Let's face it; in the Special Care Nursery(SCN) we can't taste the milk to
see if it's good.  We have to be more conservative because we are not
dealing with normal healthy newborns.  We don't even all recommend the same
storage containers.  Some nurseries don't culture milk; some nurseries do.
We don't store breast milk in containers with only nipples on the top. I
have seen this done at a Level 3 hosptial in a refrigerator with milk from
many moms.  It's too bad the bacteria and viruses don't make milk glow at
unacceptable levels. I have seen nurses more careful in the handling and
storage of formula than breast milk over the years. We need some guidelines
or it becomes a free-for-all. Home storage guidelines for healthy babies
should be different than for hospitalized babies because they are not as
vulnerable.
Liz Spannraft IBCLC RNC
Dan & Liz Spannraft