Returning to work does not mean stopping breastfeeding for your little one. By expressing breast milk, the baby can still get milk without the presence of the mother beside him. In addition to the milking pump and breast milk storage bottle, there is one more 'weapon' that a mother who wants to continue to give breast milk should have despite working, namelycooler bag breast milk.
Now cooler bag Breast milk has been widely sold with various colors, motifs, and shapes. Cooler bag This breast milk is usually protected by an insulating layer or styrofoam which can prevent outside air from entering so that the temperature inside the bag is maintained. Thus, breast milk will also be protected.
Cooler bag Good breast milk is generally made of three types of materials, namely a cold-resistant layer, a water-resistant layer, and an outer layer. A good waterproof coating is generally laminated cotton, PUL, or vinyl plastic. While the outer layer is the same as the waterproof layer or it can also be in the form of certain other materials, such as canvas.
Cooler bag Breast milk is very useful for working mothers who need a long time to travel from work to home. The quality of Expressed Mother's Milk (ASIP) stored in ordinary bags may decrease or even become unfit for consumption if it is not stored in cooler bag breast milk. To maximize and maintain the benefits of breast milk, check cooler bag Breastfeed your milk regularly to detect any rips or zips that are broken or not properly closed.
Other Equipment for Expressing Breast Milk
Besides cooler bag ASI, here are some facilities that should be accessible to breastfeeding mothers in the workplace:
- Clean and comfortable room for expressing breast milkSome offices provide a special room for expressing breast milk, complete with a refrigerator for storing breast milk. Meanwhile, in offices that do not yet provide a similar room, breastfeeding mothers usually use a prayer room or meeting room that is not being used to express breast milk.
- Breast PumpSome mothers feel more comfortable expressing milk by hand, but there are also those who choose a practical breast pump. Whether using a hand, a manual pump, or an electric pump, don't forget to wash your hands first before flushing.
- Plastic bottles or special breast milk bags
Pockets can be prone to tearing or leaking, especially if they are put in and carried around inside cooler bag breast milk. Therefore, you may be able to place the plastic in a tightly closed food container to make it more sturdy.
Avoid placing breast milk in single-use plastic bottles or plastic bags that are commonly used every day and are not specifically designed for breast milk. When choosing a breast milk bag or bottle, buy one that does not contain BPA or is labeled with a triangle with the number 7.
It's better to avoid glass bottles because there is a risk of breaking when you carry them inside cooler bag breast milk. Also make sure these storage containers are completely sterile. Label each bottle and write down the date and time the milk was expressed.
Storing Expressed Milk
Breast milk stored at room temperature can only last for at least 4 hours. If the room temperature is more than 25 degrees Celsius, the age of ASI can be shortened, which is about 2-4 hours. Therefore, to maintain quality, bottles containing breast milk are recommended to be stored in the refrigerator while the mother is working. But if your office does not provide these facilities, you can store breast milk in a breast milk cooler bag that is equipped with a bag containing cold gel or ice cubes.
Before carrying in the bag, store the gel bag overnight in the freezer. The gel bag will keep the cold air so that the temperature in the breast milk cooler bag also cools down. Breast milk stored in an insulated cooler bag, breast milk with ice cubes can last for at least 24 hours. This makes cooler bag as an alternative to save ASIP when the power goes out.
As knowledge, breast milk stored in the refrigerator can last for at least five days. Meanwhile, those stored in the freezer at minus 18 degrees Celsius can last up to six months under optimal conditions. Also keep in mind that the longer the storage period, the higher the risk of losing vitamin C content.
Expressing breast milk at work does require a long-term commitment, discipline, and spending more time alone. But many mothers are willing to go through these complexities in order to provide the best for their little ones. Because it requires its own time and space, it's a good idea for you to inform your superiors at the office.
Not only for babies, expressing breast milk is also beneficial for nursing mothers. Breasts that feel sore due to the need to express milk will subside after the milk is expressed. Expressing breast milk will also make the flow of milk more smoothly, so the baby can still suckle from the breast. This habit of expressing breast milk can be started at home before the end of maternity leave. That way, you can find out the best routine schedule for when breast milk is flowing smoothly.
