Re-Heating EBM

Sorry, re-heating is forbidden, you need to chuck it.

You don't have to chuck it. I have re-used ebm before, you do have to chuck it though if they don't take it at the next feed. I only did this once or twice but it's a personal thing. EBM is NOT like formula and doesn't tend to colonise bacteria the way formula does.....ebm has antibacterial agents...thus why it is great at treating things like conjunctivitis.

Kellymom info on reusing ebm

I was told it needs to be chucked, it can be left out for 4 hours after expressing or heating it for them, then needs to be chucked. You've put it back in, was it straight away? It might be alright, just have a look at it and see if it looks normal? I find sometimes they look a bit off after a couple of days.

mumtooboys wrote: You don't have to chuck it. I have re-used ebm before, you do have to chuck it though if they don't take it at the next feed. I only did this once or twice but it's a personal thing. EBM is NOT like formula and doesn't tend to colonise bacteria the way formula does.....ebm has antibacterial agents...thus why it is great at treating things like conjunctivitis. Kellymom info on reusing ebm

I agree. I've reheated EMB several times before with no ill effect to bubs. Only thing is with each reheating it supposedly loses some of it's 'goodness' (came reason you're not supposed to heat it in the microwave).

I spend far too much time expressing tiny amounts to get enough for a feed to chuck it if Miss Fussy decides she doesn't want to drink from the bottle

Sorry but I would chuck it too. Once its been drunk from, it might have got baby's saliva in it too which can breed bacteria.

Thanks for all the replies

I made an executive decision, and gave him the bottle. He'd only had a couple of mouth fulls out of it and had only been out the fridge about 30mins. I think maybe if it was only a little bit left (hence more chance of lots of saliva in the bottle) I wouldn't have bothered, but he'd hardly touched it.

I did this a couple of times too, back when DD would take a bottle. The only thing to be careful of is if it's not enough for a full bottle, feed them the "old" bit first, then heat some new stuff up in a clean bottle. Otherwise if they don't finish the bottle you'd have to throw the lot out as some of it had already been reheated twice. Also, if it had been all night since I last offered, I'd probably chuck it. I think the Kellymom stuff I read said it was ok as long as you offered it again within about 4 hours.

Oh glad I read ths thread!

Very useful now that I am needing to use EBM more and more for when his Dad takes him for the day or something. And seeing how it takes me eternity to express a full feed worth, it's good to know it doesn't need to be wasted if Mac won't take it first time around. YUSSSSS!!!!

can i make a suggestion ??

How about halfing the milk before the feed.. if baby wants more you can always heat the other portion still in the fridge and offer more ..

thats what i started to do It was heartbreaking tipping it down the sink after expressing for more than half an hour

Good Luck Mama