How to handle refrigerated and frozen expressed breastmilk when going out?

[merrymum]

I breastfeed in public but would like to also bring out refrigerated or frozen expressed breastmilk as an option so that my husband can feed our LO as necessary when we're out.

1) How do I carry this out with me? Can i just take out of the fridge and carry around in my bag or need to put it in a portable which cools the bottle? Are frozen and refrigerated milk treated differently?

On the same note, if I don't finish the refrigerated milk in one go, can I save it for the next feed? And for how long after? Can I reheat/refrigerate it?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[LLL_Sarah]

I would suggest that you use refrigerated milk rather than frozen because fresh milk is so much easier to handle.

Generally defrosted milk can last for 24 hours and refrigerated milk can last for about seven days (although three days is recommended). How long the milk lasts depends on the temperature it is kept at:
at 15 degrees C (59 degrees - 60 degrees F) - 24 hours
at 19 degrees - 22 degrees C (66 degres - 72 degrees F) - 10 hours
at 25 degrees C (79 degrees F) - 4-8 hours
0 degrees - 4 degrees C (32 degrees - 39 degrees F) - 5-8 days

Once the baby has put his mouth to the milk the milk should not be reused. (If you heat the milk but the baby doesn't actually drink it then it can be refrigerated again and heated a second time - but not a third).

You can buy special bottle holders for keeping milk bottle warm when you go out. These work just as well at keeping the milk cold. Inside the holder polystyrene is used as an insulator.

Best wishes,
SARAH

 

[merrymum]

hi sarah,

thanks a lot for your speedy reply, most appreciated! will use refrigerated milk instead. cheers!