All About Bottlefeeding: Preparing and Storing Milk
Knowing how to prepare and store your milk is important when bottlefeeding. If many people will be feeding your baby, other family members for example, then it is important that they be taught too. Making sure the milk you serve your baby is clean and is prepared correctly can help you prevent your baby from acquiring any illnesses.
Steps for Preparing Milk
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Use the scooper provided by the milk can, and make sure that each scoop is leveled off before putting it into the bottle. Add the correct number of scoops for your baby's age and weight. To familiarize yourself with this, check out our article on how much to feed.
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Test the heat of the milk on your wrist. If it's comfortable, then it should be okay for your baby. If necessary, cool the milk by placing the bottle's body (not the teat or cap) under the tap for a few minutes.
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Remember, NEVER heat the milk in the microwave. First, powdered milk can turn bad when heat is applied. Second, microwave heating can create hot spots in the milk which can scald your baby while s/he drinks. Babies can drink room temperature milk, and some babies prefer slightly cooled milk.
Storing Milk
As a general rule, formula milk or powdered milk cannot be stored. It should be drunk within two hours of preparation. If you have to travel with your baby, you can prepare the water ahead of time, and use a powdered milk container which separates scoops into the correct quantities for each feeding.
If you are feeding your baby breast milk through the bottle, it can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator after being expressed. If frozen soon after being expressed, breast milk can last several months. |
