How to Defrost Breast Milk

Breastfeeding is a bonding experience that provides the baby with essential nutrition.

Breast milk is easily preserved in the freezer for three to six months at a time. Having a supply of milk that's properly preserved is important in the event you're unable to breastfeed the baby. Equally important is the way in which the frozen milk is defrosted. Because improper thawing can compromise the nutritional value or scald the baby, it's essential to ensure that anyone who defrosts frozen breast milk knows how to do it properly.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic container

Instructions

Quickly

1. Fill a tall plastic container with warm tap water. Use a container that large enough you can submerge the bag of frozen breast milk in it after adding the water.

2. 

   Store frozen breast milk at the back of the freezer.

   Remove a bag of frozen breast milk from the back of the freezer. Select the oldest, according to the pump date written on the bag.

3. Submerge the bag of frozen breast milk in the warm tap water. Swirl the bag around to aid the thawing process and, as the milk thaws, mix the cream and milk that separate during the freezing process.

4. Continue soaking the breast milk in the warm water until it reaches the temperature you desire.

Overnight

1. Remove a bag of frozen breast milk from the back of the freezer. Select the oldest, according to the pump date written on the bag.

2. Place the frozen container of breast milk in the refrigerator the night before you want to use it.

3. Store the breast milk in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours once it has defrosted completely.

Tips & Warnings

• If freezing breast milk is not an option, refrigerate it for three to eight days or allow it to sit at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours.

• Write the date on the outside of the storage container after pumping breast milk. This helps ensure you use the breast milk before the expiration date.

• Commercial bottle warmers can be used to help thaw frozen breast milk.

• Discard thawed breast milk after 24 hours.

• Although the microwave can thaw frozen breast milk quickly, it compromises the nutritional value of the milk by damaging proteins. Microwaving can also cause hot spots to develop in the milk that can scald the baby's mouth.

References

• Family Doctor; Breastfeeding: How to Pump and Store Your Breast Milk; August 2010
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Proper Handling and Storage of Breast Milk; March 2010
• Mayo Clinic; Breast Milk Storage: Tips for Storing Breast Milk; December 2009
• Ask Dr. Sears: Breastfeeding: Storing and Transporting Breast Milk