is this milk safe?

[tekcez]

I pumped at work yesterday and forgot to take the milk out of the cold bag until this morning. It was stored in the insulated square bag that comes with the medela PIS with the frozen pack inside.  It was left in the bag from about 6:00 pm to about 8:00 am.  The freezer pack was thawed.  The milk was not cold to the touch, but it wasn't quite up to room temp either.  It is now in the back of the refrigerator. 

Can this milk be fed to my healthy 3.5 month old tomorrow, or should I thaw out some of the freezer stash and cut my losses with yesterday's milk?

Appreciate your input, mamas.

[foreverinbluejeans]

Milk can be stored at room temp for 10 hours and on ice packs for 24 hours. I would go with somewhere between those two times since the ice packs melted. If you wanted to be safest then you should go with 10 hours since the ice melted. I don't think you are supposed to recool it if it gets warm. I know for sure you shouldn't recool it if the baby has drank from the bottle. Here is a link and you may be able to find more info. I'm sorry if you have to throw it away, I know every drop is liquid gold.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html 

[tekcez]

So based on the info at that link, it looks like I may be able to judge it tomorrow by smelling and tasting it...

Anybody think that's nuts??

I finally had a decent couple of pumping sessions and was so excited to be able to give him a whole day's worth of unfrozen milk.  Too bad my sleep deprived, hormone addled brain can't keep up.  Baaaaah 

[Anna Phor]

I don't think it's nuts. I'd smell it, and if it smells good, I'd leave it.

[AnkaJones]

I agree with smelling it.  A lot of the guidelines for what you are supposed to do and not supposed to do were developed for hospitalized or sick babies, or to be on the absolute safe side, or to ensure maximal nutritional content.  You're probably okay.

Anka

[PatioGardener]

if it tastes ok i'd use it. (actually, i have done the same thing and used it,)

nak

[tekcez]

It smelled fine.  He took it today.  No problems so far.  I figure if it was going to cause trouble, we would have seen something by now.  Good to know the BM is so hearty!

[AnkaJones]

Yay!!!  Saved some liquid gold!

Breastmilk is hearty stuff.  Unlike cow's milk, it's alive. 

Anka

[OSUvet]

Originally Posted by AnkaJones 

Yay!!!  Saved some liquid gold!

Breastmilk is hearty stuff.  Unlike cow's milk, it's alive. 

Anka

Glad this worked out! As a complete aside, I would just like to point out that cow's milk is alive and hearty as well, when it hasn't been killed by pasteurization :)