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Family Forum / Pregnancy / Breastfeeding / March 2005Questions about milk storage and pump cleaning
I have a Medela Pump-In-Style pump. It has a little cooler compartment with those blue cooling-bar things. How long can breast milk be stored in that compartment? Is it the equivalent of refrigeration? Can I keep expressed milk there during the day until I get home from work, or do I need to find a refrigerator and just use the bag for transport? Also, can I take milk that has been pumped during the day, whether stored in the pump cooler compartment or refrigerator, and safely freeze it when I get home? Another question for anybody pumping during the day - what is the best way to clean pump parts effectively during the day? If I don't have access to be able to wash them fully in soap and water, is there another way to clean between pumpings until washing fully at night? Thanks for any advice - this group has been an invaluable resource with all of this. Sarah DD 3/1/05 > I have a Medela Pump-In-Style pump. It has a little cooler compartment with > those blue cooling-bar things. How long can breast milk be stored in that [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > has been pumped during the day, whether stored in the pump cooler > compartment or refrigerator, and safely freeze it when I get home? I think a refrigerator would be best, but you should be OK with any cooler and ice blocks, either the pump in style one, or a different one. I leave my pump at work and transport milk in a lunch cooler bag, but I have a fridge available. And yes, you can freeze it. I think the LLL website has guidelines for milk storage, also check out kellymom.com. By the way, I usually feed DD the milk I pump the next day. Freezing kills antibodies so the fresher the better. I only freeze milk that I pump Friday, then Monday I thaw the oldest milk. > Another question for anybody pumping during the day - what is the best way > to clean pump parts effectively during the day? If I don't have access to > be able to wash them fully in soap and water, is there another way to clean > between pumpings until washing fully at night? Honestly, the best thing is to get extra pump parts. Get enough flanges so you don't have to wash at all. Then when you get home at night, throw them in the dishwasher. I have been known to just rinse them in hot water and reuse them, but mostly I have enough flanges for the number of times I'm going to pump. Also, if you are so inclined, Medela apparently has microwave sterilizer bags. I never sterilized anything, but some people do. Mary W. >> I have a Medela Pump-In-Style pump. It has a little cooler compartment >> with those blue cooling-bar things. How long can breast milk be stored [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > fresher the better. I only freeze milk that I pump Friday, then > Monday I thaw the oldest milk. Thanks for the information. I should have access to a refrigerator, but there may be periods of a couple of hours or so before I can get to one. I had planned on feeding her the milk the next day, but just in case wanted to know about freezing. >> Another question for anybody pumping during the day - what is the best >> way to clean pump parts effectively during the day? If I don't have [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Medela apparently has microwave sterilizer bags. I never sterilized > anything, but some people do. Both good ideas. Thanks! Sarah I have two sons whom I have both pumped for using the Medela Pump In Style. I am away from my 10 month old son for approximately 10 hours during the day. I have never used a refrigerator for my milk and the little cooler compartment in the Pump In Style has kept the milk cool for that period of time and I have even gone longer periods of time-like up to 14 hours with no problems. As far as washing the parts in between feedings-I don't. Breast milk is supposed to be ok for up to 8 hours at room temperature so as long as the breastpump isn't in the direct heat I assume everything will be alright. I freeze my surplus milk because I had a pretty big stash prior to me going back to work. I know that it kills some of the antibodies, but the breastmilk that is frozen still has more antibodies than formula. Breastmilk can be frozen for up to 6 months in a deep freezer. I'm not saying what I'm doing is the way everyone should be doing it, but it has worked for me. Remeber that whatever works for your family and you is the best. Good luck!! > I only freeze milk that I pump Friday, then >Monday I thaw the oldest milk. Any reason for freezing it on Friday? EBM is good for up to 8 days in the fridge, so I'd just leave it from Friday to Monday. I've got some in the fridge now that I pumped Thursday and Jamie won't be having until Tuesday (Easter weekend). I'd be careful about leaving it for too long - had milk go off before now when I left it in the fridge for a few days and then left it out for a bit before the baby had it, so if you're using the full 8 days it then gives you almost no leeway in leaving it out for a while before baby takes it - but I can't see Friday to Monday being any problem. All the best, Sarah  Signature"I once requested an urgent admission for a homeopath who had become depressed and taken a massive underdose" - Phil Peverley >> I only freeze milk that I pump Friday, then >> Monday I thaw the oldest milk. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > out for a while before baby takes it - but I can't see Friday to Monday > being any problem. To rotate the freezer stash. I've got a fair amount in the freezer and I don't want it to go bad. If I can keep it relatively fresh, I may be able to stop pumping before 1 year. So on Mondays I use my oldest freezer stash. Mary W. >> Any reason for freezing it on Friday? > > To rotate the freezer stash. Yep, what Mary said. I tried to keep the freezer stash at most 2 months old. -- Anita -- > I have a Medela Pump-In-Style pump. It has a little cooler compartment with > those blue cooling-bar things. How long can breast milk be stored in that [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > has been pumped during the day, whether stored in the pump cooler > compartment or refrigerator, and safely freeze it when I get home? I bought a little Sharper Image refrigerator (the kind that holds a six-pack) and put that in my cubicle. I'd turn it on in the morning and turn it off at night. I put milk in it and transported them back home in the insulated bag that they give you at the hospital (the blue and yellow thing). Like Mary W., I froze milk on Fridays. > Another question for anybody pumping during the day - what is the best way > to clean pump parts effectively during the day? If I don't have access to > be able to wash them fully in soap and water, is there another way to clean > between pumpings until washing fully at night? I just rinsed the horns in cold water. I hate to admit it in public, but if I was really pressed for time, I'd just put the horns in my little fridge and not even rinse... (What can I say, I'm lazy...) I'd just have to grit my teeth at the next pumping session with cold horns... -- Anita -- |
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