Home » Blog » Breastfeeding » Can you store breast milk in baby bottles with nipples?

Can you store breast milk in baby bottles with nipples?

Storing Breast Milk in Bottles with Nipples: What You Need to Know
For new mothers navigating the world of breastfeeding and milk storage, a common question arises: Can you store breast milk in baby bottles with nipples? The answer is nuanced, but generally, it is considered safe to do so, provided certain precautions are taken.
Safety Considerations
According to experts, storing breast milk in bottles equipped with nipples is permissible. However, it is crucial to ensure that the bottles and nipples are clean and sanitized before use. This practice helps prevent contamination, which can lead to gastrointestinal issues in infants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes the importance of maintaining cleanliness in all feeding equipment, including bottles and nipples, to safeguard the milk from harmful bacteria.
Best Practices for Storage
When storing breast milk in bottles with nipples, here are some best practices to follow:
1. Use Clean Equipment: Always wash and sanitize bottles and nipples thoroughly before use. This step is vital to avoid any risk of contamination.

2. Seal Properly: If you choose to store milk in a bottle with a nipple, ensure that the nipple is securely capped or covered to prevent any spillage or exposure to air, which can degrade the milk.
3. Time Limits: Once the milk is stored, be mindful of how long it remains usable. If your baby consumes part of the milk, any leftover should be refrigerated and used within one to two hours. After this period, it should be discarded to ensure safety.
4. Avoid Refreezing: If breast milk has been thawed, it should never be refrozen or reheated. This practice helps maintain the milk’s quality and safety.
Conclusion
In summary, storing breast milk in bottles with nipples is safe as long as proper hygiene and storage practices are followed. New mothers can confidently use this method, knowing that with the right precautions, they can provide their babies with safe and nutritious milk. As always, staying informed and adhering to guidelines will help ensure the health and well-being of both mother and child.

Can I store pumped breast milk in a bottle in the fridge?

Breast milk can be stored in a sterilised container, or special storage bags – remember to label and date it. Store it in small quantities to avoid wasting any. Your breast milk can then be kept: at the back of the fridge – not the door – for up to 8 days (at 4C or colder)

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 babies drink cold breast milk?

Breast milk does not need to be warmed. It can be served room temperature or cold.

What can I do with leftover breast milk that my baby didn’t drink?

The CDC advises reusing leftover breast milk within two hours of the last feeding. If it’s longer than two hours, you should throw it away. Do not freeze and reuse later.

Can you save breastmilk bottle if baby doesn’t finish?

If your baby did not finish the bottle, leftover milk should be used within 2 hours. Wash disassembled pump and feeding parts in a clean basin with soap and water.

How long can milk sit out in a baby bottle?

Prepared infant formula can spoil if it is left out at room temperature. Use prepared infant formula within 2 hours of preparation and within one hour from when feeding begins. If you do not start to use the prepared infant formula within 2 hours, immediately store the bottle in the fridge and use it within 24 hours.

Can I save leftover breast milk in a bottle?

With milk, if your LO doesn’t finish it, cap the bottle, put in the fridge immediately, and you can use it for their next feed. Milk can last 3 hours in the fridge if it’s been contaminated by baby eating. Since milk has live bacteria that help prevent bad bacteria from building up, it can stay safe longer.

Can I store breast milk in Avent bottles?

Keep your expressed milk fresh by storing it in sterilised feeding bottles. Philips AVENT feeding bottles all come with secure tops to seal in the freshness and make breast milk storage fuss free.

Can you store breast milk in bottles with nipples in room temperature?

Generally, it’s not recommended. Instead you should use bottles with secure, air-tight lids.

Can I store breast milk in a normal feeding bottle?

Before expressing or handling breast milk, wash your hands with soap and water. Then store the expressed milk in a clean, capped food-grade glass container or hard plastic container that’s not made with the chemical bisphenol A (BPA).

Natasha Lunn

Tash is an IBCLC and Business Coach helping fellow IBCLCs create fun, profitable businesses that are more than just an expensive hobby. Before becoming an IBCLC and starting her private practice - The Boobala, Tash graduated as an Osteopath in 2008 and has been in Private Practice in South West Sydney. She was also a volunteer Breastfeeding Counsellor and Community Educator with the Australian Breastfeeding Association for 6 years. Through her business, Your Lactation Biz, Tash coaches and creates products to help new and seasoned IBCLCs build businesses that suit their personality and lifestyle.

Leave a Comment