Handle with Care: Guidelines for Safe Storage and Use of Mother's Milk

First Paragraph:
Mother’s milk (or pasteurized donor human milk) is the best food you can give your baby. It is nutritious, safe, and easy for your baby to digest. Doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months. In addition to the well known benefits to the baby, including fewer illnesses, sick visits and hospitalizations, exclusive breastfeeding also reduces the child’s risk of becoming overweight or obese later in life. The risk of developing diabetes and certain types of cancers is also reduced for both mothers and babies the longer you breastfeed. When you need to be away from your baby you can continue to breastfeed if you have a supply of your properly expressed and stored breastmilk. Expressed breastmilk must be handled carefully to retain its nutritional value and natural antibacterial properties which help it to stay fresh longer.
Tags:
Mother's milk, breast milk, breastfeeding, BPA
Publication Number:
FS949
Author(s):
Michelle Brill
Luanne Hughes
Publisher:
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension
Date Published:
1/31/2012
Number of pages:
3

You will need the free Adobe Reader to view this document.

[Get Adobe Reader]


  1. Rutgers
  2. Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  3. School of Environmental and Biological Sciences