Storage bag questions

[yoyossupply]

I would like to start storing my EBM since I'll be going back to work soon, but I am on a very limited budget right now. I've seen where people say the use the disposable bottle liners for storage and they are definitely more affordable (you get like 100 for the same price as 25 of the branded breast milk storage bags). My question is how do you close the bags if you use the liners? If I remember correctly they don't have ziplocks. Please someone help!!! I want my daughter to have only BM for at least a year.

[Stephanie]

I suppose you could close them with a twist tie. The medela bags used to use those. I have always used the bags in the purple box. I would probably double bag the bottle liners because they are thinner.

[maabell]

I use the lanisoh bags and they are a good price on amazon.com. I got 100 for $23.

Make sure whatever you use is good for freezing.

[curiouslurker]

I dont believe the botle liners are freezer safe :(

[Anastasia]

bottle liners are not good for long storage, freezing. You may end up throwing your milk as it can go bad.
It is made of cheap plastic which does not protect your milk against the smell of other foods in a freezer.
You may wanna reade guidelines on storage first to avoid bad surprises later.
here is the information I found:

CHOICE OF A STORAGE CONTAINER

When a baby is only receiving expressed milk occasionally, the type of storage container is not a major consideration; however, if a baby is receiving most of his nourishment from expressed breastmilk, the type of storage container used should be considered carefully. Plastic containers are the best choice for storing breastmilk in the refrigerator as more of human milk's leukocytes or white cells adhere to glass. If the milk is to be frozen, glass is the preferred choice as it is less porous and offers the best protection. Most of the leukocytes in human milk are killed with freezing anyway. For this reason, milk that can be used within 8 days of expression should be refrigerated rather than frozen, because the antimicrobial properties of human milk are better preserved with refrigeration.

Another good choice for refrigeration or freezing is the milk storage bags that are designed specifically for human milk (see CSF milkbags). They are pre-sterilized and are thicker (2-ply), coated with polyethylene, and lined with nylon which prevents the fat from adhering to the sides. Hard plastic containers of any kind are also good choices for both refrigeration and freezing. Other milkbags, sold specifically as bottle liners, are not as durable, making them an unacceptable alternative when freezing the milk as the seams may burst during the freezing process perhaps causing a leak during thawing. Also, one study found that there was a 60% decrease in the milk's antibodies and a loss of fat that adhered to the sides of these bags. If this type of bag is still chosen, the milk can be better protected by placing the liner bags in a larger gallon size freezer bag or in a hard plastic container.

When milk freezes it expands, so it is necessary to leave about an inch at the top of the container to allow for expansion. For this reason, bottle caps or container lids should not be tightened until the milk is completely frozen.