Breastmilk Storage Bags

I would not re use them. You can get a 3 pack of 50 count Lansinoh storage bags on Amazon for $24. Still cheaper than formula. Keep up the great work mama!

Is he still in the NICU? If so, see if they have storage containers (similar to specimen cups). That's what I used with my daughter and I reused them. I think the bags are all made to be disposable.

I wouldn't reuse them for a few reasons:

1. He is in NICU. His immunity and defenses are weak. You don't want to risk any mold spores or bacteria contaminating the bags, which could happen if you hand wash them and leave them to air dry. Besides, you probably won't get all of the fat residue off the plastic when you wand wash them... And that plus air drying could grow microbe contaminants.

2. The plastic probably weakens as you freeze then defrost the milk. The bags might spring a small leak... Plus, as plastic is exposed to repeated extreme temperatures, it can bleach chemicals. So, better to use each bag once and keep the plastic's integrity.

Perhaps you can call you local breastmilk bank and ask them what they use? If they use freezable glass bottles, maybe you could find out the brand and buy a few of those?

Sending you best wishes for your baby's speedy recovery. Stay strong mama!

i would not reuse them. Something I used when I was pumping (this was 15 years ago lol) was I bought the playtex bottle liners. and twist ties. they worked exactly the same as the fancy breast milk bags. but you get like 100 in a package. way way cheaper. i did that then when they were frozen put them into a ziplock so they had a double layer of protection from the freezer. something you might want to conside ris asking at the hospital if your hospital accepts donations of breast milk. they may be grateful to get it.

i would not reuse them, but that is just my opinion & not based on anything about whether they are actually reusable...but also know that even though you are using a lot of them now, your milk production will level out & especially if you are mostly pumping, mine always did & always started declining once I was back at work & pumping more than feeding on the breast. & you will be grateful for your storage, I was forced to pump because of work & would start to not be able to produce enough milk by the time my babies were 8-10 months & my storage got me through until they were one...

i would NOT reuse the storage bags. try asking the hospital what they would recommend.

Do not reuse them. They may seem expensive, but compared to the cost of formula, you'll be saving a ton!

I probably wouldn't reuse the bags, but they do sell freezable, reusable plastic bottles - a slightly more expensive initial investment, but would probably save you money in the long run.

Good for you with the breastfeeding and pumping! Remember too that if you don't need as much milk as you're making you don't absolutely have to save all of it - you can pump and dump, or you could start cutting out a pumping session or two each day and your body will eventually make a little less milk - as you need more milk when your baby is bigger and stronger, your body will likewise start producing more milk. The supply increases and decreases in response to the demand.

I wholeheartedly second the motion to use containers/storage cups vs reusing the bags. The bags are sterile when you get them and given your son's compromised immune system (seeing as how he's in the NICU), I'd hate for something bad to accidentally get introduced for the sake of saving a dollar or two.

Nearly every breastpump has bottles with lids that come with it, or that are purchasable that you can pump directly into and then stick the lid on and freeze/refrigerate. Then you just wash and sterilize the bottles as needed.

Blessings to your son and I hope he recovers and gains super-strength quickly! (and your breastmilk will only help that)

Do Not reuse those bags. You can never be sure what contaminants are in there. I believe that's what the bags are pre-sterilized. May the hospital can give you some. Good luck and great job with the pumping.

D.

I stored my milk in plastic Medela bottles, but I've heard of storing baby food in an ice cube tray, using sandwich bags to line the individual cubes. Maybe that would work for milk, too. I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to reuse the breast milk storage bags, but the packaging for baby products always recommends being overly safe (in my opinion). I can't remember how sturdy the bags are. I used some free ones I had and didn't like them because I kept spilling the milk.

Edit: now that I can see the other comments, I see that my suggestion is nothing new.

Agree not to reuse the bags. You may already be doing this...instead of freezing the milk right after you pump, maximize the storage capacity of the bags by filling them to the max before freezing. Once you thaw the milk, you can use it over several feedings the same day. That will help cut down on the number of bags you use. Good luck to you and your son.

Hi K., I found the Avent storage cups worked AWESOME! They are plastic (BPA free) cups with twist lids. They stack great in the freezer. use them, wash them, and reuse them! I reused them for several months with freezing, and now that my kids are done breast feeding, I use them for snack cups. Love them! They have adapters to connect them right to your pump & adapters to turn them directly into bottles. I bought all mine at Babies R Us about 2 years ago. Target should also carry them now (had to order them online before). Hope this helps!!!

I bought storage bottles because the cost of bags can add up. As others have mentioned, don't take a chance of contamination since he is getting special care. The great thing about using bottles is no worry about dropping it and getting a hole in the bag and you can use them as the bottle once it is defrosted. I would take them out of the freezer the night before my husband would need it and it was ready for him midmorning.

Use breast milk ice cube trays then pop them out and store them in a big freezer storage bag so you can reuse the trays.

This might sound silly, but freeze your milk in ice cube trays! If I remember right, most cubes are 2 TBSP and that is about 1 oz (measure yourself with water and a measuring spoon). Then you can transfer from there to a gallon zip lock or however big you want. This is handy when he only eats a little, but also comes in really handy after 6 months when you start to introduce solids. At that time you can use the milk cubes to mix with cereal! I didn't learn this trick until about 7-8 months and boy do I wish I had known it all along. I prefered this method to anything - if you need more, you just use more cubes!! So easy! Also, Tupperware had those ice cube trays with lids. But, if you don't have that, just put saran wrap on top or a sheet of wax paper while they freeze.

You are SUPER mom to be pumping with all you are going through. Bless you and bless your baby! Everything is going to be great.