Storing Breastmilk

The mother should save all the milk she pumps or acquires from a milk bank, and freeze it in one-ounce portions. There are freezer bags for breastmilk available at most baby stores. The mother should mark the date and time on each bag so they can be used in the order in which they were obtained. It is important that the freezer be colder than 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a fridge/freezer thermometer to check the temperature. The milk may be stored for up to a year this way. The phalanges and bottles may be washed with hot soapy water and rinsed well. It’s a good idea to boil them in a pot once a week. Storing the breastmilk will enable the mother to supplement her baby’s feedings with her own breastmilk if she needs to. It is preferable when using the supplemental feeding device, to fill it with the mother’s previously stored breastmilk. If the mother finds that she has finished all her previously stored milk, she can use artificial infant milk in the supplementer.

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Newman-Goldfarb Protocols. © Lenore Goldfarb, B.Comm, B.Sc, IBCLC
and Jack Newman, MD FRCPC, November 2002