I just realized I have left my breast milk, from pumping at work on Saturday, out on the counter until now, 7:30 on Sunday night. It was in a little lunch cooler but with no ice pack in there. Is it bad now??? I don't have any extra milk and if I have to throw this batch out I wont have any to send to day care. Of course I don't want my baby to get sick (7 months) and could send him with formula for the day but just don't want to.
Thoughts??
The other Moms are spot on with this one:( If you're ever "on the border" time wise though, you can actually taste it and tell immediately just like regular milk....sounds weird I know but at least you'll know if it tastes even slightly odd to you, it's not good for baby.
Unfortunately, Dori W. is right - you will have to ditch it. You can, however, pump one breast while you nurse your child on the other in an attempt to "make up" the milk.
Peace-Love-Boobies
http://www.mymammasmilk.com
EDIT: Breastmilk actually has been proven to not spoil as quickly as formula because of its natural antimicrobial aspects. For fun I read medical journals. Yes - I am a dweeb :)
Breastmilk can stay safe at 60 degrees for 24 hours, while formula can only stay safe for 2 hours at this temperature. Formula can only be used for up to 24 hours if it is refrigerated, while breastmilk can last 8 days!
Throw it out. Send the formula.
At a guess, I would say that it would be bad by now. In my experience breastmilk went bad incredibly fast... The easiest way to tell is to taste/smell it, it should have virtually no smell and a very mild sweet taste. It gets a strong smell (and taste) once it's bad. I found that it went off in about 24 hours in the fridge... if I remember correctly, and in around 4 hours out of the fridge. Unlike formula, which seems indestructible by comparison!
Updated
Yes, much better for him to have the formula just this once instead. If you're lucky enough to have a baby that will drink formula... (if having difficulties pick the sweetest one you can... just from personal experience!).
Breast milk can only be left out at room temp for about 4 hours. Unfortunately you'll have to toss it.
rule of thumb is 2 hours on the counter, 2 days in the fridge...if it was in there with an ice pack and still cold, I would use it, but since it wasn't...I wouldn't trust it, sorry :(
unforunately you must throw that milk out. i understand your plight but breast milk spoils faster then formula. There were a few times i ran out of breast milk and i had to use formula. Luckily my son could do both. Please DO NOT USE THAT MILK!
Whether you want to or not, you are going to have to send your child with formula. Breat milk keeps unrefridgerated for a long time, but not that long-- I believe the max is 8-12 hours. Look at it like this-- would YOU want to drink a glass of milk that had been sitting out in the same conditions after that long? The answer is irrefutabley, YES, it's bad now. DO NOT feed it to your child. One day of formula in the whole scheme/scope of your child's infancy is not such a big deal.
I have BF for over 12 months now. At least 80% of my son's liquids are "mommy's milk," but he has had to take the occasional glass of formula when mommy is away on business or simply didn't get enough on a specific day. It's more about what you do REGULARLY. So you made a minor mistake, and I bet you'll be that much more cognizant of taking care of your milk now-- am I right? So it's no big deal, send baby with formula, and then tomorrow baby will have milk again. Give yourself permission to relax a little.
