Can you store breastmilk in any bottle ro do you have to buy the storage bags and bottles?
♥Crystal♥ asked:
Also at the moment I only have the bottles that came with my pump(2) and wanted know if I can pour the milk from those into a different bottle and store it in the freezer. Oh and is it ok to store the bottle with the nipple on?
Also at the moment I only have the bottles that came with my pump(2) and wanted know if I can pour the milk from those into a different bottle and store it in the freezer. Oh and is it ok to store the bottle with the nipple on?
The main concern is that the bottles be sterilized. Other than that, any container can be used. The nipple can stay on in the fridge, but the freezer might make it brittle.
Breast pumps have been used for centuries, and the special bottles are a recent invention.
You can use any plastic bottle (glass will break in the freezer), but do *not* put the nipple on it. It could damage the nipple.
In my opinion (and what has worked for my girlfriends)
Make sure the container is sterilized and do not fill completely to to the top (as it will expand some when defrosted). You can use glass (as you can freeze glass containers) HOWEVER, it is not recommended, as most glass baby bottles are not that thick, and don;t do great when defrosting quickly.
I had a girlfriend who (because of small freezer space) transfered her milk to zip top lock bags and freezed them flat. A little more work (and not sure how she sterilized the bags – probably the dishwasher).
Store with nipples off. Saves the life of the nipple.
Any container that won’t break in the freezer is fine to use. The freezer will probably make the nipples unsafe to use, though. I always used Poland Spring water bottles for my breastmilk! We had a ton of them lying around because that’s what I drink. So I washed them out really well and used them… essentially free! Just be sure to label whatever it is you use with the date you pumped. Good luck!
You can use other bottles if you want or you can store breastmilk in ziploc bags. Write the date on the outside with a permanent marker and freeze. Defrost in the fridge. No nipples in the freezer.
if u store it in the fridge it can stay in the bottle but if goes in the frezer it needs to be in the bags
I pump, but pour the milk into the bags to freeze. When I need some for her bottles I defrost it and pour it into the bottles I use for her. I don’t know if you should freeze a bottle with the nipple – and I’m not sure all bottles are safe for freezing.
You can use plastic sterilized bottles for storage although I found the Lanasoha bags to be wonderful for a small freezer. DO NOT USE GLASS! Not only can it break in the freezer but there are many minerals and most antibodies will stick to the glass container.
If you have Medela, their bottles are freezable. I ended up ordering extra bottles from them online. I didn’t trust other bottles because quality differs and Medela’s was pretty high quality. You can also purchase their freezer bags made especially for storing breastmilk. (I believe they have them at Target too.)