Permission to post: a mother who is exclusively using donor milk for her 2 week old infant due to double mastectomy asked me about using milk that has minute holes in the bag that are only discovered as the milk thaws.  These small tears occurred during transfer of milk to other freezers during hurricane Irene.  The milk had been stored in a chest freezer and mom thinks when they grabbed bags of milk to store elsewhere in a hurry, the damage to some bags occurred.  She's wondering if she needs to discard this milk?  The dilemma is that she can't separate them from intact bags since she doesn't see the hole or tear until milk leaks from bag during defrosting.  Understandably, she doesn't want to discard the milk unless absolutely necessary.  

Thoughts, anyone?  I'm unsure of any absolutes with this and wonder about the risk/benefit ratio in regard to later formula use when she runs out of milk.  Also, she questioned if there's any research about using milk that has been frozen for over a year in a deep freezer chest.  Someone's recent post about this, too, hasn't received any responses yet either.  Thank you.

Barbara Latterner, BSN, RN, IBCLC




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