Mixing Expressed Breast Milk from Different Days, Is It Safe?

"Mixing Expressed Breast Milk from Different Days, Is it Safe?"

Dream - For mothers who like to stock up on expressed breast milk (EBM) so they can go about their activities outside without worry, often the amount of milk that comes out is not always a lot. For practical storage purposes, sometimes they want to mix previously expressed EBM with fresh ones.

Actually, combining breast milk from different days can be done, unless the baby is premature or the home environment is unclean. The key is cleanliness and the baby being in good health.

Quoted from Parents.com, a study found that combining breast milk does not increase bacterial contamination as people initially estimated. However, researchers noted that the best way to ensure contamination-free breast milk is to diligently maintain cleanliness and ensure that breast pumps and their equipment are always in a sterilized condition. Other studies also support these findings. Interestingly, researchers noted fewer variations in nutrient content and calories in mixed milk. One thing to remember is that there are some conditions where breast milk from different days is mixed.

1. Possibility of Contamination

"If you are not in a clean environment, or cannot wash your hands before handling and combining breast milk, it is best not to mix the existing breast milk with freshly expressed breast milk."

"If you feel that the process of expressing breast milk is not sterile, it is better not to give it to the little one because it can endanger their safety," said Rebecca Agi, MS, IBCLC.

2. Premature Baby

In premature babies, their body condition is not like regular babies. Their immune system is weak. It would be very risky to give them breast milk that is a mixture of previously expressed milk and freshly expressed milk. It is better to store them separately and give them based on the "first in, first out" concept. Give the previously expressed breast milk first, and if there is not enough, then give the freshly expressed breast milk. Do not mix them," said Rebecca.

"How to Mix Breast Milk from Different Days"

Many people choose to mix or combine their breast milk because it can reduce the use of plastic, decrease the need for storage space, and provide more breast milk storage that can be used at one time. This method can also result in breast milk with more consistent macronutrients. Of course, mixing breast milk needs to be done carefully. Here is the guide.

- If breast milk is still liquid and at room temperature, it is safe to mix it directly. Breast milk is safe at room temperature for up to 3 hours. It is better to freeze it immediately in the refrigerator.

- When adding breast milk from different pumping sessions into a room temperature breast milk bottle, the timing should be based on the oldest pumped breast milk.

"So, if you add fresh breast milk to the breast milk that was expressed three hours ago and left at room temperature, the entire container, including the fresh breast milk, is now three hours old. It should be placed in the refrigerator or frozen within four hours."

- If you want to add freshly pumped breast milk to the chilled breast milk, you need to cool the freshly pumped breast milk first. Do not mix different temperatures.

It is advisable to put fresh breast milk in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour. Then, after it cools down, you can transfer it to another container of cold milk. Source: Parents.

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