In a message dated 5/2/2005 4:45:09 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
What is the best way to store expressed milk for mothers hospitalized for
several days for medical or surgical care? Does there need to be a
designated refrigerator? Should the milk be taken to the breastmilk
refrigerator in the nursery? If so, should it be transported in a certain
way, or should the exterior of the bottles be washed? (some med/surg
departments have patients with respiratory infections)Should it be kept in
the nurse's food refrigerator? Or maybe the medication refrigerator? In the
US who provides the containers, the hospital or the parents? Thank you all
very much. Judy
As I am a Med/surg nurse, I have raised this question in my hospital, and
the answer I received was thus: The milk could be stored in the patient
refrigerator/freezer. We use sterile specimen cups for collection usually, or go
to OB and get some sterile water bottles, empty them out and put the milk into
them. We then put them into the ziploc style "biohazard" bags that we would
put lab specimens in with the patient's ID sticker on the bag. We of course
time and date them. This way they are stored cleanly in the fridge/freezer.
Although I have not been able to "break into" OB (as is my dream) I have
found ample opportunities to educate our nurses and doctors on the improtance
of continuing breastfeeding while mother is hospitalized. I have donated 2
copies of Medications and Mother's Milk to the pharmacy, and to our floor for
quick easy ACCURATE reference, and on proper pumping and storage. My proudest
accomplishment is that of now allowing BF moms to keep their babies with
them after surgeries so that the bf dyad is not interrupted. Our hospital is ok
with this as long as another family member (grandma, dad etc.) can stay too
to be responsible for the baby while mother is resting. We even treat them
to free meals with mother. I had surgery at the same hospital, and was
pleased that my daughter was able to be in my arms as soon as I was brought back
from recovery and she co-slept with me, as my mother stayed next to both of us.
In most instances, babies are allowed to stay with their mothers even if
ill with say pneumonia, because as we know, the antibodies have been passed to
baby long before mother was sick enough to require hospitalization, and I
have yet to see baby become ill during the stay. ( I wish the formula feeding
moms could see THAT!) I practice in a rather small community hospital that is
very open to new ideas...for that I am grateful, I hope to eventually sit
for the exam and become the FIRST on-staff LC at this hospital, but until
then, everyone comes to me first for bf information based on my CLC credential.
Hope this answers your questions and feel free to email me privately if you
like. I will check tomorrow and see if there is an actual Policy in the
procedure manual and if so, would be willing to share.
Renee Drake RN CLC
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