Can you put thawed breast milk back in the fridge after?

Understanding Breast Milk Storage Guidelines
When it comes to the delicate matter of storing and handling breast milk, parents often find themselves navigating a maze of guidelines and recommendations. One common question that arises is whether thawed breast milk can be safely returned to the refrigerator after being warmed or partially used.
The Basics of Thawed Breast Milk
Thawed breast milk is generally safe for use within 24 hours if it has been kept in the refrigerator. However, once breast milk has been warmed or has reached room temperature, the rules change significantly. According to health experts, if breast milk has been warmed, it should ideally be consumed within two hours. After this period, the risk of bacterial growth increases, making it unsafe for further use.
Can You Refridge Thawed Milk?
The short answer is that while you can technically put thawed breast milk back in the fridge, it is not recommended if the milk has been warmed or if the baby has consumed from the bottle. Once a baby has fed from a bottle, the milk is considered contaminated due to exposure to saliva and should be discarded if not consumed within two hours. This precaution is crucial to prevent the growth of harmful pathogens that could pose health risks to your infant.
Best Practices for Handling Thawed Breast Milk
1. Thawing: Always thaw breast milk in the refrigerator or by placing it in warm water. Avoid thawing at room temperature or using a microwave, as these methods can create hot spots and degrade the milk’s quality.

2. Storage After Warming: If breast milk has been warmed but not consumed, it should be used within two hours. If it has been consumed, any leftover milk should be discarded to ensure safety.
3. Refrigeration: If you have thawed breast milk that has not been warmed or consumed, it can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. However, once it has been warmed, it should not be returned to the fridge.
Conclusion
In summary, while the guidelines around breast milk storage can seem complex, they are designed to ensure the safety and health of your baby. Always prioritize safety by adhering to the recommended time frames for use and storage. When in doubt, it’s better to err on the side of caution and discard any milk that may pose a risk.

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.

Can you reheat breast milk twice according to the CDC?

Never refreeze or reheat breast milk that’s been thawed, the CDC notes. If you’re not feeding baby immediately, keep defrosted breast milk in the fridge. If you thawed it at room temperature, the milk is good for up to two hours (after that, throw it out).

Can you combine breast milk from different pumping sessions?

If you combine breast milk from different days, be sure to cool your fresh breast milk before adding it to the previously refrigerated milk. Make sure the container of combined milk is labeled with the date the older milk was pumped. Store it in the freezer if the oldest milk was pumped more than four days ago.

Can you put baby milk back in fridge after warming?

Once a bottle is prepared or taken from the fridge for feeding, use the formula within 1 hour or throw it out. You cannot re-refrigerate formula once it has been warmed or reaches room temperature. The reason experts recommend you throw away unused formula is because bacteria can begin to grow.

Can you reheat thawed breastmilk more than once?

It’s generally fine to warm up breast milk once, maybe twice, if you really need to. While there don’t appear to be many studies on this particular situation, most experts and pediatricians agree that warming up breast milk only once is the goal.

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 I store unfinished breast milk in fridge?

After 4 days of refrigeration, your breast milk should be used or thrown away. Breast milk properties slow the growth of bad bacteria. These properties begin to decline after a few days of refrigeration. If you think you won’t use breast milk within a few days, freeze it as quickly as possible.

Can I put breast milk back in the fridge after warming it up?

If it’s been warmed up, just toss it. Warmed up milk cannot go back into the fridge.

Can you put breast milk that’s been sitting out back in the fridge?

Freshly pumped milk can be out for 4 hours before needing to be refrigerated. Milk that has been refrigerated but is now out is good for 2 hours. You should never re-refrigerated milk that has been refrigerated and brought out to room temperature.

Can I refrigerate breast milk after thawing?

Using thawed breastmilk
Milk thawed in the refrigerator must be used within 24 hours. Milk thawed to room temperature or warmer should ideally be used in 1 to 2 hours. If your baby didn’t finish the bottle, the leftover breastmilk can still be used within 2 hours after the baby is done feeding.