Can milk storage bags be heated directly?

Milk storage bags cannot be heated directly. For convenience, some new mothers will put the milk storage bags directly into the microwave or boiling water to heat them. This method is very wrong. We know that if the milk in the milk storage bag is heated in this way, it will often lead to the loss of nutrients in it. Giving such milk to the baby is not good for the baby's health, so you must understand how to heat the milk storage bag.

Can milk storage bags be heated directly?

For the sake of convenience, some new mothers directly heat the milk storage bags with boiling water or microwave ovens, thinking that as long as they take out the milk storage bags immediately when they are warm, the nutrients in the breast milk will not be destroyed. This is definitely wrong. First of all, heating breast milk at such a high temperature will damage the active substances in the breast milk, causing it to lose nutrients, even if the overall temperature of the breast milk has not risen or even been thawed. Then, general milk storage bags cannot withstand high temperatures. Although there is a temperature display on the milk storage bag and the overall temperature is detected to be within the standard, this state of ice and fire is not pleasant, and it can easily affect the quality of breast milk.

It is not possible to heat the milk storage bag directly with a heating machine or boiling water, but we can heat the milk storage bag slowly. As long as we know how to follow the proper thawing and heating steps, we don’t have to worry about affecting the quality of breast milk.

We can first put the milk storage bag in the refrigerator (2-4℃) for about 24 hours, or rinse the sealed bag with cold water for initial thawing. When the baby needs to drink, use 38-39℃ warm water to thaw and rewarm the breast milk.

Note: Do not thaw with overheated water or in a microwave oven, as this will destroy the nutrients in the breast milk. After thawing, pour it directly into the bottle and feed your baby. Thawed breast milk must be consumed within 24 hours and cannot be re-frozen. It is best not to feed your baby leftover milk. How long it can be stored depends on the specific situation. In summer, it will basically go bad in 2 hours at room temperature.

In addition, knowing how long breast milk can be stored at room temperature and under refrigeration conditions can allow new mothers to choose how to preserve breast milk more appropriately, so the editor will give you detailed instructions below.

1.Store at room temperature:

Colostrum (milk expressed within 6 days after delivery) - can be stored at room temperature of 27-32℃ for 12 hours;

Mature breast milk (milk expressed 6 days after delivery) can be stored at room temperature of 15°C for 24 hours; at room temperature of 19-22°C for 10 hours; at room temperature of 25°C for 6 hours;

2. Storage in refrigerator: 0-4℃ can be stored for 8 days;

3. Cryopreservation: Breast milk cryopreservation is related to the condition of the freezer:

1) If it is a small freezer box in the refrigerator, the shelf life is two weeks;

2) If the freezer is separate from the refrigerator, but the door is frequently opened and closed to take items out, the shelf life is 3-4 months;

3) If it is in a deep freezer, the temperature is kept below 0°C and the door is not opened frequently, the shelf life can be more than 6 months.

It's normal for stored breast milk to break down and look a little bluish, yellowish, or brown.