Pumping milk is a typical daily activity for most breastfeeding mothers. It can save you a lot of time, and you can make sure that your milk supply will keep going for as long as you are planning to breastfeed your baby.
However, to enjoy all the benefits of pumping milk, you should do it in the right way. You might wonder if you can pump into the same bottle all day without worries about the quality of the milk.
As a matter of fact, this is one of the first questions that come in a mother's mind.
Can I pump into the same bottle all day?
The answer is no, you can't pump in the same bottle all day, but you can do that at least twice under certain conditions.
Temperature of the milk
First and foremost, you have to consider the temperature of the milk.
- You shouldn't combine milk at different temperatures because you risk contaminating it with bacteria.
- However, the milk stays good for 4 hours if you leave it at room temperature after you pump it.
- So, you can pump in the same bottle within the 4 hours timeframe.
- Once the 4 hours timeframe elapsed, you can either give the milk to your baby or store it in the fridge or freezer for future meals.
You can't mix the cold milk and fresh milk
If you want to pump more than once in a four hours timeframe, make sure to not put the bottle in the fridge after the first pumping session.
- This will compromise the chances of pumping again over that milk. The same goes for putting the bottle in the freezer.
- Once the breastmilk is frozen, you should only defrost it if you want to feed it to your baby.
- You shouldn't refreeze milk that has been defrosted because this invites bacteria in.
Don't use the same bottle beyond 4 hours
It is also important to NOT use the same bottle to pump for more than four hours.
- Pumping the entire day into one bottle is definitely not an option. This is because the milk will not stay good at room temperature for more than four hours.
- You will naturally have to refrigerate it after this time.
- However, once the milk is in the fridge (or freezer), you can't take the bottle out to pump new milk into it. So, keep these essential details in mind before taking any unnecessary risks!
Don't risk using the same bottle if preemie
You have to take other measurements if your baby is a preemie, or they have some sort of sensitivity. These babies are more prone to develop health issues due to bacteria in the breastmilk because they are not developed enough to fight it.
Using the same bottle to pump more than once can be a time saver for mothers. And it might even be a necessity for mothers who use a manual pump that makes the entire process slower and a little harder.
So, you can do this if you apply the conditions above. Otherwise, you should switch the bottle to a new one to stay on the safer side and not expose your baby to any hazards.
Key References
- "Breastmilk Collection and Storage - The Pump Station & Nurtury". Accessed February 15, 2020. Link.
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