Building up a freezer stash of breast milk can be tough when it comes to pumping, but freezing the breast milk isn't quite so complicated, right? In reality, it's not so much the act of freezing your breast milk that's difficult (thanks science), but keeping it frozen, making it accessible, and making sure you don't lose out on any precious milk. So when it's time to build your registry (or do a little post-baby shopping), you'll want to look for products to help freeze breast milk so you can build the ultimate freezer stash.
I know, you're already running out of room thanks to all the baby gear you've stockpiled. But trust me, these nine products are easy on the wallet, and they are all useful and worth having. Give yourself just a few days of trying to find a spot to freeze your pumped breast milk and you'll realize that being organized in the freezer isn't such a bad thing. Because breast milk can go bad in the freezer, you have to use the oldest milk first. When your storage technique is just to shove it all behind the ice cream and frost-covered vegetables, you could potentially lose your hard-earned stash and make a big mess of your freezer. Get pumped for your collection of frozen breast milk with these nine products and feel like a rock star when you look at your stash every time.
1
Breast Milk Storage Organizer
Trying to stack all of those bags of breast milk in your freezer can remind you of a game of Tetris, but it's also a total nightmare. This breast milk storage organizer ($12) from The First Years not only gives you a specific container to hold your breast milk, but it also freezes the milk flat so you can fit more into the container. Grab a couple of these, stack them up, and you've got the perfect place to store your milk.
2
Single Ounce Milk Trays
If you've ever pumped only an ounce of milk or used those little milk-saving bags to catch the milk you leak throughout the day, you've probably wondered what to do with such a small amount of breast milk. The Milkies milk tray ($20) is a great product that can not only freeze your breast milk, but can freeze it in 1 ounce increments. The container freezes the milk into a "stick," which can fit into any bottle opening and is perfect for when you only need a little bit of milk and don't want to risk wasting any of your precious bags.
3
Breast Milk Storage Bags
You need storage containers designed for breast milk like the Lansinoh breast milk storage bags ($7). Not only are they sterilized, but they also have a space for a date so you can always be sure of how old your frozen breast milk is.
4
Bottles
For major convenience, use bottles to store your breast milk in the freezer, like the collection and storage bottles from Medela ($27). All you have to do is thaw the bottle and replace the cap with a nipple and you're ready to go. It can also cut down on leakage without relying on plastic bags of milk.
5
Chest Freezer
Stockpiling a lot of frozen breast milk? Try a chest freezer instead of the freezer compartment of your refrigerator like the Danby chest freezer ($179). You won't have to lose precious space in your current freezer and you can make sure your breast milk is staying as cold as possible.
6
Freezer Thermometer
You can be sure your breast milk is staying at the proper temperature with this Taylor thermometer for the freezer ($6). It's also super beneficial if there's ever a power outage so you can track how warm it's getting before you have to intervene.
7
Large Ziploc Freezer Bags
To help minimize leakage and damage to your breast milk storage bags, pick up some large Ziploc bags like the Ziploc Double Zipper freezer bags ($14). You can fill these larger bags with your individual breast milk storage bags and write the month on the exterior bag. Now you can stack them up neater and make sure they're well protected.
8
Freezer Crates
For larger freezers, crates like the Honla plastic storage bins ($12) can help keep your breast milk organized and ensure that you will use the oldest milk in the freezer first. The bins are freezer-proof and perfect for filling up with your bags or bottles and stacking in a chest freezer.
9
Popsicle Trays
Even the smallest amount of milk can be frozen with the Munchkin click lock freezer pops ($9). These tiny popsicle trays can hold breast milk or breast milk pureed with fresh fruits and veggies and they are perfect for teething babies or little ones that want to cool off with something nutritious and nourishing.
