MANILA, Philippines -- Many breastfeeding moms believe that they need to give up breast-feeding just because they need to go back to work.

Moms should realize that with strong commitment, they can continue to provide the best food for their baby if they learn to pump and store their milk by freezing way before going back to work. This way, while you are at work, your baby continues to be breastfed with your own milk. Get to know about the essentials of breastmilk storage as recommended by the WHO/Unicef.

How long can breast milk be stored?

Breast milk is rich in antibodies and many other anti-infective enzymes that can keep the bacteria in check and prevent the milk from spoiling. Refrigerated milk has more anti-infective properties than cow’s milk with its 200 ingredients compared to only about 40 ingredients in cows milk.

According to the WHO/Unicef, breast milk can last as long as 8 hours at room temperature and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Recommendations

The La Leche League has a slight variation on their recommendations as follows:

• Breast milk can stay up to 10 hours at room temperature (66-72°, 19-22°C) up to 10 hours.

• It can keep in a refrigerator for up to 8 days if the temp setting is 32-39°F, 0-4°C. Most refs are adjusted to 38-40°F, 3-4C so check your temp settings to see if you are up to optimal temp. Another study, Pardou 1994, found that after 8 days of refrigeration some of the milk actually had lower bacterial levels than it did on the day it was expressed.

• If you store it in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature 0-2ºF or minus 17-16ºC due to the door opening frequently) breastmilk can be kept up to 2 weeks.

• It can stay even longer in a freezer compartment with a separate door for up to 3 to 4 months.

• It can keep longest in a separate deep freeze (0°F, -19°C) for up to 6 months or longer.

Storing, warming milk

What container can be used to keep the milk?

You can use a cup, glass, jug or jar with a wide mouth hard plastic or glass containers with tops that fit well. These containers should be washed in hot soapy water and rinsed well of any soap residues. Pour boiling water before you use the container to kill germs. Make sure you wash and clean your hands before pumping and storing.

What is the best way to warm my milk from storage?

If you have running water, thaw and/or heat using that. Otherwise place the warm water in a container and immerse the container with milk in it. Make sure you do not bring the temperature of milk to boiling point or you will destroy many proteins which render antibiotic properties to the milk.

Sometimes the cream may separate but swirling can redistribute the cream to the milk. Swirling can also distribute the heat throughout the milk and make sure to test the temperature on your inner wrist before giving to your baby. Never microwave milk to heat it.

Once thawed out, milk can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours but should not be brought back to the freezer. There is no data on the safety of keeping or discarding leftover milk in a bottle after feeding.

Most working women go to work to give their family a better quality of life through their financial contribution not realizing that the best edge they can give their children in life is a higher IQ, a stronger immune system, protection from cancer and disease, sharper visual acuity that comes from giving her breast milk for 6 months to 2 years of her infant’s life.

WHO/Unicef will celebrate World Breastfeeding Week (Waba) from Aug. 1 to 7. World Breastfeeding Day is on Aug. 1. The theme is “Breastfeeding: The 1st Hour Save One Milliuon Babies!”

Dr. Rebecca B. Singson, a breastfeeding advocate, set up ReBirth Spa for lactation and prenatal massage at Asian Hospital and Medical Center to support breastfeeding.