What’s the best way to store breast milk? – Dr. Varsha Saxena

Breast milk can be stored in a refrigerator in case of babies in a later time in case of working mothers or if the mother is not around. But if we want to refrigerate the breast milk we need to remember certain points. The milk can be refrigerated at around 4 degree centigrade for 24 hours. In outside temperature at around 25 degree centigrade it can be kept for 4 hours. The breast milk can be refrigerated immediately as soon as it is expressed out. Once refrigerated and taken out the milk should not be re-refrigerated again. So it is better to store the milk in small bottles. Each time the milk can be taken out and given to the baby. The breast milk has to be stored in plastic bottles as WBC of the breast milk can get adhere in the glass bottles. The hands should be properly washed before expressing the breast milk and all the vessels used for taking the breast milk and the breast pump should be sterilised properly. The breast milk may get separated in the refrigerator which is normal and it should be shaken well before use. The breast milk can be warmed to a normal temperature before use. This can be done by keeping the breast milk in warm water or in running warm water. But we should never microwave or heat the breast milk.