Every pumping mama’s worst fear. Milk left on the counter too long; unthawed milk not being drank, a few extra unknown bags found in the deep freezer. I almost killed my husband (okay, an exageration) when he left 6 ounces of milk on the counter all night. I was an underproducer so seeing it in the morning was like a stab in my heart.
Luckily, there’s a lot of uses for breastmilk besides just drinking it. So you don’t need to (tearfully) dump that milk down the drain.
A quick note on excess lipase – If you’re milk is fresh and has been stored correctly, but has a funny or soapy smell, you may simply have excess Lipase, a normal enzyme that helps to break down fats in the milk. Too much lipase starts changing the taste and smell of the milk. Some babies will drink the milk just fine, others will reject it. Unfortunately, once the smell changes, there’s no going back. If your baby won’t take your high lipase milk, consider donating the milk to a milk bank or scalding the milk before you freeze it. Kellymom has a great article about high lipase if you think this is your problem.
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4 Useful Ideas for Expired Breastmilk
Baths
Breast milk is a great skin softener and may help with minor blemishes. Stir in a little at your child’s bathtime, or relax in your own milk bath. Make it extra relaxing by mixing in some fresh herbs or essential oils. This is great for milk that is just past best storage practices (never use moldy milk).
Freeze it
Freeze breastmilk into cubes to treat minor cuts, scrapes and bruises. Not only will the cold help to reduce swelling and inflammation, but breastmilk has great healing properties. Make sure not to lable correctly so it is not mixed up with milk intended for consumption.
Soap
Another way to enjoy milk during bathtime is by making homemade soaps. Amazon has some great soap making kits, like this custom melt and pour soap making kit, simply stir in a little breastmilk during the process. Alternatively, there’s a lot of great soap recipes on Pinterest as well.
Jewelry
This one is my favorite. There are many shops that will turn your milk into wearable art. Since the milk is not for consumption it doesn’t typically require refrigeration or a cold shipping process. How cool would it be to have a keepsake of this special time in baby and mama’s relationship?
I ordered mine from Hollyday Designs and love them. The ring I wear everyday, and the necklace I got for his baby book.
Being unable to use your own breast milk can be devastating, but luckily there are other uses for it other than throwing it away. Have you done any of these? Did I miss any good ones? Let me know in the comments below.
What website did you use to get your milk turned into jewelry?
I haven’t gotten my piece back yet, so I can’t personally vouch for the quality, but the reviews are all good. I went with Hollyday Designs. I got a pendant for my son’s baby book, and a ring for me.
Hello, Dec 2015- July 2016 seems like a really long turn around. Have you gotten your items yet? Are you pleased?
Shipping there takes a little extra time, and it depends on how many orders are in front of you, but yes, it took around 6 months to recieve me pieces. I love my pieces; my ring has held up really well as I wear it everyday.
Currently I’m eyeing this piece, but I haven’t ordered, so I can’t testify for the quality or timeframe.
http://www.sacredlegacyarts.com/dna-keepsake-jewelry/rachaels-wire-garden-wrapped-moon-stone
I have breast milk over 15 months in my deep freezer do you think I can still use it as a milk bath.?
I would go by the smell test. If it looks and smells okay, I would totally use it in a milk bath.
Can you use expired breast milk for pink eye?
If it’s been in the freezer for a while and still passes the smell/taste test, I would. But if it’s been sitting out and smells funky, I wouldn’t use it for this purpose.
Would you use The soap that you make from Amazon kit on baby? The other Ingredients are OK?
Can you use old breast milk for soap? I found a decent amount in the fridge (not the freezer) that’s probably 6 months old.
If it passes the smell test, it would probably be fine.
Can I use expired frozen breastfeed (5months old) milk for solids?