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Breast milk really is liquid gold. Don’t you agree? It’s totally packed with nutrients, combining proteins, fats, and essential antibodies to help your baby grow and thrive. For moms who pump and store their breast milk, it offers flexibility, while still ensuring your little one receives all the benefits of that liquid gold, even if you’re not there at the moment!
However, when it comes to reheating stored breast milk, there are some important safety and storage guidelines to follow to ensure that your little one gets the most out of it. In this post, we’re going to talk about how many times you can safely reheat breast milk, along with a few tips for handling it properly. Ready to get started?
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How Many Times Can You Reheat Breast Milk?
Breast milk can only be stored at room temperature for about 4 hours, so you’ll likely need to store it in the fridge or freezer from time to time. Once frozen, it is not generally recommended to reheat it more than once. After warming or thawing frozen breast milk, any leftover milk should be discarded as you are no longer able to use it after about 3 hours. Experts, including the CDC, all recommend not reheating breast milk more than once, because it can compromise both safety and nutrition.
To make sure your baby gets the best out of your liquid gold, only warm as much as your baby needs in one sitting, and discard any leftover milk. If you can’t bring yourself to throw out your liquid gold, there are plenty of other ways to use your expired breast milk!
Why Can You Not Reheat Breast Milk Repeatedly?
Risk of Bacterial Growth
Repeatedly heating up breast milk can sometimes create an environment where bacteria grows. Each time milk is heated, it reaches a certain temperature where bacteria can thrive, usually between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C). If milk is reheated multiple times, it can pass this limit and this increases the risk of bacterial growth.
Nutrient Breakdown
Breast milk is packed with nutrients including vitamins, fats, and proteins, all of which are vital to your baby’s growth and development. However, each time breast milk is reheated, it loses some of its nutritional value. Heat can break down certain nutrients, making the milk less beneficial to your baby. The more you reheat, the more nutrients you may lose.
Decreased Immune Benefits
One of the key benefits of breast milk is its ability to protect your baby from infections, thanks to the antibodies and immune cells it contains. However, heat can destroy some of these immune factors, reducing the protective properties of the milk. This makes it really important to provide breast milk in its most natural, unaltered state to maximize its health benefits for your baby.
Changed Taste and Smell
Reheating breast milk multiple times can really change the taste and smell of breast milk. Heat can cause fat molecules in the milk to break down, causing a sour or unpleasant odor. This change in taste and smell can make the milk much less appealing to your baby. Even though the milk might still be safe to consume, babies may refuse to drink it if they don’t like the taste. Reheating just once with a bottle warmer helps you preserve the fresh, natural flavor.
Potential for Overheating
One big risk of reheating breast milk is overheating it. When it’s heated more than once, as we said above, the safe temperatures can be exceeded, which can really affect the quality of the milk. Overheating may not only impact essential nutrients and enzymes, but can also change the milk’s consistency, making it not ideal for babies to consume.
Impact on Gut Health
Breast milk plays a really important role in maintaining a healthy stomach microbiome for babies. It provides heaps of beneficial bacteria and prebiotics for gut health. The reheating process can alter the composition of these pro and prebiotics, reducing their effectiveness. In some cases, this can cause pesky imbalances in your baby’s gut flora.
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How To Reheat Breast Milk Safely
Use a warm water bath.
Place the bottle of breast milk or milk storage bags in a bowl of warm (not boiling) water, for a few minutes. This method gently warms the milk without overheating it, preserving your precious liquid gold. You can also do this manually under running water, if needed.
Use a portable bottle warmer.
A portable bottle warmer, like the MomCozy specifically designed for breast milk ensures safe and consistent warming. It maintains the ideal temp without overheating. Just make sure you always follow the instructions!
Avoid microwaving breast milk.
Microwaves are known for heating unevenly and can create hot spots. It can also destroy important nutrients. Always skip the microwave and use a warm water bath or bottle warmer instead.
Store milk properly to avoid reheating.
Store milk in portions so that you minimize the need for reheating. Label these containers or bags with the date and time of pumping to track freshness. Small portions will prevent waste and reduce the need for multiple reheats. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine also has a super helpful clinical handout for breast milk storage guidelines for more info.
Only reheat once.
Reheat breast milk only once. It’s not safe to reheat breast milk multiple times. After reheating once, use it in other ways or discard it. Only warm the amount your baby will drink in one setting.
We can help with all of your lactation questions!
Reheating breast milk safely is all about making sure your little one is getting all the great benefits from your liquid gold safely! By following these guidelines, you can maintain nutritional value and safety for your bubba. Whether it’s using a water bath, bottle warmer, or anything else, these simple steps make sure your baby’s feeding time is as safe and effective as possible.
Remember, you’ve got this! Trust your amazing mama instincts! If you’re worried, just use freshly expressed breast milk. If you think you’re in need of some more helpful, kind guidance, book in for one of our consults today so we can guide you on your journey!
