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Breastmilk Storage Hacks

Pumping moms know that pumped breastmilk takes up a significant amount of refrigerator and freezer space. While all of the extra milk is a huge win (yay!) you don't want to only have space for milk (I mean, where would you store your Moosetracks ice cream?!)

Kind of kidding, but the space issue is a real quandary. And not only that, but your breastmilk needs to be easily accessible and organized so that it can serve its purpose and not go to waste!

So let's make sure you're storing your breastmilk in the best possible way. Check out these hacks: 

ONE
To reduce spills (because honestly, is there a bigger breastfeeding tragedy??) transfer milk from the bottle to the storage bag (or vice versa) using the pump flange as a funnel. 

TWO
Store milk in 2-4 ounce increments for easier pouring and to reduce waste of milk.

THREE
Label storage bags well and clearly. Record the date, as well as AM, MID, or PM to define which portion of the day the milk was pumped during. Milk composition changes throughout the day, so when it's time to thaw milk for a morning feed versus a night feed, it's beneficial to use the corresponding time if possible. Also make note of any other pertinent details - i.e., if you are sick, baby is sick, any medication in your system, etc. Additionally, if you send breastmilk bags with your child to daycare, don't forget to include their name on the bag. 

FOUR
When you first place your milk in the freezer, lay the storage bag flat so the milk will freeze in the thinnest possible layer. Then once it's frozen you can stand up the bags next to each other in a compact manner. 

FIVE
Group bags together by date in some type of storage container: gallon Ziploc bags, storage bins like this, or even an old soda box would work. The key here is keeping similar dates together so you can thaw and use the oldest milk first. To make it even easier for your future self, write the date range in a visible area on the storage container so you can quickly determine which bags need to be used first.

SIX
Of course, if you end up completely depleting your freezer storage space, you can look into donating some breast milk to a milk bank where it can provide for a baby in need. More information on that can be found on this link. 

With all of that said, keep up the pump work mama! You're doing an incredible job. 

If you're reading this and still in need of a breast pump, we can help! Just fill out this super simple online form to get started.