safest breastmilk storage?

[megincl]

I'm trying to figure out the best system for storing breastmilk for when DW goes back to work after DD is born. With DS we used the freezer bags, but I'm wondering/thinking about BPA, etc (he is 7, so we were all in the dark about BPA "way back then" ).

We'll definitely use glass bottles for the babe, but for storage...probably not tons and tons, but some that will go in the freezer for sure.

thoughts and suggestions?

Thanks!

[DahliaRW]

I do not think there is BPA in breastmilk storage bags, I believe it's only in hard plastics. But either way, as long as you're not heating in the storage bags, I really think they are not going to leach...but that's my opinion.

[MacKinnon]

I've been wondering this too. I did a google search, and found that all the big manufacturers of the breast milk storage bags- Lansinoh, Medela, Mothers Milk- all indicate that they are BPA free. Although, I don't see how you would avoid heating it in the bag, you have to at least melt the frozen milk in the bag. Then pour it into the glass bottle to be heated? Maybe someone more knowing of plastics will hop into this discussion!

[sewaneecook]

You could take it out of the bag while still frozen and start to warm up in a glass bowl or water glass.

[momtoTnT]

We never heated the bag - we just put the frozen bag in a bowl of warm (not hot) water and let it unthaw that way (if we were in a hurry) - or take it out of the freezer the night before, put it in the fridge and let it unthaw that way.

[Adsullata]

The Lansinoh storage bags are the best all around. They use virgin plastic, which means there are NO plasticizers (pthalate, BPA, etc.).

Also, I found the opening to be the easiest/widest to work with and they have a double zipper, meaning no precious milk leaking out. The Medela were difficult to work the opening is smaller, the zipper was hard to seal and I would think I got it sealed and then it wouldn't be I also tried Gerber and they only had one zipper as well.

The other good thing about having the double zipper is that it's secure enough to lay the bag flat on its side, which helps it freeze and thaw waaaaayy faster, so thawing in a sink or bowl of warm water is actually pretty quick. It's also easier to store flat packets than lumpy upright ones.

HTH!

[MacKinnon]

I always preferred the medela ones as well, so I'm happy to hear they are a good choice! We also just put the frozen milk in a bowl of warm water to thaw, but I assumed that counted as "heating"? I don't like to thaw in advance because my kids are not great bottle-takers, so if they don't take it, and it's thawed, I can't re-freeze it! I do just use fresh when possible though (ie- yesterday's milk today, then freeze if it's not used).

[ErikaS57]

You can also defrost in a bowl of cold water - it's surprisingly fast. I do it that way so then I can make up the bottles without really heating the milk (since I prepare them in the morning).