Storing breast milk has immense benefits for both sides, so let’s list them. For mom the main benefits that storing breast milk brings are:

• Avoid early weaning
• Continue milk production, so she can continue breastfeeding even after returning to work
• when you are home at night
• Continue losing weight after returning to work
• Peace of mind in knowing that the best is being offered to the baby

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life it can seem tiring to milk the breast or even take it with the appropriate breast pump to express the milk, but the gratification is much greater than the small effort. The act of taking and storing breast milk can be much simpler than you think, in fact, with time and practice it becomes easier every day to do it.

Ways of Storage

To store breast milk is simple, just have glasses with plastic lid at home, milk manually or even with an appropriate pump. To store breast milk, sterilizing the bottle in which it will be stored is necessary, so it prevents the breast milk from spoiling even after frozen. We must remember that storing breast milk is a great solution but raw milk without pasteurization as is done in milk banks, only lasts 15 days in the freezer and 2 days in the normal refrigerator.

How to Sterilize Bottles

To sterilize the bottle to store breast milk, simply place it in a pot of boiling water after thoroughly washing with water and neutral detergent, as well as the lid. Don’t forget to remove the cardboard that covers the inside, ok?

The flask turned upside down for approximately 10 minutes in the pot of boiling water. After that time put on a clean bench with alcohol always turned upside down to drain and even dry. Never pass any type of cloth or paper inside the glass to avoid new contamination or the glass to get some kind of dirt from the cloth or paper.

Conservation of Breast Milk

The bottle can also be kept in the refrigerator after sterilization , so it remains clean for the next milking of breast milk. Some brands have sachets suitable for proper storage of breast milk in a freezer, they are sterile bags that can save space inside the refrigerator.

However, here in Brazil they are more difficult to find, if you travel frequently abroad or have someone who can send you, you can think about it and bring it to that end. It will certainly make life a lot easier. Always remember to label the milk, date, time when it was taken.

The best part of going back to work is definitely going home at the end of the day, picking up the baby and missing you is priceless! If in doubt, should breast milk still be stored? There is nothing better for your child than breast milk, when in doubt seek a pediatrician and ask for further clarification. Breast milk is for sure and without a doubt life in drops!

Don’t forget, surplus milk can also be donated, remember the “Donate Life Bottles” campaign and help a premature baby to go home more quickly.

How is Being a Breast Milk Donor – Daniela Zanatto

Daniela Zanatto, the owner of the excellent blog Mamãe Aprendiz, tells us about her experience as a breast milk donor. What made you become a donor and what is the experience that a donor has after starting to donate breast milk. See more about what a donor’s life is like and what a woman who donates her breast milk will have in exchange for this beautiful gesture that is saving lives. Welcome Daniela!

Changing Diapers: What led you to donate breast milk?
Daniela:Many years ago, my cousin had a premature baby, and she needed milk. I went a few times to get the milk for the baby, and I saw women donating at the hospital, while I waited for the nurse to get the bottle she was supposed to take. Only when we need it do we value attitude. I thought it was beautiful. I was thinking about the detachment of those women, donating their milk without knowing to whom they were donating … They were saving the life of my cousin, who developed quickly and was able to go home, thanks to that milk.

But I was young and didn’t even date, at that time I didn’t even think that one day I would donate. Many years passed, I dated, got married, got pregnant and in the week that my daughter would be born, my mother brought me a pamphlet from the University Hospital here in Londrina talking about the donation of human milk. That they came to get it at home, that it was an act of love. Looking at that pamphlet made me go back 15 years in time, to that waiting room at the HU, waiting for my cousin’s milk, and seeing the backs of those women donating their milk. I had no doubts! At that moment I decided that I would do the same thing!

Changing Diapers: How was the donation initially? It was easy?
Daniela: After Mariana was born, I waited about 15 days to call, I wanted her to stabilize my milk and also, in the first child we are a little lost in the first days. Until I decided to call. The nurse came the next day to my house, taught the procedures, and as I already had the inhaler, it was very easy. In the first few attempts, a few droplets came out … But then, I started to learn and the body starts to work with what we asked for.

As I took a little more every day, the body understood that I had to produce a little more every day, so, after just over a week, I already filled 5 glasses of mayonnaise, those of 500 ml a week ! I remember that, in my first conversation with the nurse, she explained to me that first I would have to let my baby nurse whatever she wanted. I would only donate the surplus, whatever was left over. Then I asked if it would be worth donating, because it would probably be too little. She explained to me that some very young premature babies suckled 1ml every hour, that is, any amount was very welcome!

Changing Diapers: Did you have a problem with initial breastfeeding?
Daniela: Thank God I didn’t have any problems with breastfeeding. Mariana already got it first, at the hospital where she was born, the nurses helped me put it in the right position so as not to risk damaging the breast, so this start was very smooth.

Changing Diapers: How was the process until you became a donor?
Daniela: It’s very fast. The nurse came home, answered a form, taught me the procedures, and in the same week I was already donating milk!

Changing Diapers: What is most important in your opinion of breast milk donation?
Daniela: We all know the importance of breast milk for our babies who were born healthy. For premature babies, or babies who have an infection, it’s even more important, in fact, it can be the difference between the life and death of this little baby!

Changing Diapers: an incentive for those who think about donating but haven’t created the courage yet to do so.
Daniela: Many times, with my daughter in her arms, breastfeeding, I put myself in the place of those distressed mothers, with babies in the ICU, without knowing tomorrow. God gives you the grace to save lives! To relieve the suffering of other mothers like you. I know, it takes work, your life with a baby is tiring … but if you have the grace to have enough milk for your child and still have a few drops to donate, donate these drops, donate life!

Daniela Zanatto , 37, Public Relations, Executive Secretary, Writer and Blogger. Rinaldo’s wife for 10 years, mother of Mariana (4 years) and Gabriel (2 years). Author of the blog Mamãe Aprendiz!
See also: Breast Milk Donation – Donate Life Vials and LOBALE (human milk bank locator)

Breast Milk Donation

Life! It is all that means the donation of breast milk. A liquid so precious it can save lives! Have you thought about it? Many women choose to breastfeed their baby in order to give the best to them, after all breast milk is a real wealth in nutritional terms and also when talking about defense for the body for its defenses and nutritional values.

In addition to being healthier, breast milk prevents many diseases for the baby! Let’s think about the premature babies that are born without immunity , even more fragile than a term baby that were born within the expected time. These premature babies need natural nutrition full of antibodies and rich in fats and minerals to gain strength and better chances of life. A low weight baby needs to be fed with milk as rich as breast milk and so what is the solution? The donation of breast milk!

In addition to being healthier, breast milk prevents many diseases for the baby! Let’s think about the premature babies that are born without immunity , even more fragile than a term baby that were born within the expected time. These premature babies need natural nutrition full of antibodies and rich in fats and minerals to gain strength and better chances of life. A low weight baby needs to be fed with milk as rich as breast milk and so what is the solution? The donation of breast milk!

Who can donate?

Moms who breastfeed their children can help other babies with their surplus milk! You can help strengthen a new life. A woman produces breast milk on demand, that is, if she breastfeeds her child she may still have a greater amount of milk if she is in the habit of expressing it even after breastfeeding. To increase the flow, just remove the milk by milking it manually or by an appropriate pump and store it correctly. Donating to the milk bank closest to your home is a gesture of solidarity that is priceless! How to donate breast milk?

Most milk banks do the household collection with the team of firefighters , the donor does not even need to leave the house to do a greater good to those who need breast milk. Contact the milk bank closest to your home and check the procedures to be done to start donating.
To donate breast milk is so simple and does not take that long, it only requires love and dedication and it will do you so much good that you cannot explain it! Be a life giver, donate breast milk!

See the LOBALE Tool it helps you find the milk bank or collection point closest to your home, just enter your address or zip code and you’re done! Donate, encourage to donate after all, it costs nothing!

Chris Nicklas – Why Donate Breast Milk?

Chris Nicklas is an advocate for breastfeeding and the owner of Breastfeeding is … Too friendly, with an incredible charisma! Chris is a super mom and coordinator of a wonderful project, she tells a little more about how donating breast milk can be important for those who need it and even more for the baby who needs to gain health to go home with his parents who are distressed by his hospital discharge and prompt recovery. Breast milk is a natural remedy for the baby, how about providing some of this medicine available to your child for someone who needs it as much as a premature newborn?

“What a clumsy life we ​​live, isn’t it ?! Full of deadlines, goals, commitments … We got lost among so many tasks and we tend to turn simple acts into another item on our agenda. Well, donating breast milk is one of those cases. I cannot fail to list here in this “conversation” the countless reasons that lead us to donate the milk that flows from our breasts:

Reasons to Donate Breast Milk

• The low stock of Brazilian Milk Banks

• Increased chances that a premature baby will recover, gain weight and be discharged to go home

• The power that human milk has to save a newborn’s life by the simple fact that only it provides immunity to the baby

• The immaturity of the baby’s digestive system that is not prepared to receive anything but human milk

• The fact that with a minimum amount of human milk, even a few milliliters, it is possible to feed several premature babies …

But I believe that the main and strongest reason that leads us to donate our milk is the fact that at some point, in the rush of everyday life, we connect to the mother, who for one reason or another, has her baby in an ICU Neo Natal.

We know that she exists, has a name, family, and is there, sitting next to her son, hoping with all her faith that he will soon be discharged. How many of us have passed or will still go through it? At these times we are one. We are the mother. And each baby in an ICU is our child.

Donate your milk and save lives! ”

Donate breast milk! look for a post or bank of breast milk here at LOBALE . Your surplus milk makes all the difference to a small life that waits for your gesture of love.

Chris Nicklas writes at www.amamentareh.com.br   which has essential tips for moms who breastfeed their babies and for those who want to breastfeed.