Storing Breastmilk: Expert Suggests Tips; Details On Breast Milk Banks In India Given Inside

However, it’s important to store the milk properly to ensure it's safe for your baby. To know more on this we got in touch with Dr. Raghuram Mallaiah, Senior Director, Neonatology, Fortis La Femme, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, who shared expert tips on how to store breast milk safely and effectively:

5 Expert Tips To Store Breast Milk

1. Always Pump And Store From Both Breasts

When expressing milk, Dr. Mallaiah suggests, “It is important to pump from both the breasts and empty the breast completely and every expression should be stored” This helps maintain milk supply and ensures you're getting the full benefit of breastfeeding. Each time you express milk, it’s a good idea to store it in a separate container. This way, you can easily track which milk was expressed at what time and avoid confusion.

2. Use The Right Containers For Storage

If you’re planning to store milk for a short time, using your regular feeding bottles can work well. Dr. Raghuram Mallaiah says, “One can store milk in different containers. If you're storing milk for a short time, one can just use your own feeding bottles. The ones in which you express the milk, and they can be stored either at room temperature or in the fridge; however, if one wishes to store them for the long term and they would like to freeze the milk, then it would be easier to store them in the feeding pockets or the feeding bags.”

3. Room Temperature Storage For Short-Term Use

For those times when you just need to store milk for a few hours, room temperature can be a safe option. Dr. Mallaiah advises that, “If you're using it for a short term, it can be stored at room temperature. We would normally advise mothers to pump the milk and keep it at room temperature for not more than three to four hours.” Just be sure to keep track of when it was expressed to ensure it's used within the recommended time.

4. Refrigeration

For longer storage, the refrigerator is your best friend. Storing breast milk in a normal refrigerator at 4°C is a safe and effective method for keeping milk fresh. Dr. Mallaiah explains that you can safely store milk in the fridge for up to 48 hours. However, when you need to use the milk, only remove the amount you need for that particular feed. This helps prevent wasting milk and ensures you’re always giving your baby fresh milk.

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5. Freezing Milk

If you’re looking to store milk for even longer periods, freezing is an option. However, the expert shared that in regions where power outages are common, freezing breast milk can be difficult. If the milk in the freezer thaws during a power outage, there’s an increased risk of infection. If you do have a reliable power backup system, freezing is a great way to store milk long-term and maintain your breastfeeding routine even when you’re not around. Just be sure to only thaw the amount of milk needed for a single feeding.

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Breast Milk Banks In India

Many states in India have breast milk banks Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “The first human milk bank in India was established in 1989, in Lokmanya Tilak municipal medical college and general hospital in Mumbai. Although initial growth was slow, 22 human milk banks were subsequently established between 2005 and 2015. As of 2021, there are over 90 human milk banks in India.46 The rapid growth in human milk banking recently is attributed to increased government support at both the national and state level. Previously, most human milk banks were established and run by nongovernmental organizations.”

"Currently, the number of human milk banks (HMB) has grown to nearly 14 all over India but the growth of human milk banks has been very slow as compared to the growth of neonatal intensive care units, as per a journal by Indian Pediatrics published in 2014.

As long as you follow safe storage practices, storing milk can be a wonderful solution for mothers who want to keep breastfeeding while managing their careers.

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