Can Warmed Breast Milk Be Refrigerated Again?

ByWinters Hours Updated:

warmed breast milk be refrigerated again

A mother’s mind is constantly spinning with questions about pumping, cleaning breast pumps, storing and using breast milk, and so on. Whether you are a first-time mother or a mother who is using a breast pump for the first time, you will be perplexed by each step.

One of the most often asked questions by mothers is whether they can refrigerate previously warmed breast milk. So, in order to help moms on their new journey of expressing breast milk with breast pumps, we will guide them through the proper storage and use of breast milk in this article. We will also discuss how to properly handle warmed breast milk. Let us begin by answering this question.

Can You Refrigerate Breast Milk That Has Been Warmed Once?

You must immediately give your infant breast milk after removing it from the refrigerator and warming it. If your infant hasn’t finished the bottle of warmed breast milk, it should be reused within the next 2 hours at room temperature.

You can also refrigerate any leftover breast milk, but it must be consumed within the following 24 hours. If the time limit is exceeded, it is recommended that you do not feed your infant this batch of breast milk and instead dispose of it.

Why Should You Discard Once-Warmed Milk After 24 Hours

It is not recommended to reuse or reheat breast milk. Breast milk that has been warmed once should be discarded after 24 hours in the fridge and 2 hours at room temperature. This is indicated due to the rapid bacterial proliferation that occurs in warm milk.

Warm milk is a bacterial breeding habitat. Bacterial infection is dangerous for healthy babies since they do not have a strong immune system to combat diseases and infections. Reheating milk is also discouraged by pediatricians since heat destroys healthy bacteria and minerals in milk.

How To Safely Handle Breast Milk That Has Been Warmed?

warmed breast milk

Bacteria growth faster than we believe, so we must ensure that the breast milk we are feeding our infant is healthy and has not gone bad. If you don’t want to waste the precious gold liquid you’ve pumped, follow these guidelines for securely handling breast milk.

  • You should feed your infant breast milk after warming it, and if he does not finish the milk, you should feed him again within the next two hours.
  • If you do not intend to feed your baby with the warmed breast milk again in two hours, store it immediately in the refrigerator to reduce the possibility of bacterial growth.
  • Breast milk that has been warmed should only be kept in the fridge for 24 hours.
  • If you do not intend to use the milk within the next 24 hours. You should discard it after that timeframe.
  • Once the breast milk has been warmed, it can be stored in the refrigerator but should not be frozen again into frozen breast milk. It is strongly discouraging.
  • You should not keep a warmed breast milk supply at room temperature for an extended period of time.
  • Always evaluate the taste, smell, and quality of milk before feeding it to your infant for his or her safety.

Guidelines For Storing The Freshly Expressed Breast Milk

There are also broad recommendations and principles for preserving fresh breast milk to ensure that it does not go bad and may be used for longer periods of time. Follow these steps to properly store breast milk in the fridge or freezer.

  • Before handling the expressed milk, make sure your hands are thoroughly cleaned.
  • Prior to beginning to express milk. Be sure that your breast pump and all of its components have been thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.
  • Always store expressed breast milk in storage containers that have been washed, disinfected, and sterilized.
  • Use suitable food-grade containers, glass bottles of breast milk, or BPA-free breast milk storage bags to store your milk.
  • It is recommended that you label your breast milk containers with the date and time of expression.
  • Breast milk should be stored in smaller portions to avoid wasting it.
  • Check the temperature of your fridge/freezer on a regular basis to ensure it is cooling.
  • Make sure that you do not store breast milk in the door of a refrigerator or freezer since the temperature is not maintained due to door opening and closing.

How Long Can You Store Breast Milk

reheat breast milk

Doctors, healthcare providers, and pediatricians have general recommendations for how long you should preserve breast milk. It is recommended that you adhere to these time restrictions to ensure that your baby receives nutritious breast milk.

  • Freshly expressed milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours before use.
  • Breast milk can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days. It is ideal to put refrigerated breast milk in the back of the fridge. Where the breast milk temperature is kept cool.
  • You can keep breast milk in the freezer for 6 to 12 months if there are no long power outages.

Guidelines For Heating Breast Milk

There are some suggestions for heating breast milk that has been removed from the fridge or freezer. You must adhere to these guidelines in order to ensure that your breast milk has all of the necessary nutrients and minerals.

  • Keep refrigerated milk in warm water until it reaches room temperature.
  • It is not recommended to heat the milk directly on the stove.
  • You should never microwave breast milk for heating or thawing since it damages the milk’s nutrition. It can also cause hotspots, which can cause your baby’s mouth to burn.
  • If your infant prefers warm milk, you can use the hot water or lukewarm water method or a breast milk bottle warmer.
  • You can either place the frozen milk in the refrigerator overnight or in warm water to thaw.

Conclusion

To conclude, we can say that once-warm breast milk can be refrigerated and reused, but only within 24 hours. You need to consume that milk within 24 hours. It should be noted that milk that has been thawed and warmed cannot be put in the deep freezer again.

This article has described everything you need to know about handling, storing, and using breast milk, so you can now take care of your baby’s feed with more love and care by following all of the safety measures and guidelines.

Reference:

https://exclusivepumping.com/can-i-feed-my-baby-this-breast-milk/

https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/handling_breastmilk.htm

https://www.levaapp.com/articles/how-many-times-can-you-reheat-breast-milk