How should one store the expressed breast milk? Can coffee be consumed while breastfeeding the baby? These are some of the common questions that cause concern in mothers.Find the answer to these questions and more here.
1. Can I drink coffee
when I ambreastfeeding?
If you are nursing your child, you
should not drink more than four cups of coffee (with caffeine) a day. Remember,
caffeine is also contained in tea, chocolates, painkillers and some soft
drinks, so if you consume chocolate, drink a cup or two less off coffee.
Consuming one or two cups of coffee a day is absolutely fine.
2. For how long can
we store breastmilk in the refrigerator?
Breastmilk can be stored for up to
a week in the refrigerator. In fact, it is allegedly preferable to store
breastmilk in the refrigerator rather than in the freezer, as certain studies
suggest that anti-microbial properties of breastmilk are lost when the
milk is frozen. However, if you find freezing breastmilk works best for
you, go aheadyou're your child is not subsisting solely on frozen breastmik,
there should be no problem.
3. For how long can
frozen breastmilk be stored?
You can freeze breastmilk and store
it for as long as five months, depending upon how frequently you open the
door of the freezer, and the temperature variations in the freezer. To
be on the safe side, frozen breastmilk should be best consumed within three
months of freezing.
4. How should breastmilk
be thawed, after freezing?
It is best to thaw breastmilk gradually.
Remove it from the freezer and place it outside, or in the refrigerator
if you want it to be consumed the next day. If you want it to thaw more
quickly, place it in a vessel or under running lukewarm water. Once again,
it is best to avoid freezing breastmilk. Do not microwave breastmilk, as
this destroys some of the properties and alters the content of breastmilk.
5. For how long can
breastmilk be stored at room temperature?
The answer to this question is relative.
Ideally, breastmilk should be consumed within four hours if it is stored
at room temperature. If the climate is cold, you could store it for around
seven to ten hours, and if it is warm or hot, it is best to consume it
within a couple of hours without refrigeration. If breastmilk is not going
to be consumed within 4 hours, refrigerate it.
6. Can unconsumed breastmilk
be stored?
If you heat breastmilk and give it
to your baby, you can store the unconsumed milk for two hours at the most.
If your baby does not consume the leftover milk within this time, discard
it.
7. Should breastmilk
be shaken vigorously?
While breastmilk that has been shaken
vigorously shaken is still easily digestible by babies, it loses some of
its properties. Breastmilk should be gently stirred before giving it to
your child, or if you are adding fortifiers.
8. Can I drink alcohol
when breastfeeding?
Alcohol does get passed on to your
child through breastmilk. However, the amount of alcohol in your breastmilk
depends upon the amount of alcohol present in your bloodstream at the time
of feeding, and not on the amount of alcohol you have consumed. You could
drink a glass of wine, a beer or perhaps a cocktail every once in a while,
when breastfeeding. Do not drink to the point of getting drunk. In the
off chance that you do binge drink and get intoxicated, do not breastfeed
your child until you are completely sober. In addition, it is best that
you restrain from consuming alcohol on a daily basis while breastfeeding.
