KM-NICU-Breastfeeding-Book-English-Final

Collecting and Storing Your Breastmilk

Collecting Your Breastmilk Obtain containers and labels from your baby’s nurse. Wash your hands before handling your breast pump and storage containers. Pump directly into the storage containers supplied to you. Use new containers at the next pumping session. Do not add milk from different pumping sessions to the same container. Write the date and time the milk was collected on the label supplied and place it on each container of milk obtained. Breastmilk that is not labeled will not be accepted. Place the collected milk in the refrigerator if you plan to be at the hospital within 2-4 hours. If not, put it in the freezer. Always store the milk in the back of the freezer or refrigerator (this is where the temperature is the coldest).

Transporting Your Breastmilk Use frozen cold packs in a cooler to transport the breastmilk to the hospital. By fillingempty spaces in thecooler withcrumpled paper or towels, the milk will stay cold longer. Frozen milk must be kept frozen and cold milk from the refrigerator must be kept cold during transportation.