not mixing fresh with frozen is more about making sure the milk is handled safely.

Can you combine breast milk from different pumping sessions?

Most of the time, combining breast milk is acceptable unless you have a preterm baby or you’re in an unclean environment. That said, you need to follow some specific guidelines to ensure the safety of your milk collection and avoid contamination. Here’s what you need to know about mixing breast milk.

How to know if breastmilk is spoiled?

It will also smell bad, much like spoiled cow’s milk. And, like spoiled cow’s milk, breast milk that’s old will taste sour. (It’s fine to taste your breast milk to check!) Always label your pumped milk with a time and date so you can tell how old it is.

Can you mix left and right breast milk?

Combine the milk expressed from the right and left breasts into one container, seal it, and cool it. Let’s call the milk from this pumping session milk 2. Once cooled, you can pour milk 2 into the container of milk 1.

Why can’t you mix breast milk from different days?

Mixing freshly expressed breast milk with already cooled or frozen milk is not advised because it can rewarm the older stored milk. It is best to cool freshly expressed milk before combining it with older, previously cooled or frozen milk. Also consider storage duration guidelines for breast milk.

Does breast milk have to be the same temperature before mixing?

The American Academy of Pediatrics previously stated: “Mothers can mix warm milk and cold, or even consider pooling milk from 24 hours together, which may help even out variability in nutrients due to pumping time or breast emptying (which influences fat content of the milk).”

What is the 5 5 5 rule for breast milk?

Something I recommend to moms is the 5-5-5 rule. Try and use milk within five hours at room temperature, five days in the fridge, and by five months in the freezer.

Can I mix left and right breast milk?

Combining breast milk from different expressions can be convenient, especially if you’re only getting a small amount at each session. Just make sure you’re not adding too much to your storage containers.

How to tell if frozen breast milk is bad?

The milk is likely to have a very distinctive sour smell and may even taste metallic, like soap or bitter. If it smells sour, it is very likely because of the lipase enzyme’s action on the fat content of breast milk.