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Question
I know that the recommendation for breast milk is 1 yr in deep freeze. Can you tell me if the milk goes bad or simply loses it's nutritional value after 1 year. I have a lot of breast milk stored up and do not want to throw it away (100 bags+). Most of it is over 1 year old. Should I discard it or use it in cereal and in his cup? Thanks.
Dear Juliette,
First, congratulations for giving your son the best start in life by breastfeeding him! And you must have had a bountiful supply of milk to have frozen so much.
However, I'm sorry to have to tell you this about your frozen "liquid gold," but you really should not use this milk at all for your baby. As I wrote in my book (see below), while instructions are sometimes given for keeping frozen milk up to two years, long-term freezing alters the chemical composition of the milk. Furthermore, there is the risk of contamination if electrical power has been lost at any time over the past year and the milk thawed and refroze.
Since your son is over a year old, he does not need the breast milk for nutritional reasons -- whole milk should meet those needs -- and so, just consider the frozen milk like insurance. We pay our policies -- and are always happy when we don't need to collect. So all this time you had your back-up milk supply but didn't need it. You're still ahead of the game!
Best regards,
Sally
Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thanks so much for your comments. The insurance comparison was right to the point. It is unfortunate we need insurance these days, but as you stated we are always happy to have it when we need it. I am grateful I never needed to use it. He is a heathly 20 month old. Well at least this will free up space in my freezer for all of his new favorite foods. Thanks so much for your timely and friendly response. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Sally Wendkos Olds
Expertise
What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.
Experience
I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.
Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.
Other points of interest
I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding.
To find out more about me, go to
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