expressing milk

is it ok for expressed milk to sit out for 3-4 hours?
i started then was distracted...should i chuck it?

I would just to be on the safe side.

What a pain for you though.

I know...I was really hoping someone would tell me dont worry it will be fine!!!!
Hehe

Hi,
i had some guidelines for storing expressed breastmilk given to me by the hospital when i went home. Here they are:

Storing Freshly expressed milk -
in a closed sterilised container
can be left at room temperature for 6-8 hours (26deg C or lower)
can be stored in a refrigerator for 3-5 days (4deg C or lower), store at back of fridge where it is colder
can be stored in freezer compartment inside fridge for 2 weeks
can be stored in freezer with seperate door for 3 months
can be stored in a deep freezer (-18deg C or lower) for 6-12 months

I have more about frozen breastmilk that has been thawed, let me know if you want this too and i will post for you.

sorry it was a bit too late for you, but hopefully this will help out next time.

Hi

I expressed for my daughter for the first 3 months.
I always threw it away if it had been out for more then an hour, especially in hot weather and I never kept it in the fridge for more then 2 days.
I know it feels like such a waste but it is better to be safe then sorry.
Kep up the good work!!

Hi mummyto1,

Did you also breast feed your baby as well as express or did you express all the time and feed from the bottle? The reason I'm asking is that I expressed for my daughter for 6 months as I had terrible trouble trying to breast feed, but I wanted her to have breast milk so I used an electric expressor and fed her EBM from 5 1/2 weeks until 6 1/2 months. Now I'm not expressing I have so much time on my hands I don't know what to do with myself smile Just kidding - there is always plenty to do with a baby, isn't there!

Hi Yonny,

Have you had more information on thawing frozen milk. I was told not to use boiling water to thaw as this will cause the milk to turn bad, is this true?

BTW, have you had any other suggestions on containers to store breastmilk other than bottles?

Thanks in advance,
sharon

Hi Sharon,
this is how i've been told to thaw frozen breastmilk:-
-stand expressed milk in warm (not hot) tap water
-change tap water as it cools
-gently shake container to mix the layers that may have seperated
-do not thaw or warm milk in the microwave, as this can lead to changes in milk composition or "hot spots" within the milk

alternatively, you can leave it in the fridge overnight.

for storage, have you tried the bags that avent sell. I've always used bottles, so I'm not sure how good the avent bags are.

you can also go to the australian breastfeeding assoc. website. They have booklets available that might cover this subject.
Good Luck smile