I am sorry I haven’t posted all week. I have just collapsed from being pregnant tired. I hope this cycle will end soon, especially as I am past my third trimester. So, please just bear with me….

BUT, I did get this email from Medela yesterday. As many of you know, the NYTimes did an article about possible lead contamination in their storage bags. Their representative emailed me this: We are foremost concerned with the health and safety of mothers and babies and will continue to investigate claims sent by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH). Test results cited in the NY Times article were not provided to Medela, so Medela is unsure as to what results relate to our cooler bag liner.  We have tested the cooler carrier liners for lead and the results were far below US (CPSC) and European (EN-71) standards for infant products.  We believe our products are safe. We are advising moms who are concerned or uncomfortable using this cooler carrier, to return it to Medela.  We will exchange it for an alternative cooler carrier as soon as one becomes available. Medela will pay for postage.  Consumers should call the customer service line (1-800-435-8316) to make postage arrangements.

The cooler carriers can be shipped to:
Medela, Inc. Breastfeeding U.S.
1101 Corporate Drive
McHenry, IL  60050

I am sending mine back this week. Meanwhile, here is an older post I did that seems like it might be a good refresher for me and may be helpful to some of you out there.

So, as I was checking to make sure some milk I put into the fridge was still good, I did a search on the internet. Interestingly, LLL (La Leche League) and Medela post different storage times for freshly expressed milk…otherwise they are similar. I keep freezing my milk, but now that I know it can last in the fridge for a week, I am going to keep more of it in the fridge.

This is from La Leche League:

Storing milk in 2-4 ounce amounts may reduce waste. Refrigerated milk has more anti-infective properties than frozen milk. Cool milk in refrigerator before adding to frozen milk.

Human milk can be stored at room temperature (66-72°F, 19-22°C) for up to 10 hours in a refrigerator (32-39°F, 0-4°C) for up to 8 days in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 2 weeks in a freezer compartment with a separate door (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 3 to 4 months.in a separate deep freeze (0°F, -19°C) for up to 6 months or longer. What Type of Container to Use

Refrigerated or frozen milk may be stored in: hard-sided plastic or glass containers with well-fitting tops freezer milk bags that are designed for storing human milk. Disposable bottle liners are not recommended.

How to Warm the Milk
Thaw and/or heat under warm, running water.
Do not bring temperature of milk to boiling point.
Gently swirl milk before testing the temperature. Swirling will also redistribute the cream into the milk. (It is normal for stored milk to separate into a cream and milk layer.)
Do not use a microwave oven to heat human milk.

Thawed Milk
If milk has been frozen and thawed, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours for later use. It should not be refrozen. It is not known whether milk that is left in the bottle after a feeding can be safely kept until the next feeding or if it should be discarded.

The above chart is from Medela

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