Everything You Should Know About Expressing And Storing Breast Milk
Women express and store breast milk for many reasons, preparing for a night out, returning to work and illness, to a name a few.
During the early days of feeding is when your body is producing excess quantities of milk and many women take the opportunity of expressing and storing at this time.
Here are some useful tips and steps to keep in mind while expressing and storing breast milk:
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Wash your hands before expressing.
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Find a quiet place to sit and relax before starting.
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Have a glass of water on hand.
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Some women suggest having a picture of their baby to look at as it helps to allow the let down reflex happen.
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Ensure all your equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.
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Ensure you write a date on each container before storage.
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Plastic storage bags are ideal for freezing. Your local chemist will be able to help you with the same.
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It is advisable to freeze your milk after 24 hours of storage in a refrigerator.
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Your milk will last in the freezer for a maximum of 3 months.
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It is best to defrost your frozen breast milk in the fridge itself.
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You can then reheat it by placing the bottle in a jug of hot water or in a bottle warmer.
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It is highly recommended that you DO NOT use a microwave for heating breast milk as it affects the fats and proteins within it.
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The information published herein is intended and strictly only for informational, educational, purposes and the same shall not be misconstrued as medical advice. If you are worried about your own health, or your child’s well being, seek immediate medical advice. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website. Kimberly-Clark and/ or its subsidiaries assumes no liability for the interpretation and/or use of the information contained in this article. Further, while due care and caution has been taken to ensure that the content here is free from mistakes or omissions, Kimberly-Clark and/ or its subsidiaries makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information here, and to the extent permitted by law, Kimberly-Clark and/ or its subsidiaries do not accept any liability or responsibility for claims, errors or omissions.
