Do You Reuse Breast Milk Storage Bags?

May 7, 2021

Written by Jo Charnock

May 7, 2021

Written by Jo Charnock

Your precious expressed breast milk needs to be stored safely. For this reason breast milk storage bags have become a mum’s go to storage solution. They are convenient, easy to use and very economical. However, you may be wondering ‘do you reuse breast milk storage bags?’ In this article we will talk about which breast milk storage bags are reusable, and how to reuse your breast milk storage bags.

Which breast milk storage bags can you re-use?

The only negative side to most breast milk storage bags is that most are not reusable. Please note that only the Cherub Baby Breast Milk Bags are reusable. Other majors brands including Medela, Pigeon, Avent and Swisspers are designed for single use only. Cherub Baby Breast Milk Bags are made from thicker and stronger double layered BPA free plastic that has been independently tested for re-use.

Using reusable breast milk storage bags means that you don’t have to keep buying more bags. This in turn means less waste for the environment. Plus they are more economical on your pocket.

Never store your breastmilk in plastic bags or food containers that are not specifically made for storing breast milk. You should only use breast milk storage bags or clean food-grade containers with tight fitting lids made of glass or plastic to store your expressed breast milk.

How do you reuse milk storage bags?

The Cherub Baby Breast Milk Storage Bags come pre-sterilised so you can use them straight away. To be able to reuse your breast milk storage bags they you need to properly clean and sterilise them after each use. This is very easy to do either by hand washing or popping them in your dishwasher.

By Hand Washing:

You can wash the milk storage bags by using a bottle brush with warm soapy water. Just follow these easy steps:

First open the Ziplock seal.
Then rinse out the initial milky residue.
Place the bag in warm soapy water and wash thoroughly. The wide opening should allow you easy access to be able to clean all the corners of the bag.
Use a bottle brush to clean the ziplock. This will help to avoid a residue buildup.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Finally leave the bag open in a steam steriliser.

Using Your Dishwasher:

First open the Ziplock seal.
Then place the milk bags upside down on the top rack of the dishwasher.
Finally leave the bag open in a steam steriliser.

You can read more about how to clean and reuse the Cherub Baby Breast Milk Bags here.

Breast Milk Storage

Is it safe to reuse breast milk bags?

It is only safe to reuse breast milk bags that are designed for re-use and only re-use them as directed. The Cherub Baby Breast Milk Storage Bags are made from thicker, more durable plastic which has been scientifically tested to ensure safe reuse.

On the other hand single use milk bags have a weaker material composition. Basically they are built for a single use and after that its likely they will deteriorate and certainly will not withstand multiple sterilisation cycles.

Always make sure you follow the directions provided by the manufacturer.

How many times do you reuse breast milk bags?

The latest Cherub Baby Breast Milk Storage Bags are designed for each bag to be re-used approximately 5 times. This means you can get 50 uses out of a 10 pack. If the bag is still in good condition after 5 uses it is possible to continue using it. However, always discard the bag when you first notice any signs of wear and tear.

But if you can reuse your breast milk storage bags you may be wondering how many you actually need. We give tips and advice about that here.

What are the benefits of reusable milk bags?

The benefits of using reusable breast milk storage bags include the following:

They are stronger than single use bags and do not leak.
Breast milk storage bags take up less space in your freezer than glass bottles or plastic containers.
They are 100% BPA free.
Reusable bags means less waste so they are kinder to the environment.
They are easy to carry with you.

These are the obvious benefits we can think of. Perhaps you can think of more?

Why do I need breast milk storage bags?

While breastfeeding is usually the easiest and most efficient way to keep your baby happy and healthy there may be times when you need to express and store your breastmilk. These situations may include the following reasons:

You are producing more milk than your baby is taking at each feed.
Your breasts feel ‘full’ and uncomfortable, which could lead to engorgement.
You want to store breast milk to use at a later stage.
Perhaps you have to go back to work and you can’t be there to feed your baby every time he or she is hungry.
You have a date night with your husband and the grandparents are babysitting.

The list of reasons for storing your precious breast milk is endless. But one thing is for sure, breast milk storage bags provide an easy and practical storage solution.

Finally

While most mums will be breastfeeding, it is a good idea to have some expressed breast milk on hand, just in case of an emergency. The easiest and most practical way to store your breast milk is by using breast milk storage bags. And if you can reuse them it’s an added bonus!

What are your thoughts or experiences of using breast milk storage bags? Let us know below!