Reheating Breast Milk

The all time quickest way to warm breastmilk without "cooking" it is to keep the milk in the milk storage bag and run it under warm water when it is time. It takes maybe 45 seconds to a minute and the milk is ready. If the water is too warm for your hand, it is too warm for your milk.

Then poor the milk into the clean bottle. I would take a clean bottle with me and a pouch or two of milk (sometimes partially frozen) to the store or where ever I was going. I'd be able to quickly warm the milk at a sink that had at least luke warm water and I'd be on my way.

Remember, milk doesn't have to be "warm" it can be room temp or cooler, but if it has been refrigerated then it has to be warmed enough for the fat to melt and immerse into the milk. You know it's not warm enough if the fat sticks to the inside of the bottle.

I used the bottles I pumped into for what I stored in the fridge, which were also what I used for DD's bottles when I was away. I used hot tap water in a large coffee mug to warm the milk later.

kellymom.com has info on how to store and use breastmilk.

I always just run the tap water until it is pretty warm, fill up a cup or tupperware thing and set the bottle in it for 5-10 mins, however long it takes to be a little bit warm.

Amy's a smart gal. I did the same thing. I used my Medela bottles or the Evenflow ones that fit onto my pump (BPA free plastic). Put the nipple on it, then put it in a mug of very hot water and dunked it a little, then shook it a little. Just make sure it doesn't get too hot, so check it often.

You should NEVER heat breastmilk. It destroys the antibodies in it. Just run it under warm water or let it thaw in the fridge or on the counter. It's good for 24 hours after.

I agree, what you are doing is the best way. Just check it before you give it to the baby to be sure it isn't too hot. I always stored the breast milk in those plastic pouches, and then poured it into the bottle (I think we used Avent and Playtex brands, which are both plastic bottles, but you can use glass also) to heat it up. Whatever you do, don't heat the milk in a microwave, since that destroys all the good antibodies in the milk.

I have various plastic bottles that i pump directly into, then throw a cap on and into the fridge. Then I can reheat in the same bottle and just put a nipple on it. Most of mine are Dr. Browns which actually fit my medela breast pump. To heat the bottle, I microwave a bowl of water until its almost boiling then stick the bottle in that for a few minutes. Its ok to heat milk in boiling water, just check it often so it doesn't get too hot. Its definitely the quickest way to warm it up.