Is this breastmilk still good for the next baby? I don't want to throw it away!

[babycatcher12]

I am due in August with baby #4.

My youngest son is 17 months old and just stopped nursing when I got to 21 weeks. I worked part time with him in the spring of 2009 and pumped. I found a big ziploc bag of frozed breast milk in the bottom of the deep freeze yesterday (I can't believe it was still there). The earliest it was pumped was in April of 09 and the latest bag was in May of 09.

It seriously pains me to think of throwing it away. Since it's been in the deep freeze is it possible to keep it frozen as an emergency stash for the new baby? I did thaw out a bag...it smelled fine, tasted okay to me (but I can't get my son to drink it, he acts like it's insulting.)

[tine1973]

I would keep it as an emergency stash. Realistically the guideline is 12 mo in a deep freeze, but as an emergency stash - why not! Its still better than no BM in my option -and if its been that buried its was likely kept super cold.

[TiredX2]

Personally, I wouldn't be comfortable with that--- it will be at least 15 months old. Can you use it in a smoothie or something now?

[ClaudiaTh]

"Fresh milk may be placed in a separate deep freeze (chest-type freezer) for 6-12 months."

I wouldn't keep it..

[boobs4milk]

i woudn't use for a newborn, but maybe as an emergency after babe is a few wks old.

[aylaanne]

I still have a bunch of milk left over in my freezer from DS. I'm planning on using it to make soap. Eventually. There are other things you can do with milk besides give it to a LO.

[ClaudiaTh]

Put the breastmilk in his bath, it's good for his skin

[goodygumdrops]

I wouldn't use it.

[pumpkinhead]

I wouldn't give it to a newborn, but I wouldn't toss it either. I'd use it to make soap or icecream or something.

[karika]

I agree that it is valid to use for many other things besides feeding. It is effective as a skin treatment for one thing. I bet there are lists of uses somewhere. it is not good to feed it to a baby however. It is too bad it was so out of sight, donating milk is such a good thing to do, but this has gotten too old.

[HappyMommy2]

There are some threads on here for things to do with breastmilk. Ice cream, yogurt, baking into muffins, lotions, ear infections, and whatnot... I would not throw it out, but wouldn't give it to the baby now in your womb.

[happy_mama_1983]

Our son is on donor milk and we've been offered "old" milk in the past. We don't feed it to him, but we do rub it directly into his rash that he has and it does wonders for his skin.

I've also heard of breast milk being used on bee stings, ear infections, and cuts as a healing agent.

I'd hang onto it if I were you, but maybe not use it to drink.

[Tenk]

While our baby was in the NICU I mentioned having some milk in the deep freeze from March 2009 and they told me it's not ok to give it to a preemie because they need the new fats that your body makes when you deliver early, but that it'd be ok to give if the baby was term...from the neonatologist himself!!