If you’ve built up a freezer stash of breast milk, you may eventually find yourself wondering what to do with it all. Whether your baby has outgrown the need for frozen milk, you’re nearing its storage limit, or you’ve simply accumulated more than you expected, there are several ways to put that milk to good use.
Frozen breast milk isn’t just for bottles. From feeding your baby in creative ways to donating it or using it for skincare and bath time, many parents find helpful uses for their extra stash.
Before tossing out that hard-earned milk, consider one of these ideas.
Key Takeaways
- Frozen breast milk can be used for feeding, donation, skincare, and bath time.
- Donating breast milk may help families in need.
- Breast milk can be incorporated into baby foods, smoothies, and frozen treats.
- Some parents use breast milk for common skin concerns.
- Always follow safe storage and usage guidelines for breast milk.
Can You Use Expired Frozen Breast Milk?
Before using frozen breast milk, make sure it has been stored according to current breast milk storage guidelines. The CDC recommends using frozen breast milk within 6 months for best quality, though it may be stored for up to 12 months. If the milk has exceeded recommended storage times, has an unusual smell or appearance, or you’re unsure whether it’s still safe to use, consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider before using it.9
Creative Ways To Use Frozen Breast Milk
Whether you add it to a recipe or use it to ease common ailments, check out these 10 things you can do with your leftover frozen breast milk:
Feeding and Nutrition Uses
Frozen breast milk can be used in more ways than a bottle. Many parents use their freezer stash to prepare nutritious foods and snacks for their baby.
1. Feed Your Baby When You’re Out and About
When you know you have extra breast milk and you won’t get engorged from pushing out a nursing session, take a bottle and some previously frozen breast milk with you and feed your baby. You can also bring a bottle along when you know your baby may need a feeding while you’re away from home. Then, once you get home, you can pump and freeze some fresh milk to use several months from now.
2. Use It in Ice Cream or a Smoothie
Breast milk doesn’t have to be consumed as a liquid. You can make ice cream from breast milk or blend it with fruits and vegetables for a delicious smoothie to feed your infant or even an older child! You usually have to pour a liquid into the blender to make it work properly, as it blends fruits and vegetables. So, instead of using water or whole milk, defrost some breast milk and pour it in for a healthier option for your child.
Related: Breast Milk Benefits: Why It’s Nature’s Perfect Food for Baby
3. Make Some Breast Milk Popsicles
Not only are these healthy, but they often provide relief to a teething baby. Whether you’ve mixed in some fruits or vegetables or kept it plain, many babies enjoy chewing on a breast milk popsicle during teething. You can even put breast milk ice cubes in a mesh fresh food feeder or a silicone feeder to help give your teething baby some relief.
4. Defrost Some Breast Milk To Use With Baby Cereal
If you already have frozen breast milk available, it can be an easy substitute for water when preparing baby cereal.3 And while mixing in some breast milk is beneficial to all infants, it can be an excellent idea for those who won’t breastfeed but will eat the milk in foods like cereal.
Related: How to Create a Breast Milk Freezer Stash
Share or Donate
If your freezer stash has outgrown your family’s needs, there are ways to share it with others or put it to good use.
5. Donate Your Extra Breast Milk
Some organizations accept frozen breast milk donations, making it possible to help other families while reducing waste. It doesn’t always need to be fresh, so you can donate frozen milk instead of throwing it away. However, be aware that the AAP cites potential safety risks associated with the informal sharing of breast milk.8 Contact local organizations such as La Leche League or your local hospital for more information on how you can donate breast milk and help families in need.
Related: Donor Breastmilk: Where to Get Some and How to Donate
Skincare and Comfort Uses
Beyond feeding, some parents use breast milk for skincare and other comfort-related purposes.
6. Make a Milk Bath
Breast milk does not always need to be used as food. As a source of vitamins, proteins, and fats, breast milk can be used in a milk bath.4,5 Giving your child a milk bath can be healthy and make for a fun photoshoot!
7. Use It To Treat Eczema
Does your child have eczema? If so, breast milk can help treat it.1,2 The fats and proteins in milk can leave your baby’s skin soft. Aside from using breast milk in a milk bath, you can use it to make lotion, soap, or chapstick to soften your baby’s skin and help treat their eczema.
8. Put It in Baby’s Eyes
Breast milk can also clear up your baby’s gooey, red eyes.6 Make sure it’s the right temperature and use it as eye drops. I’ve seen my infant’s eye go from swollen and red to perfectly normal in under 24 hours, so I’m telling you from experience! It’s harmless to your baby’s eyes and gets the gunk right out. It’s also much easier to wipe off your baby’s eyes than to rub them using water and a washcloth.
Related: Surprising Uses for Breast Milk: Healing Benefits Explained
9. Use It for Stuffy Noses
What if your child is congested, but you can’t understand all the ingredients used in saline drops? Just put a couple of drops of breastmilk to clear that congestion right out.7 It’s a much gentler liquid than saline and doesn’t come with a list of ingredients.
Uses Beyond Baby
Frozen breast milk may still have value even after your baby no longer needs it.
10. Benefits for Parents
Breast milk isn’t just for babies! You can use breast milk on your own skin or eyes, or even use it on an older child, to get the same benefits.
Building a freezer stash takes time, effort, and dedication. Whether you choose to feed it, donate it, or repurpose it in another way, there are many creative options that can help ensure your hard-earned breast milk doesn’t go to waste.
