How to use your expired breastmilk
If you’ve ever left your breastmilk out too long or given baby a bottle that they just would not finish, you understand how heartbreaking it is to see that milk you worked so hard for go down the drain.
But wait! Did you know you don’t have to throw your expired breastmilk away? This milk, although no longer safe for baby to consume, can still provide them so many benefits!
First, lets talk about what exactly “expired” breastmilk is!
Expired breastmilk is milk that is no longer safe to consume, such as:
freshly pumped milk that has been left at room temperature for more than 4 hours
milk that was left in the fridge for more than 4 days
milk that has been frozen more than 12 months
leftover milk from a bottle that baby did not finish
Now that we know what “expired” breastmilk is, let’s talk about how to use it so we don’t have to throw it away!
Uses for expired breastmilk:
on minor skin irritations such as cuts/abrasions
mixed with diaper rash cream/diaper ointment to treat diaper rash
mixed into bath water: milk baths can help treat dry skin, eczema, diaper rash, cradle cap, baby acne and more!
Milk baths are my favorite way to use expired breastmilk. The fatty acids in breastmilk help to lock in moisture and hydrate baby’s skin. Breastmilk is a great moisturizer! For a breastmilk bath, add just enough breastmilk to make the water cloudy, too much and baby might end up smelly!
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you plan on saving this expired breastmilk to use for later, make sure you label the bag or bottle so that it is not accidentally given to your baby. I prefer to label mine with “DO NOT CONSUME” so it is clear it is not for consumption. This way it is not mistakenly fed to my baby by myself or another caregiver.
Another great idea is freezing this expired breastmilk in 1ml syringes. This way smaller portions can be thawed and used later when needed: for cuts/abrasions, diaper rash, irritated skin, etc. (much easier to thaw a couple 1ml syringes than an entire 4oz bag)
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