Hi I am wondering if any of you know the rules to storing breastmilk in the state of MN? Also I am looking at good ways to do this.... Do most of you store milk or do you have the mom bring the proper amount each day? Thanks

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Not in MN, but I keep one or two frozen bags in my freezer at all times, then parents bring me a cooler-style lunchbox each day with bags/bottles of milk on an icepack and I just warm them up. I microwave a bowl of water then set the milk in it to warm up.

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I am in MN and I require parents to bring a one week supply of frozen breast milk that I keep in the freezer.

I ask that each bag be labeled with child's name, date pumped and amount in the bag.

I use approximately 3-4 bags per day depending on the age of the child and their eating habits.

Each Monday morning, the parents brings the weekly supply.

I do have a lot of freezer space so I don't mind if they bring more than a week's supply but it isn't required.

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Thanks ladies! I have always stored the milk, but was wondering what others do and if there were any guidelines regarding this. I think I will just keep doing what I am doing : )

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I dont know about guidelines, but my breast feeding mom is part time so she brings enough for each day when she comes.

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I'm having a BF baby start in July and I have a question. Is there a health reason why I couldn't feed the baby cold breast milk?

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No health reason. They are less likely to take it cold or cool, since they are used to 99 degrees! The fats will mix in better if it is warmed, too.

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health reason, no, but the baby probably won't take it. They are used to the milk being slightly-warmer-than-body temperature. Why wouldn't you warm it?

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I warm the bottles but wowza what a PITA to do so....

Anyone have any quick easy methods of doing so?

I normally put the bottle in a bowl/pan of hot water until I think it is warm enough but sometimes it takes a while and baby doesn't always want to wait.

* I don't and have never used the microwave as I already know that isn't acceptable or safe.

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I microwave a bowl of water and then set the bottle in it to warm, just like someone mentioned above. Otherwise, I see others use bottle warmers, but I haven't yet used one of those....

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I don't microwave the milk, just the water. Microwaving water for 3 minutes and then warming the bottle for about 5 gets it warm enough that my babies always suck it right down (and I've transitioned a couple "older" infants who had never had a bottle before coming to me, using this method). I anticipate the baby getting hungry and try to warm the milk early. I also don't have to worry about milk temp this way.

I've also been tempted to use a bottle warmer but have never looked into it.

FTR I also find it to be PITA but I warm formula bottles too. I take it as just one more aspect of baby care. Of course, I don't *make* the formula bottles. I require those to be sent prepared ahead of time the same as bmilk bottles.

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See, that is why I find the breast milk bottles harder or more of a PITA to deal with as I don't allow parents to bring in pre-made bottles of formula.

I require them to keep the bottles here and I make them using warm water so I can easily regulate the temperature with formula prep vs breast milk bottles.

I'll have to try the microwave the water (NOT bottles) method.

As of right now, I am placing the bags of frozen milk in hot water and just changing out the water when it gets cool. Fill, dump, re-fill, dump....

Don't know why I never thought to heat the water in the microwave.....

I guess because I RARELY use the microwave myself for anything so it just never occurred to me. I bet my microwave gets used maybe 2 times a month....

It was just one of those inventions that I just never caught onto....

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I put the bag of breast milk in a bowl and run the faucet with hot water on to the bag. That way the water doesn't cool and the milk will warm up quicker.

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I used to do that too (fill with hot from the tap, change as needed) and it took me almost three years to think of using a glass bowl in the microwave to heat the water first. Much simpler.

I don't want to deal with having to prepare bottles/store formula/store bottles/wash bottles/etc. I literally have NEVER made a formula bottle. And, my kitchen space is at a premium so I really don't want to store the stuff.

I rarely use the microwave for personal reasons. Right now, it's used for heating up the water and for heating baby food, and for heating daycare lunches. That is it. If it weren't for daycare, we wouldn't even need it. DH uses it more, but he grew up in a family that uses the microwave more than the stove, so there's a basic difference in philosophy there.

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We keep a small crock pot with water in it on low all day. Frozen breastmilk bags can be warmed up enough until it can be broken apart and poured into the bottle. I wouldn't ever heat up the milk fully in the bags as the bags can leak or the milk can be contaminated by the water you are heating it in as the seams can fail more easily once heated. Anyway the bottles are then heated to the right temp in the crock pot. Our moms right now who breastfeed all bring it in daily and we keep it in our fridge.

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Oh cool....I never would have thought to use a crock pot. Good idea!

I use the bags though as liners in the Playtex bottles so unless the parent brings the bottler liner inserts, I have to use the bag. So far, though I have been fairly lucky and not had any if the bags leak or break open.

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I have a crockpot of water in my kitchen that I use to warm the bottles. I just fill it in the morning, turn it on, and good to go. It usually takes about 2-5 minutes to warm a bottle depending on the size of the bottles. Except the drop-in kind. They warm alot faster

***Just read all the way through and saw someone else mentioned crockpot....

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I don't warm Formula bottles. I used to but a past mom said she read somewhere to give it to her child cold and that is what she did so that is what I did and let me tell you it is soooo much easier. None of the fussiness if the bottle wasn't warm enough or we were out and about having to find away to warm it. (we are gone for the house a lot) I was hoping to be able to do this with BM too. I'm going to try but if it doesn't work I will warm it.

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I'll have to try this.

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If you keep water in a crock pot make sure it gets no warmer than your hot tap water. many children have been burned that way. It is not allowed in some state for that reason.

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I always "double bag" breast milk bags for that reason. I've had quite a few spring leaks. I take a fresh sandwich baggie and stick the frozen milk bag in it. If the milk bag leaks, it's contained in the clean baggie.

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My provider is just opening up her daycare and told me her licensor told her she cannot handle the breast milk. Each days feedings need to be brought premeasured in 5-6 individual bottles because she cannot thaw and pour the milk from the bag into the bottle with risk of spilling and she or a child coming in contact with the bodily fluid... She also stated she cannot wash the bottles but she will rinse them... Anyone else hear this?

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I am in MN. I don't know of any regulations that state we can't handle breast milk (I assume you mean handle frozen). There is a regulation that says bottles must be "washed" daily- washed simply means at least rinsed out. Proper breastmilk handling also states it must be refrigerated upon arrival and labeled.
https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/henn...421B7BEFAEB71E

I do have a personal policy that all bottles come ready to serve (not frozen). I do not handle bagged milk, it must be bottled and ready to pop in the fridge when they arrive. I warm as needed and send home unused leftovers.

Since she is new, I am assuming she is referring to what she wants to do with breastmilk in her business and passing it off as regulations. It's not regulation but it is entirely ok for her to come up with her own policy on how she will handle breastmilk as long as the minimum standards are met.

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Are you in MN or rather is your provider in MN?

Any time a child care provider tells you that something is a licensing regulation, you can look at the rule and see what it actually says yourself. MN providers are required to provide parents with a copy of the licensing rules and/or a link to access them.

I am thinking like Snowmom says, it's probably her PERSONAL program policy not a state regulation.

Then again, MN has been having issues with licensors telling providers things are regulations or rules when they aren't or are just something the licensor interpreted but either way, providers have access to all state regulations and are required to provide access to parents as well.

Here is the link to MN regulations/rules https://www.daycare.com/minnesota/

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I use an electric kettle to heat water. Breastmilk bags are labeled and each child has their own little plastic bin that they go in, in the freezer. The bins fit on my freezer door. Most parents bring enough for the next week after work on Friday.

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@blackcat31: we have to have parents bring in premade bottles here in Alabama because we are not allowed to mix them ourselves, it's a dhr requirement because a daycare provider made an infant's bottle and added to much water to the formula and it made an infant very sick

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Thanks ladies... I don't have anyone under age 2 right now.
My previous post/question was from 2013....this thread was revived by an unregistered but I still appreciate the suggestions.

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