How many times can breast milk be heated

In the past, because there were not so many advanced equipment, we could feed our babies directly anytime and anywhere. But now, breastfeeding is no longer done directly with the breast. Instead, milk is extracted through a breast pump and then placed in a bag for freezing and storage. It can be heated when needed. Now we have breast milk to drink anytime and anywhere. So how many times should breast milk be heated?

Nutritional damage

Breast milk cannot be heated repeatedly, as this will destroy the nutritional value of the breast milk and is not conducive to the growth and development of the baby. You need to pay attention to rest and nutrition, and avoid eating spicy and irritating foods. When heating breast milk, do not use the boiling method, but soak it in hot water. Breast milk is the food that best suits children's intestinal digestion ability. It has high nutritional value and is easily absorbed by the intestines.

Why can't breast milk be heated repeatedly? There are some rules for heating breast milk.

Milk deterioration

Generally, milk will go bad if it is heated repeatedly. Giving such milk to babies will cause gastrointestinal disorders and clinical symptoms that are harmful to their health. Follow general heating guidelines when warming breast milk. If your breast milk smells or looks like it has gone bad, you should discard the excess breast milk immediately. Parents should understand that every time breast milk is heated, the beneficial substances in it will be reduced. Therefore, parents should not reheat excess breast milk too often.

Bacterial infection

Over time, breast milk's ability to kill bacteria also decreases. In most cases, fresh breast milk is the best at killing bacteria, breast milk in the refrigerator is second best, and frozen breast milk is the worst. The amount of time breast milk is frozen will affect its ability to kill bacteria; if breast milk is stored for too long, its ability to fight infection will almost disappear, and bacteria will slowly grow in the stored milk. Repeated heating of breast milk can easily lead to bacterial infection and diarrhea.

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.