STORING MILK:
Like I said before, freshly pumped milk is good for 4-6 hours before you have to refrigerate. This super helpful fact comes in handy if you aren’t sure when a baby is going to drink a bottle.
As such, I liked to use the freshly pumped milk from my nighttime pumps during the night for my baby bottles to avoid having to heat anything up and make baby wait. And, I also take a bottle or two of freshly pumped milk if we are going out to run errands, to dinner, etc. This milk (as long as it doesn't sit in 75+ degrees heat) will last a few hours and, again, no need to reheat.
MIXING YOUR MILK:
If you are lucky enough to produce multiple bottles during a pump session (my record was 22 oz in one session!), you might notice that some of the milk is very white/blue and some is more cream/yellow.
The first kind is FOREMILK – the lighter, sweeter but less nutritious part. The second kind is the HINDMILK – darker, and full of nutrients.
This is why you should pump 20 minutes – to get to the good stuff. Once you are done with pumping, and if you've filled more than one bottle per breast side, be sure to mix the bottles together before serving or storing. This way you can ensure your baby will get the best mix of your supply. (Foremilk heavy bottles usually result in greenish poops.)
MILK IN THE FRIDGE:
Refrigerated milk is good for about 5 days in the fridge. Be sure to swirl the milk before you heat it (using warm water – not the microwave) and before you pour to get all the fat that sticks to the sides. Keep the milk towards the back of the fridge and always consume from oldest to newest.
You can mix milk bottles together if they are the same temperature. So - cool with cool. Don't mix warm/fresh milk with fridge milk - it can separate and is pretty gross.
FREEZING MILK:
If you’re going to freeze/store, try to freeze your milk within 24 hours – don’t do it 3-5 days after it’s been in the fridge.
Lay the bags flat in the freezer to ensure they freeze evenly. I like to stack them like blocks in little gift bags by date, and consume from oldest to newest. They are good for up to 3 months in a standard freezer (towards the back), but less if stored in the door. Up to 6-12 months in a deep freezer. Be sure to label your bags with dates so you can use them up from oldest to newest.
I like NUK brand. Medela bags are too expensive and Lansinoh bags are notorious for tearing/leaking.
THAWING MILK:
Take the bags out of the freezer only a day or two ahead of consumption. They are only good in the refrigerator for 1 day after complete thawing. You cannot refreeze frozen milk once thawed.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
Reheated milk is only good for about an hour, so try not to heat it up too ahead of your baby’s demand. You can reheat refrigerated milk only twice (and only if the baby hasn’t yet started the bottle).
Freshly pumped milk can wait 4-6 hours (unless it’s over 75 degrees) before needing refrigeration.
Bottles should be consumed within an hour of the baby starting to drink, to avoid bacterial growth on/in the nipple.
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