Wondering what to do with extra breast milk? Don’t waste your freezer stash, here’s what to do.
Are you a breastfeeding or pumping mama with a freezer stash bursting with liquid gold? If you’ve got a great supply, you might be wondering what to do with the extra breast milk you’ve got stored up.
You don’t want to waste it. That milk was hard earned!
But, you might just have a little too much – more than your baby can drink before it spoils.
What’s a mom to do?
What else can you do with extra breast milk?
Here are 7 things you can do so you don’t have to pour that liquid gold down the drain!
Use it to make homemade baby food
Not only is this healthier for your little one, but the handy dandy jars of baby food you can buy in stores are often loaded with preservatives, sugar and salt – so making them from scratch is a better option!
You can control exactly what goes into the food.
Donate it
There are many milk banks that accept breastmilk donations for babies who can’t be fed by their own mothers. You won’t know where your donated milk will end up until after the donation process is complete, but if you’ve got enough stored away, just think about giving some of those precious ounces back to someone else in need.
Mix breast milk into baby cereal or oatmeal.
Why use water to mix up your baby’s cereal or oatmeal when you can use breast milk? This way your baby is getting the nutrition of breast milk and hey, it probably tastes way better!
Make Breast Milk Popsicles
Moms know that teething can be a real trial. Those little teeth can really make a baby’s gums sore.
All of that chewing and drooling means they need relief!
The best thing to give a teething baby is something cold to chew on, like a chilled wash cloth or a teething toy. But, did you know you can make popsicles out of breast milk which are even better?
All you need is a popsicle mold and some fresh breast milk (so technically, you aren’t REALLY using up leftover milk for this recipe, but it’s still a great way to use breast milk!) Baby will enjoy the cold on their sore gums and get some soothing breast milk at the same time.
Make a Breast Milk Bath
Some moms swear by using breast milk in their baby’s bath.
It’s a soothing, moisturizing and gentle way to care for your baby. Plus, it’ll make their skin extra soft! It may even help with dry skin or diaper rash.
Make Breast Milk Soap
Did you know you can make soap out of breast milk? It’s true! Check out the recipe here to get started making your own.
Turn Leftover Breast Milk Into Keepsake Jewelry
You may have heard that breast milk can be used to make a special kind of keep sake jewelry. This is such a beautiful way to memorialise your breastfeeding journey. You’ve put so many hours and so much effort into this, you deserve something beautiful to remember this time by.
Why You Might Have Leftover Breast Milk
It happens! You may feel like you’re not making enough at the start of your breastfeeding or pumping journey and your baby wants every drop. It’s hard to imagine having extra. But, it is very common.
You may find you have leftover breast milk when:
- baby doesn’t finish a bottle
- you thawed out too much milk for baby’s feed
- baby starts to wean and stops feeding as frequently
- you’ve pumped so much you don’t get to use it before it expires!
How Long Can You Store Breast Milk
The CDC provides up to date guidelines on how to prepare and store breastmilk and how long it keeps for. You can see their recommendations here. When it comes to important things like safe storage of breast milk, you should always refer to an authority like the CDC.
How To Minimize Wasted Breast Milk
It’s always heartbreaking when you have to see your pumped breast milk go down the drain. It feels like such a waste!
But, there are ways to help minimize wasted breastmilk from happening.
The best thing you can do is freeze milk in smaller portions. This has two benefits:
- You are less likely to waste a large amount of milk
- A smaller portion will defrost faster
It’s win win!
The Final Word on What to Do With Extra Breast Milk
If you have extra breast milk from pumping, don’t waste it! There are many ways to utilize your stored stash of breastmilk and turn those ounces into something useful. Whether you donate them or use some in the home for baby cereal or a soothing bath, there is no reason why any mother should be left with wasted breast milk. Let us know if you have any other ways you use leftover breast milk
