Milk after being expressed must be used up or stored in the refrigerator to keep longer. But when there is no refrigerator, what should the mother do? Let's see how to store breast milk when there is no refrigerator to still ensure the quality of milk.
After expressing, how long does breast milk stay at room temperature? This is a question asked by many mothers who can't store milk in the refrigerator. Let's see the sharing on how to preserve breast milk when there is no refrigerator for more experience!
Instructions on how to store breast milk when there is no refrigerator to ensure quality milk
How to store breast milk when there is no refrigerator?
Breast milk is an excellent source of nutrition for your baby during the first few months of life. Breast milk is rich in nutrients and natural antibodies that help your baby grow healthy without the need for any other complementary foods.
However, because it is a natural source of milk, breast milk does not contain preservatives. After being expressed and exposed to the outside environment, the milk can only be stored for a certain period of time. With each storage method, the shelf life of milk will also be different.
If you have a way to store breast milk when there is no reasonable refrigerator, at room temperature (above 26 degrees Celsius), the milk can be used up to 1 hour. At room temperature (under 26 degrees Celsius), the maximum shelf life is 6 hours.
If stored in the refrigerator, milk can be used for 48 hours.
If kept in the freezer, the refrigerator will keep for up to 2 weeks (1-door refrigerator) and up to 4 months (refrigerator with separate freezer).
When you invest in a type of freezer, the maximum shelf life is 6 months.
Thus, with the way to store breast milk when there is no refrigerator, the use time will be the shortest and you must take advantage of breastfeeding during that time to ensure the health of the baby.
Breast milk should be stored for the specified time
Why does breast milk not keep for a long time at room temperature?
Breast milk contains almost all the nutrients necessary for a baby's growth. But leaving breast milk in a normal environment outside for too long, the milk is at risk of denaturing and losing its quality. When breastfeeding, breast milk cannot promote its full nutritional role, and can even affect the baby's digestive system.
Breast milk contains a lot of sugar and protein. Sugar in breast milk is a simple sugar or a double sugar, easy to absorb but also easy to ferment, quickly go rancid and spoil. If breast milk is left for a long time, the baby can have acute diarrhea.
Besides, the protein in breast milk is rich in amino acids. This type of protein is beneficial for the baby's body because as much as the baby sucks, it will absorb as much. But because it is too rich in protein, it is easy to create conditions for bacteria to multiply. If left for too long, breast milk will be penetrated a lot by bacteria, the baby will be infected with digestive bacteria.
A healthy digestive system is crucial to your baby's development. Therefore, you should not leave the milk at room temperature for a long time and then feed it to your baby. You should learn about how to store breast milk without a refrigerator to preserve its quality.
How to store breast milk when there is no refrigerator
How to store breast milk when there is no refrigerator is to note the following:
Choose a milk container
Plastic bottles, glass bottles, or milk storage bags can all hold milk at room temperature. The important thing here is that you need to choose safe materials. You should choose to buy specialized milk containers of reputable brands to ensure that they do not contain substances that are harmful to your baby. Bottles or bags all have tight-fitting lids and strong zippers so that the milk after being expressed is not affected much by the outside environment. Thus, new milk can be kept for a long time.
You can use a dedicated milk bottle or bag
Clean hygiene
Hygiene should always be a top priority. If expressing breast milk by hand , you must wash your hands and clean the nipples thoroughly before handling. With breast pumps and milk containers, you must also wash them, rinse them with boiling water and dry them before using them.
Milk preservation
After expressing milk, if the baby does not suckle immediately, you need to put it into the bottle or milk storage bag as quickly as possible and turn the lock carefully. Store milk in a cool, dry place, not in a humid or high temperature place. It is best to keep the milk in an air-conditioned place, the temperature is below 26 degrees Celsius to increase the milk storage time.
With the above sharing, hope you have learned more ways to preserve breast milk when there is no refrigerator. Either way, the best thing about breastfeeding is that you feed your baby directly from your breast. This not only allows the child to fully enjoy the nutrients in the milk, but also strengthens the mother's love.