When trying to decide between breastfeeding and giving a baby formula, you should know that there are pros and cons to each option. If you choose to breastfeed and plan to pump occasionally, you also need to know how to take care of the breast milk, which includes how to warm it up properly. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about these similar topics.

Q: How Do You Heat up Breast Milk?

A: Learning how to heat up breast milk depends on whether the milk is frozen or simply refrigerated. If the milk is frozen, you should take it out and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Once you’re ready to warm it up, fill up a pan or bowl with water that is very hot but not boiling, and then place the bag or bottle of milk in the pan and leave it there for one to two minutes.

After one to two minutes, you can remove the bag and pour the contents into a bottle, or attach the nipple if it’s already in a bottle. Swirl the milk around to get rid of hot spots, but never shake the bottle! If you are trying to heat up breast milk from the freezer and you need it now, follow these same instructions except leave the milk in the pan or bowl for 10 to 15 minutes.

If your breast milk is in the refrigerator, the instructions are the same. Keep in mind that whether the milk is taken from the freezer or the refrigerator, it’s important to test the temperature before you feed the baby. Always do this by squeezing some of the milk onto your wrist and not by dipping your finger in the milk. This could contaminate the milk or make it less healthy.

Q: How Long Is Breast Milk Good After Heating?

A: The general consensus is that once breast milk is warmed up, it needs to be either used or discarded after two hours. If the baby stops drinking it for some reason and you want to give them some more later on, you can reheat the bottle as long as it’s within the two-hour time frame. In fact, if you’ve ever wondered, how long is warmed breast milk good for, or even how long can warmed breast milk stay out, the answer is the same: two hours.

You can do a lot with the breast milk within the first two hours of warming it up, including reheating it, feeding it to the baby, or even placing it back into the refrigerator. Nevertheless, once it’s been heated up the first time, it will need to be discarded after two hours to make sure that bacteria doesn’t form and it becomes unhealthy for the baby.

So, once breast milk is heated can it be refrigerated? Yes, it can be refrigerated and fed to the baby, but always discard it two hours after it was originally warmed up and prepared to give to the baby.

Q: Can You Microwave Breast Milk?

A: No, you should never microwave breast milk and there are two main reasons. First, microwaving breast milk can cause hot spots, and hot spots are difficult to get rid of when all you can do is swirl the bottle and not shake it. Second, it is believed by many experts that microwaving breast milk can destroy some of its nutrients and antibodies, which means that it will not be as healthy.

In short, microwaving breast milk is not the way to warm up this type of milk. Always use the method mentioned earlier because it eliminates hot spots and ensures that the milk is healthy for your baby.

Q: Is a Bottle Warmer Necessary?

A: A bottle warmer is not necessary but is considered a huge convenience by many mothers. While some studies have shown that some bottle warmers can heat the milk up to temperatures that are considered too high, if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter, the milk should be at the right temperature in the end.

It’s also a good idea to compare different bottle warmers because they are not all alike. The MomMed baby bottle warmer is one of the most recommended, but there are others on the market that are dependable and of high quality.

Q: How Should Breast Milk Be Stored?

A: First of all, it’s best to store breast milk in small amounts so it isn’t wasted. Most mothers put no more than two to six ounces of milk in each bottle before placing it in the freezer. Always date the bottles of milk so you can use the oldest ones first, and never add fresh breast milk to a bottle of frozen breast milk.

When it comes to how long you can keep the breast milk, the general rule is four days for breast milk that’s placed in the refrigerator, and up to 12 months for milk that is kept frozen. Having said this, the nutrients in the breast milk will start to break down slightly after 90 days, so many experts recommend that frozen breast milk be used within six months.

Conclusion

Feeding your baby breast milk is a gift to that baby because breast milk is healthier in many ways than formula. Even so, breast milk needs to be warmed up, stored, and frozen the proper way in order for it to be healthy for your baby. The good news is that the rules for handling breast milk are quite easy, so you should have no trouble following them.