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Breastfeeding Baby

Breastfeeding Baby

Provided by USDA

Mother Nature has provided a perfect food in the form of breast milk. Containing an impressive store of nutrients, breast milk is considered the best food for your baby and is the only food your baby needs during the first four-to-six months of life. Breast milk can continue to be an important source of nutrition for the first year as other foods are added to your baby's diet.

Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients to meet your baby's needs and development over time. Easy to digest, breast milk contains natural substances that help protect babies from infection and food allergies. Babies fed breast milk also tend to have fewer illnesses. Breastfeeding can benefit the health of the mother, too, by:

  • Helping recover from pregnancy and shaping up more quickly
  • Saving time and money
  • Possibly protecting against breast cancer

By causing the release of certain hormones into the mother's body, breastfeeding brings a feeling of calm and well-being to the mother. Breastfeeding also helps to forge a special bond between mother and child.

Breast Milk Guidelines

Breast milk needs to be stored and handled safely to keep it from spoiling. Follow these tips for best results:

Handling Breast Milk

  • Store breast milk in the refrigerator or freezer right after it's expressed. Label bottles with the date and time the breast milk was collected.
  • Store the milk in unbreakable hard plastic bottles.
  • Fill the bottles with the amount of breast milk usually consumed at one feeding. Some newborns consume both more and less than typical 4 ounces at a feeding; you may want to freeze some bottles with 1 to 2 ounces of breast milk.
  • Always carry bottled fresh or frozen breast milk in a cooler with an ice pack.
  • Throw out unused breast milk if not used within 48 hours.
  • Breast milk can be stored in a freezer for up to 3 months from when it was collected.
  • Rotate frozen breast milk, using the oldest milk first.
  • Protect breast milk in an air-tight container (hard plastic bottles are recommended) while in the freezer. Once the breast milk is thawed, refrigerate it and use it within 24 hours; do not refreeze it.
  • Do not save nor reuse leftover breast milk.

Preparing and Using Stored Breast Milk

  • Always wash your hands.
  • Thaw frozen breast milk in the refrigerator or by holding it under cold running water. Thaw only as much frozen breast milk as you think you will need for a feeding.
  • Do not thaw frozen breast milk at room temperature, by heating on a stove, or in a microwave. Heated liquid could seriously burn your baby. Also, heating breast milk negatively affects the nutritional composition.
  • If thawed breast milk has a bad odor, it may have spoiled and should be thrown out.
  • If your baby prefers a warm bottle, hold the bottle under warm (not hot) running warm (not hot) water.
  • Breast milk separates into two layers when it is stored, so make sure to shake the bottle.
  • Throw away any unused breast milk.

Cleaning Bottles

  • Clean and sanitize bottles and their parts before reusing or filling with new expressed breast milk
  • Throw out disposable nursing bags, if used, after each use.

Breastfeeding is one of the most important things you can do for your newborn. Make sure to follow these guidelines for a successful breastfeeding experience for you and your baby.

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Important Sam's Club Disclaimer: All content, including but not limited to, recipe and health information provided is for educational purposes only. Such content is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. Such content does not cover all possible side effects of any new or different health program. Consult your medical professional for guidance before changing or undertaking a new diet or exercise program. Advance consultation with your physician is particularly important if you are under eighteen (18) years old, pregnant, nursing or have health problems.