Some Tips For Creating Your Milk Bank – Being Parents

Moms know that breastfeeding is a very beneficial act of love. This is why today, we invite you to learn how to organize a milk bank in your home.

A breast milk bank, according to specialists and those who promote to feed the baby exclusively at the breast, corresponds to the fact of extracting, conditioning and storing in the short or medium term the milk that will be used to feed the baby.

In many countries it has become very important to know how to store breast milk in the refrigerator, especially in the last ten years. In fact, mothers are returning to work more and more often in the months following childbirth.

One of the main concerns of a mother is to provide her child with the best possible nutrition. But there is nothing better for babies than breast milk. But when we are running out of time or our activities take us away from home, we have to organize ourselves to continue offering the baby breast milk.

The storage time of breast milk

Breast milk is rich in vitamins, fats and immunological agents that help the healthy development of the infant. So that the milk retains its properties, know that it is better to keep it at room temperature. It will remain in optimal condition for up to seven hours after extraction.

If you want to keep it for the next day, you must put it in the fridge. It will keep for a week.

But if you plan to use it much later, we advise you to freeze it and keep it at a temperature below zero. You will be able to use it in the short and medium term, from six months to a year.

To avoid being afraid of going beyond the expiration date, on the bottles and containers that you will use to store the milk, you will stick a label on which will be noted the date of extraction. This will allow you to always know what you can give your child.

How to store breast milk?

You can find small sachets at the drugstore that can hold between four to eight ounces of breast milk. If you prefer a larger container, you can sterilize small plastic or glass vials that you seal tightly.

Some tips for expressing your breast milk

Milk production is at its peak when the baby is suckling its mother. It’s scientifically proven and that’s why we advise you to extract milk while you are breastfeeding. But how ?

It’s easier than it looks. Just hook up your extractor (no matter if it is manual or electrically operated) to the breast that your baby is not sucking.

Moms who have tried this technique claim that they can express more milk and faster when feeding than when trying to do so during the baby’s nap.

The amount of milk you need to have depends on your schedule and the baby’s needs. For example, those who must be absent all day will need to plan a meal every three hours. Remember to take into account the age and demand of the baby.

When to start your breast milk bank?

The sooner you put milk aside, the easier it will be for you to be able to leave your baby in the care of another person. When you are not home with him, his best support will be your breast milk. Even away from him, you will continue to give the best of yourself.

There is another very good reason to start your milk bank as soon as possible. When the baby is born, for a few days, the mammary glands produce a substance called colostrum.

Breastfeeding specialists say colostrum is liquid gold. This expression refers to its yellow color, but also to its incredible properties, such as enzymes and lactobacillus acidophilus which strengthen the development of intestinal transit and facilitate digestion.

Thanks to its high immunoglobulin content, colostrum works better than an antibiotic against infections. It is also the best vaccine imaginable against colds that babies often suffer from during their first year of life.

Prepare to create your milk bank before your baby is born. The point is that it relieves you. Let this not be a race against time. Take the opportunity to give your child the best food there is.