Warming breast milk helps to both warm it and ensure that the nutrients are preserved, which is good for the baby’s health. So, is it okay to warm breast milk for 2 hours? What is the correct way to warm breast milk? Let’s find out about this issue in the article below!
Is it okay to warm breast milk for 2 hours?
Warming breast milk for 2 hours can alter the nutrients in the milk, and babies who consume it may experience health problems such as digestive disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Nutrition experts recommend that parents reheat breast milk according to the following timeframes:
- If breast milk is stored at room temperature, the warming time is 3-5 minutes.
- If breast milk is stored in the refrigerator compartment, the time will be 6-8 minutes.
- If breast milk is thawed, it needs to be warmed for 10 minutes.
Is it okay to warm breast milk for 2 hours? The answer is NO, warming milk for too long causes it to lose nutrients, and the baby is prone to digestive illnesses.
In addition, there are several other factors that affect the warming time of milk, such as:
- The larger the amount of milk, the longer the warming time. For example, a 200ml bag of milk needs 5-7 minutes, a 400ml bag needs about 7-10 minutes.
- Bottle material: Glass bottles require a longer warming time than plastic bottles. Besides, parents should note to choose silicone bottles or milk storage bags, free of toxins such as BPA, BPS, etc., to ensure safety for the baby.
- Milk with a high temperature will have a faster warming time and require less time than milk that has been stored in the refrigerator or freezer compartment.
Frozen breast milk takes longer to warm than refrigerated milk.
Instructions on how to warm breast milk properly
After answering the question “Is it okay to warm breast milk for 2 hours?”, let’s learn how to warm breast milk properly.
Depending on how the milk is stored, there are different ways to warm it. Also, for convenience and safety for your baby, we recommend using a bottle warmer. Parents can refer to the best-selling and highly-rated bottle warmers at Kidsplaza.vn.
When buying at Kidsplaza, parents can rest assured about product quality, warranty policy as well as enjoy good prices with many attractive promotions.
How to warm breast milk stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator
Parents should note that when warming milk at room temperature or milk stored in the refrigerator, do not shake vigorously. Instead, shake gently to ensure that the nutrients in breast milk are evenly distributed.
Place the bottle or milk bag in the tray, then pour water into the machine compartment to the standard level and warm for about 3-5 minutes. When the warming process is complete, take out the bottle and check the temperature of the milk before feeding the baby.
If parents choose the method of warming milk with warm water, place the milk in a bowl of warm water at about 40 degrees Celsius and leave it for about 5 minutes. Then, shake the bottle gently to warm the milk evenly.
Warming milk at 40 degrees Celsius will preserve the nutrients in the milk.
How to warm thawed breast milk
Breast milk stored in the freezer can be kept for 3 to 6 months and it is in solid form. Therefore, before warming the milk, parents need to follow these steps:
- Step 1: Parents should transfer the milk from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment to thaw for about 8 to 12 hours until the milk changes from solid to liquid form. If you need to thaw milk quickly, parents can place the milk bag under running water.
- Step 2: Gently shake the milk bags that have turned into liquid form to ensure that the milk layers are evenly mixed. Then, parents prepare warm water to warm the milk, placing the milk bag or bottle directly into the machine.
- Step 3: After about 5 to 7 minutes of warming or incubating, parents can feed the baby.
Important notes when warming breast milk
Not all parents know how to warm breast milk properly. Therefore, parents should note the following to ensure the baby’s safety.
- Before warming milk, parents should check the color, smell, and taste of the milk. If the milk has a foul odor or strange taste, discard it immediately.
- Only warm the milk once to stimulate the baby’s taste buds and protect their digestive system. Avoid repeatedly warming milk as it can alter its properties and lose its flavor.
- Have your baby consume the milk within one hour of warming. If there is any milk left over after feeding, discard it.
- Warm milk at 40 degrees Celsius, do not warm at too high or too low a temperature to ensure that the nutrients in the milk are preserved.
Above is an article answering the question “Is it okay to warm breast milk for 2 hours? How to warm breast milk properly and notes when warming.” Hopefully, this information will be helpful for parents so that their baby can have delicious milk feeds, limiting the risk of potential illnesses.
