Many a times a mother isn’t able to breastfeed her baby for multiple reasons or some mothers want to preserve breast milk. It is okay to express breast milk and freeze it or refrigerate it to feed the baby later.
Breast milk can be preserved for three weeks in a refrigerator at about -180C or 50C and below for a day. The antibodies in the milk and other nutrients don’t change much if preserved in an appropriate way. However, as we know that the breast milk changes its components depending on the baby’s growth so it is advised to use the preserved milk as soon as possible and not keep it for longer periods.
- Once warmed, the breast milk should not be refrigerated again.
- Breast milk’s nutritive value will be lost if it is microwaved.
- Breast milk cannot be preserved at room temperature.
- It is advised to use preserved milk as early as possible.
