How to heat breast milk? Methods of heating breast milk

Breast milk is the best food for babies and cannot be replaced by any other dairy products. Often mothers hope to continue breastfeeding their babies. But under various pressures nowadays, many mothers have to return to the workplace when their babies are very young, so breastfeeding has become a new trendy method for modern working mothers. Mothers usually express breast milk and put it in the refrigerator. When the baby wants to eat, they can take it out and heat it up before drinking it directly. So, how to heat breast milk? In fact, there are some things to pay attention to when heating breast milk. If the method is not appropriate, a lot of nutrients will be lost.

How to warm breast milk

1. Water-bath heating method. If you are refrigerating breast milk, you can soak the breast milk container in warm water so that the milk absorbs the heat in the water and becomes warm. While soaking, shake the container from time to time to ensure that the breast milk is heated evenly. If it is frozen breast milk, it should be thawed by soaking in cold water first, and then reheated like refrigerated breast milk.

2. Heat the milk warmer. Set the temperature of the milk warmer to 40℃ and heat the breast milk in water, making it easier to control the temperature.

3. Constant temperature milk mixer. Use a thermostatic milk mixer set at 40°C to warm the breast milk.

If you freeze your breast milk, it may separate into layers, which is normal. Just shake it gently to mix it well before feeding.

Breast milk storage time at room temperature

Generally speaking, there are two ways to preserve breast milk. One is when the mother works in a company, and because the company does not have refrigeration equipment, breast milk can only be stored at room temperature. Breast milk stored at room temperature has a short shelf life. Mothers should make sure to mark the time on the bottle containing breast milk to prevent their babies from drinking expired breast milk and developing digestive tract diseases.

Breast milk storage time at room temperature:

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

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.

Stored breast milk will decompose into two separate layers: milk water and milk fat. It may look a little blue, yellow or brown, which is normal. Before feeding the baby, the mother should shake the mixture well to combine the water and milk into one.

It is best for the baby to drink fresh breast milk. If the mother is not with the baby, there is no problem in giving the baby refrigerated breast milk. However, be careful not to refrigerate for too long, and make sure it is heated evenly, otherwise the baby will have diarrhea after eating it. Another point is that when the mother is at home, she should try to let the baby suck the nipple so that the milk will be continuously secreted.