"reusing" milk in BreastFlow bottle & bacteria

[germin8]

Hello. I have low milk supply and use the SNS, but between 6P and midnight we use BreastFlow bottles (which is about 2-3 feedings, depending).

I've heard/read about using formula (which btw, we don't use any more) and having to use it within one hour because of bacteria. I've also heard the same with breast milk in the bottle... BUT, BreastFlow bottles are different. There are two nipples, one inside another. Do you know if the bacteria gets from baby to the milk in the bottle without squeezing the sides of the nipples that lets the milk down from the outer nipple to the bottle/inner nipple? Suppose I don't do that... is the milk good for much longer than 1 hour?

I use the SNS, and I refrigerate unused portions b/c my DD's bacteria didn't get to the other milk... she only touches what's at the end of the tube. So, I'm hoping I could still use the milk in BreastFlow... when I overestimate.

Every ounce or less counts when supplementing with donated breast milk!

[CherryBombMama]

i dont know what the "official" answer, but i always reused the leftover milk in our bottles with ds1, and we had a regular playtex bottle. we just put it back in the fridge for the next feeding. never had a problem ...

[PatioGardener]

kellymom says it is ok: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/r...essedmilk.html

and by the way, congrats on exclusive breastmilk! i know from previous posts you have been working really hard on that

nak

[cristeen]

I never wasted a drop of precious BM if i could help it. Our cirumstances were very similar, but we use the born free bottles, which just have reg nipples. I return the bottle to the fridge after a feeding. Like raw (cow) milk, bm has its own beneficial bacteria to fight off intruders over a short span of time.

We made it to 7 mos on EBM w 100% donor milk doing that, and at this point i'll leave the bottle out until he finishes it (he still gets a bottle every few days as we work through the freezer stash). But he's 1 now, so im more comfortable w that.

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

i don't even put it back in the fridge, and if i discarded everythign after an hour i'd be throwing away tons of milk. littlest guy has always been a "snacker" sometimes only taking 10ml or so

[germin8]

Oh good! I feel much better about re-using the milk.

Thanks all!

[crystal_buffaloe]

I re-use it, too. (Er, well, I tell my DH to.) He puts it back in the fridge, then smells/tastes it prior to the next feeding.