Some of us moms may not feel comfortable breastfeeding in the public, and we choose to bring expressed breast milk out to feed baby instead. I was also one of them.

Defrost frozen breastmilk 

Assuming you've defrosted frozen breast milk the night before, pour the milk into a bottle. Depending on how long you will be out for, it's safe to place the bottle in a thermal bag with double insulation to keep milk cold for longer. 

If you have not defrosted any frozen breast milk, you can also quickly thaw them under warm running water. If you're using our oxo-biodegradable breastmilk bags, do not place them in a microwave or electric bottle warmer to thaw. 

If you already have some expressed breastmilk in the fridge, you can skip this step. 

Scenario:

Let's say you went on a walk with your baby in a stroller. You want to catch some brunch afterward to relax. You're in a cafe and it's time for baby to feed. It is safe for babies to drink cold breastmilk, but some may already be accustomed to only drinking warmed milk. 

How should you warm up expressed breast milk when out 

1. Hot water in a cup 

If you're in a restaurant or a cafe, it is convenient to ask for a cup (wide enough to fit baby bottle in) and hot water to warm up the cold breastmilk. Pour hot water in until the cup is half-full, and place the bottle in. To test if the milk has warmed up, squirt a few drops on the inside of your wrist to check that it's not too hot. 

2. Bring a thermos

For a more convenient method, bring a thermos (that can fit baby bottle in) containing hot water. Let's face it, a lot of the time, we won't be conveniently sitting in a cafe when baby needs a feed. By having a thermos, you can warm up your baby bottle anywhere. 

Brands like Philips Avent and Tommee Tippee make thermal bottle warmer, which is essentially the same thing as a thermos but specially designed to fit your baby bottles. 

3. Splurge on a portable bottle warmer

For $84.95, you can forget about bringing a thermos around. This portable baby bottle warmer is USB charged. When it's time to warm up the milk, simply screw the bottle (with the milk inside) onto the warmer and press the button to heat it up to a specific temperature. 

You will need to clean the warmer in between uses. 

If you're a new mum wondering what items to get to bottle-feed your baby, read our article for more details. 

We hope this post is helpful! For more on what your baby will need, you can see our range here. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more motherhood posts!