It’s finally here! My guide to plastic free breastmilk storage. Ever since I announced that I was pregnant, I started getting questions about how to store breastmilk plastic free. Now that I’m 9 months into breastfeeding my #lowwastebaby, I’m ready to share my top tips for how we’ve successfully avoided using plastic breastmilk storage bags!
Before we dive in, let’s start with the most important tip – you do what works for you. There are many obstacles we face when breastfeeding and not all of my suggestions will work for you. That’s totally okay! The best part about this guide (and all my resources) is that you can take in the information and then decide whether you want to try it! No judgment.
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Why avoid plastic when storing breastmilk:
In general, I avoid plastic as much as possible for health and environmental reasons. From the health perspective, the chemicals in plastic can leach into the food/milk stored in that plastic especially when the food/milk is heated. When we then consume the food/milk we (and our babies!) consume the chemicals. The chemicals, including BPA and phthalates, have been linked to many health issues, including endocrine disruption and cancer. It’s not good enough that most plastic containers and bags nowadays are BPA free- other bisphenols and chemicals are still present and still pose a danger to our health!
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From an environmental perspective, single use plastic is clogging up our waterways and our landfills. We use single use plastic for such a short period of time and yet it lives in our environment for hundreds if not thousands of years. And, because plastic never actually breaks down, rather it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, all plastic contributes to the massive problem of microplastics.
By storing breastmilk without using plastic, we can protect the health of our precious babies while at the same time protect our environment!
Let’s get to it!
Step 1: “Mise En Place” aka Setting Up
Grab your pump, all pump parts, a pumping bra (not necessary, but recommended for ease!), and storage container (see below for options).
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I use the Spectra S1 pump. I highly recommend getting a pump with a built-in battery, if possible. The cost of my pump was covered by insurance, but I paid extra for the S1 model. Having portability with my pump is a lifesaver so it was definitely worth it.
Step 2: Pump breastmilk!
Check out this converter that enables you to pump directly into a small mason jar! Be sure to order 2 sets so you can double pump!
Step 3: Transfer breastmilk into your plastic free container of choice
Top tip: In general, store milk in 2-4 ounce portions. This helps prevent waste and makes for quicker and easier thawing. You can always thaw more than one container, but once you thaw the milk, you must use it within 24 hours.
You have 3 options for plastic free storage containers:
Option 1: small mason jar (4 or 6 ounce)
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