Guidelines on Storing, Handling, and Feeding Breastmilk

Method

1. Breastmilk needs to be stored and handled safely to keep it from spoiling.
2. Follow the specific health and safety regulations that are required by your State and local authorities for safe food handling.
3. General tips for handling breastmilk follow.
4. Handling of Breastmilk Before Arriving at tlie Facility Ask mothers to: Store their breastmilk in the refrigerator or freezer right after they express it and label the bottles with: the baby's name, and the date and time the breastmilk was collected.
5. Store the milk in hard plastic bottles if possible because these are unbreakable.
6. Fill the bottles with the amount of breastmilk the baby usually drinks at one feeding.
7. Some babies may consume less than 4 ounces at a feeding.
8. The mother can freeze some bottles with 1 to 2 ounces of breastmilk for times when the baby wants some extra breastmilk.
9. Cany bottles of fresh or frozen breastmilk to the facility in a cooler with an ice pack to keep the milk at a cold temperature.
10. Handling and Storing Breastmilk at tlie Facility Breastmilk from a mother is designed specially to meet the needs of her baby.
11. If more than one baby or child is drinking from bottles, make sure that each bottle is clearly labeled with the respective baby's or child's name and never accept an unlabeled bottle from a parent.
12. Do not use unlabeled bottles that have been accidentally accepted.
13. Refrigerate bottles immediately when they arrive and until ready to use.
14. Use bottles of breastmilk only for the baby for whom they are intended.