Glass vs plastic for milk storage

[Clarochka]

I am starting to pump milk and wanted to ask for recommendations on glass vs plastic bottles for milk storage as well as some of the brand recommendations. I have Medela breast pump, but I am fine if I have to pour the milk into a different bottle (so that the bottle does not fit Medela pump).

Thanks

[wellyes]

For freezer storage or for very short-term fridge storage? If you're going to pump for the baby to eat tomorrow, I'd just store the milk in the bottle he'll be drinking from. But if you're pumping regularly and are building a freezer stash, I recommend the Lansinoh bags, definitely. They never leak and take up very little room -- which is really important for the individual 2 oz. servings you'll want to be making. (Small servings to ensure as little goes to waste as possible).

[smiles33]

Ideally you'd use glass, which I believe is because the leukocytes don't cling to glass as much as they do with plastic. However, practically speaking, most people don't have the space to store 200+ oz of breastmilk in glass in the freezer.

The milk bank where I donated 600+ oz wanted me to use glass storage but I didn't have the room so they just gave me the Lansinoh bags.

I did store breastmilk that would be used within 3 days in glass bottles. I later transferred to BPA-free plastic bottles for my DDs (as their daycare center doesn't allow glass bottles).

HTH!

[tmphilo]

Lanisoh bags for the freezer stash. These are my favorite. I have tried Medela and First Years and had leaking issues. I also use the First Years milk storage organizer for keeping the milk bags together in the freezer.

[lizzywednesday]

I've been fine with the Medela bags myself and freeze the milk immediately because I only pump 1x/week while I'm in the office. Frozen milk just travels better when you're driving 75 minutes home!

If I have to pump at home, I pump into plastic (BPA-free) bottles that we got from the hospital before DD was discharged and divvy it up into smaller portions in the baggies to freeze.

[BabyBearsMom]

If I am just pumping for the next day, I use the plastic Medela bottles that came with my pump. But on Fridays, I always freeze the milk. I use the Medela bags that you can pump directly into (they have little plastic things that go over the pump so they hang right on it). I've never had a leaking problem but I do close them very carefully. I would hate to lose even a drop of my hard earned breast milk!