How necessary is it to use the special storage bags vs. a regular ziploc storage bag when storing milk? I am not freezing them which I assume is the point of having the thicker plastic. We aren't heating the bags either. We're looking for a more economical way to store, but want to make sure that it is sterile enough as well. I've recently returned to work and can't quite keep enough bottles in rotation to only use bottles. Thanks for the help!
I believe they are more steril than a regular sip lock bag or a container you'd wash in your machine. It's safer to use the milk storage bags...and they don't cost too much more than a box of regluar zip lock bag. If germs touch the milk prior to storage, it will kill all the good qualities of the milk. I think it's worth it. Plus, they have measurment marks on the bag and date/name information on it. If you're not storing it for long...you could just store it in the bottle in the fridge for the maximum amount of time before it goes bad. I think it'll stay fresh for like 2 days or something like that...you'd have to look it up.
Michelle,
Breasmilk has it's own antibodies so you don't have to over worry about sterility. I've had friends who have used regular Ziploc bags and have done just fine. The only downfall is that they do leak more frequently and they are more prone to tears. More than once my friends complained about breastmilk all over their freezer! To be honest though, as the other person said, the cheaper breastmilk bags aren't any more expensive than ziploc bags and they are way easier to use than regular ziploc bags. They sit up on their own for pouring and they don't leak! Either one works though.
I pumped exclusively with my second baby, so I had breast milk in my fridge and freezer for a year.
I don't know how much milk you're dealing with, or if your baby keeps up with what you're expressing, but it is definitely worth getting the breast milk bags for the freezer. If you lay them down flat to freeze them they store quite compactly and you can keep them frozen for 6 months. If you need a lot you can buy them in bulk on eBay for a lot cheaper than the stores.
If your baby finishes off everything you pump, what worked for me was to put each day's milk in a sterilized container (I used big Rubbermaid water bottles) and keep it in the fridge. That way, you can easily pour the desired amount into a bottle when you're ready to heat it up. Just be sure to use a different container for each day; you don't want to mix older milk with new milk. Milk can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.
Feel free to contact me if you need more ideas. I've had lots of practice!
I also pumped exclusively for my little ones and was always just a day ahead of them. I purchased some Avent 9 oz bottles (about 10-12) to store pumped milk in. I would pump using the Medela bottles and then pour them into one Avent bottle. Avent has bottle top inserts that pop in where the nipple would be so they can be storage bottles. Then I'd measure out the feedings for the day and pop in a clean nipple and bottle cover and the bottles were ready to go. We would wash/sterilize the other set of bottles to store the milk I would pump during that day. That way, I didn't have to wash/sterilize a storage container and a bottle. I would only use the freezer storage bags if I was going to freeze a feeding b/c they are expensive! I think ziplocs are fine to use but probably not much less expensive and hard to use -- plus if you are like me, you'd hate to spill that pumped milk!
I started using Tupperware containers because even the bags would split and it was easier to transfer it to the bottles for the daycare lady. Also, the other baby at daycare was using the same bags, so I wanted to do something different, and it ended up being easier to transport.
I think the breast milk bags are very important. You may want to freeze someday (perhaps for a girls weekend) but I find that regular ziplocs smell very plastic-y and would ask a doctor for their expert opinion. The bags do go on sale periodically (I think Avent is on sale this week at Target) so just stock up then.
Another option that a friend of mine did was to buy some of the large cheap plastic bottles at Target - 3pk for a couple dollars. She pumped into those at work and was able to keep a lot more milk in rotation.
Personally, I wouldn't trust Ziploc bags to be sterile enough for breast milk. I've been using the Lansinoh breast milk storage bags which seem to be the cheapest. You can get 50 of them for under $10 at Target. I would search around on the internet to see if you can get a good deal on them.
I would NOT use ZIploc bags.... because there is nothing worse than a fridge full of breastmilk because of a leaking bag. Trust me.
With my oldest, I used the Lansinoh freezing bags, they worked wonderfully and I never did have one leak. WIth my youngest I discovered the Avent plastic storage containers. You can find them by the Avent bottles, they are 9oz (I believe) and you can freeze them, label them, they attach to the Avent pumps, and the Avent nipples attach to them as well. AND they are reusable.
BUT Using the bags is still going to be your cheapest route, and buying the breastmilk bags ensures they won't leak, and that they are sterile.
Hi Michelle, I have been doing reading on Breast Milk storage. And there reasoning for the special breast milk storage bags were as the advice you have recieved from others. The plastic is too thin and leakage could be a problem. For steralization it is recommended to wash containers in hot soapy water or dishwasher. The source, "What to expect in the first year." by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, and Sandee Hathaway, B.S.N. AnitaJ
I have seen these trays that you can make cubes, and then remove them after they freeze into zip lock bags(I always double bagged). The trays were $7-10 each. So I found some plastic covered ice cube trays at Bed Bath and Beyond. I think they were less than $5 each and I used the store 20% off coupon as well. BTW, are you using the zip lock bags that are made for the specifically for the freezer?
I am a frugal person but I have found that the storage bags are the way to go. Here's what I do to keep the costs down:
- Pump into the bottles
- Rip the top pumping connector part of the storage bag off
- Poor the milk into the storage bag
- Seal & freeze
- Defrost milk in fridge or whatever non microwave way to do it
- Wash & reuse the bag
I can reuse each bag about 5 times before I feel that the seal is shaky.
The seal on the storage bags is MUCH stronger & when you are defrosting the milk I was having milk leak out. Or, if the bag gets punctured in the freezer or whatever you have a problem, the storage bags are much thicker.
I think its pretty cost effective doing it my way. I am no where NEAR needing more bags yet & I have a 5 month old.
Hope this helps!
Sara
Michelle,
I guess I would worry about storing the milk in ziplock bags. I think it's messy to work with milk in any bag since it's hard to pour out etc. I would also worry about the plastic leaching into the milk. Another idea might be to store the extra milk in something like a canning jar or instead of recycling your old mayonnaise or other glass jar, wash them well and sanitize them and use that for milk storage. Personally, I trust the glass better and it's easier for me to pour in and out of bottles etc. Jelly jars might be perfect!
Sarah
We used Ziploc Brand Freezer Pint sized bags with my daughter and it worked great. I didn't find them all that messy compared to other bags. We did have an occasional leak, but threw them away every time.
I'm not sure of the science behind how much plastic smell was absorbed, but my daughter didn't seem to reject the milk at all. My theory is whatever works for you go with it.
To freeze we bought one of those breast milk storage containers that makes the milk into little popsicle bags, so you could throw it into a coffee cup of warm water to thaw. We also stored them flat occasionally for space reasons, but then the thawing was a little more tricky.
Good luck with what you decide to do.
Hi my name is Amber and I also brestfed. The difference between the storage bags are that they are sterile. They go through a sterilazation process as the sandwich bags do not. I used the lansolin bags from walmart they are about 5.50 for a box of twenty or twenty five. As your child gets older you'll need more room(bigger bottles) so, the bags are great you can also store milk in any plastic containers that you have. You can boil they to make them sterile and all you do is warm the millk up under hot water if you are going to freeze. A lactation nurse told me that! If you have anymore ?'a I ne glad to help.
The specific bags are pre-sterilized. That's the difference in cost. They are probably more likely to be more uniform in thickness - but major reason is the sterilization. You won't be able to sterilize zip-lock baggies at home. There are two points:
You want to avoid bacteria growing in the nutrient-rich material (milk)
The standards about how clean the zip-lock bags are much looser than for milk storage bags.
There are other places you could easily cut costs, to let you buy the milk-bags. Focus on where the money is going to be absolutely necessary. Especially for the first month, when their immune system is not fully on-line, it is very important to make sure they don't get any bacteria introduced the wrong way.
That said, you aren't going to kill your baby using zip-lock bags. Though, I would advise against it.
I don't know about using ziplock bags but I have been told by Avent to double the bags if you do freeze. I would always just freeze in the avent bottles. I bought extras. I used to boil or use the microwave sterilzer each time but the lactation consultant said that it wasn't necessary. If I was you I would pump twice at work. I work 32-40 hours a week and was only pumping once. Around my son's six month mark, he started sleeping through the night and coupled with my working, my breasts stopped producing as much. We have been using some formula and it's expensive! I went from 7-8 oz per pump to 2.5-4 oz. per pump! My son is 9 months now and eats a lot more solids so he doesn't need as much milk, but it would have been nice if I had pumped more when I had more!
When I dont plan on freezing my milk, I store it in rubbermaid containers. I think they are only a dollar or two for pint ones and only a little bit more for the larger ones at walmart or target. They are nice because they are easy to keep in the fridge and they poor easy too. Then you can put them in the dishwasher to sterilize them (though I think soap and water is ok too). That would be more environmentally healthy too because then you wouldnt be tossing plastic bags every day. Hope that helped.
Hi Michelle, Per a suggestion from the breastfeeding class that I attended, I opted for the cheaper option of Ziplocs. I used Ziploc SNACK size baggies for freezing breastmilk. This way I could store as little as 2 oz and not feel like I was wasting a big bag. I would then put the bag in a separate (larger) container to protect it in hopes of avoiding a leak. Depending on the size of container, it should hopefully hold quite a few bags. I never had leakage problems. To thaw, I would move the baggies from the freezer to the fridge and allow enough time for it to thaw before I needed it. I never warmed the Ziploc - I'm nervous about leaching plastic so that was a no-no in my opinion.
the suggestion we got from the lactation nurse was to freeze the breast milk in ice cube trays. this way you can store more per bag in turn using fewer bags and take out only what you need. each cube is roughly 1 oz.