Storing expressed breastmilk
If the milk is going to be used within a few hours it need not be cooled at all. It stays fresh for at least 12 hours.
If you are expressing at work for use the next day, it could be kept in a small cooler bag with an icepack.
Alternatively, expressed milk could also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before being used or frozen. It can be frozen for up to six months.
The milk needs to be cooled in the fridge first. It must be frozen in plastic, not glass, containers. Something like small margarine containers, ice trays or plastic ice cube bags all work well.
Measure beforehand what volume each takes. In the case of a margarine container, mark the 100ml level, for example.
You can add cooled milk to frozen milk if you are expressing small quantities at a time. Once frozen the cubes can be stored in a sealed freezer bag.
Defrosting and warming expressed breast-milk
Frozen breast-milk should be defrosted by leaving it in a jug of lukewarm water or running the cold water tap over it.
Do not defrost or heat it in a microwave or in hot water, as the macrophages and nutrients will be destroyed.
Once defrosted it can be warmed in a jug of warm water. Defrosted milk can not be re-frozen or re-used if your baby does not take it all at once.
Do not mix breast-milk and formula for one feed. It is better to give a full formula or breast-milk feed.
Breast-milk does tend to separate and look curdled when left standing. Just give it a good shake, it will be fine.
When baby refuses to take a bottle
If you are going back to work and you would like to be sure that your baby takes a bottle, occasionally offer water, weak rooibos tea or diluted juice. Avoid offering milk in a bottle.
It is best for you not to be around - not even in the house - at the time. Never force-feed!
If your baby is using a dummy use the same shape bottle teat.
Alternatively start by trying an orthodontically shaped teat, or oner with ribbed edges. Try no more than three types - the shape or type is no longer going to make the difference.
Try at feeding time, not when your baby is tired or not well. Remember - no moms around.
Another good time to try is when your baby is half-asleep: dad will have to do the honours at feeding time in the middle of the night.
An alternative to bottle-feeding is cup-feeding. It takes a little getting used to but many hospitals use this method to feed premature babies to alleviate the possibility of nipple confusion or the baby refusing the breast after getting used to the bottle.
This is also possible when your baby is at home but less likely to happen if somebody else, not mom gives the bottle.
The technique involves holding a small cup of milk - even a teacup will do - to your baby's lips so that your baby can sip the milk.
Don't pour the milk into the baby's mouth. Once mastered, this technique can work really well.
Once a baby is over six months and eating well, they need far less milk and one can make up there milk intake in other ways.
Options include milky cereal, porridge made with formula, custard made with formula, milky tea, yoghurt, cottage cheese and grated hard cheese.
How do I choose the right formula?
Let's presume your baby has shown no signs of allergies and is around three months of age.
You would start with a regular starter formula, not soya. When your baby shows signs of being hungry in spite of drinking 150ml per kilo of body weight in 24 hours, you would gradually change to a follow-on formula.
Only when your baby has shown a reaction to the regular formula, would you change to a soya milk option, as many babies are also allergic to soya.
Should the alternatives above not be suitable, speak to your clinic or doctor about more specialised formulas. - Purity