Is it normal for breast milk to separate in the fridge

You also can sterilize the parts with a countertop or microwaveable sterilizer, but boiling works just as well and costs nothing. After that, wash the bottles, nipples, and pump supplies in hot, soapy water or run them through the dishwasher after every use. They can transmit bacteria if not cleaned properly. The microwave can create dangerous "hot spots" in bottles of formula or breast milk, so you should never microwave them.

Instead, you can run the bottle or freezer bag under warm water for a little bit, swirl the bag or bottle around in a bowl of warm water, or thaw the milk in the refrigerator. You also can put your baby's bottles in a pan of warm water away from the heat of the stove and then test the temperature by squirting a drop or two on the inside of your wrist before feeding your baby.

And bottle warmers are available for use at home or in the car. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. How do I store my breast milk? How long, exactly, can I store my breast milk? Questions like what kind of pump, when, where, and how much to pump are primary concerns, followed by concerns about the milk looking funny, storage issues and how much expressed breastmilk is needed per bottle.

The answers to these concerns will vary for both individual mothers and babies depending on their individual needs and circumstances. It is important to purchase a good quality pump, because poor quality pumps can result in poor performance of pump, and breast soreness. A breast pump is a personal product, and manufacturers do not recommend purchasing a used breast pump.

Know the risks involved if you are considering a used pump. Check with your doctor and insurance company to see if your pump and other breastfeeding supplies can be covered by your health insurance. Many times with a doctors prescription, insurance companies will pay for a breastpump. This is especially true for mothers of premature or babies that are sick and need special care. How much you pump depends on individual needs.

You may decide to do this when you return to work after maternity leave. Or you may want to pump so that your partner can feed the baby breast milk. Whatever the reason, pumping allows you to continue to feed your baby breast milk through a bottle. You can buy or rent an electric or hand-operated breast pump to use. Some hospitals and insurance plans provide one for free.

If you plan to pump when you return to work, start practicing 1 or 2 weeks in advance. This helps you learn how your pump works. You can pump right after your baby eats or between feedings. Or you may prefer to pump from one breast while you feed your baby from the other. Starting at home also helps you build a collection of breast milk. You may not get much milk when you first start pumping. This will change as you continue to pump regularly. Your breasts will begin to make more milk.

The more often you pump, the more milk your breasts make. Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated. This will also help your milk supply. It takes about the same time to pump milk as it does to breastfeed. With practice, you may be able to pump in as little as 10 to 15 minutes.

While you are at work, try to pump as often as your baby usually feeds. This may be every 3 to 4 hours for 15 minutes each time. To keep up your milk supply, give your baby extra feedings when you are together.

You also can pump right after your baby feeds to help your breasts make more milk. This can happen, as an example, if your baby is nursing and switching breasts, so that he fills up on the foremilk on both sides before getting to the hindmilk in either. The research shows that what you eat has little or no effect on the amount of fat or calories in your breast milk — women in famine conditions produce milk that provides optimal nutrition for their babies.

For example, a study of rural and urban mothers living in South Africa who ate significantly different diets found that the milk composition of the two groups was also different. The rural women ate a traditional diet low in animal proteins and fats, while the urban women ate a more westernized diet. Their milk had different percentages of monounsaturated fatty acids based on what they ate.

What does this mean? However, the types of fat you eat can affect the types of fat in your breast milk. Meaning a thin layer of cream is not necessarily something to be concerned about if your baby is fine.