Breast milk has always been exclusively used to feed babies. Any other uses besides this might be considered taboo or even sacrilegious, depending on certain cultures. Despite this, many have started to recognise the benefits of breast milk beyond its use as infant food. Many people mistake this use as attention-seeking, when it’s actually just a way to save money and reduce wastage. After all, some women naturally end up producing more breast milk than others. Sometimes much, much more than what their own baby needs. You may be one of these women and you may be feeling bad about dumping all your surplus down the drain. But before we explore how you can creatively use breast milk, let’s look at some of its benefits, shall we?
Benefits of Breastmilk
Breast milk is not only rich in macro- and micro-nutrients but also packed with wonderful ingredients. Breastmilk is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and contains various growth factors that assist with wound healing. These properties make it an ideal ingredient for use in home remedies and healing treatments. Breast milk has been used for centuries to treat irritation, infections, cuts, scrapes, and other inflammatory skin conditions and injuries.
So, to use is simply as food would be a waste—especially if you just end up throwing it all away. Not all women produce the same amount of breast milk. While some struggle to express, others make more than what their babies actually need. Often stockpiling dozens of bags in the freezer. Some mothers end up either throwing it away, or donating it to other mothers in need. But if you’re not donating it, you should at least make use of its healing properties—both for yourself and your baby. Ideally, you should be using breast milk that’s almost close to its expiry date. Here are the general guidelines for when to use breast milk.
Freshly expressed or pumped
- room temperature breast milk: 4 hours
- refrigerated breast milk: 4 days
- frozen breast milk: 6 months – 1 year
Thawed, previously frozen
- room temperature breast milk: 1 hour
- refrigerated breast milk: 1 day
- never refreeze breast milk after it has thawed
Leftover from bottle-feeding
- within two hours – do not refrigerate or (re)freeze
As you can see, breast milk has a short shelf life, especially once it’s thawed and leftover from feeding. So, if you’re a bit more open-minded about how you use your surplus, here are some creative ways to use leftover breast milk.
How to Use Leftover Breastmilk
Skin Allergies
Babies are so sensitive to their surroundings, and any pollutants or irritants in the air can quickly trigger an allergic reaction. But breast milk may just be the unlikely cure. If you’ve run out of hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotions, you may try using some breast milk instead as a topical treatment for eczema, diaper rash, heat rash, contact dermatitis and even hives.
Ear and Eye Infections
Some studies have shown that breast milk is antibacterial which means it can be used to treat a variety of infections. So, if your baby has an infected ear, pink eye, sinusitis, congestion, clogged tear duct, fever, try and use some breast milk. It may just work wonders. Either squeeze a few drops into their eye, ear or nostril, and that ought to do the trick.
Cuts and Scrapes
As previously mentioned, breast milk is both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. The growth factors in breast milk also accelerates wound healing. This means it’s a great treatment for cuts, scrapes and any other small injuries that you or your baby may experience from time to time. This can include everything from circumcision wounds, cracked and sore nipples, mosquito bites, or even insect stings.
Acne
Breast milk’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties also make it an excellent pimple-fighting ally. It can shrink those comedones and even prevent new ones from coming out. And as we all know, many women may struggle with acne during their pregnancy. So, if you’ve already started expressing, it may not be a bad idea to try some breast milk as an impromptu acne treatment.
Skin Concerns
Breast milk is also said to contain an abundance of moisturising, anti-aging and skin-nourishing ingredients like palmitic acid, oleic acid, vaccenic acid and linoleic acid. This means adults can also take advantage of the magic of breast milk.
Hair Care
As much as breast milk can benefit skin health, it can also be used to benefit your hair. The growth factors in human breast milk may actually help with hair loss or lacklustre hair as a result of pregnancy or post-pregnancy hormone shifts. So, if you’re feeling like your locks need a pick me up, you may consider making a hair mask from breast milk. Alternatively, you may consider adding a few drops into your shampoo or conditioner.
Breast Milk Home Remedies
There are many non-traditional uses of breast milk. People put them in cookies and smoothies, others even use them in cooking. But due to our Malaysian taboos and superstitions, some mums may not prefer to use breast milk in this way. However, this doesn’t mean that leftover breast milk can’t still be used in ways that respect and align with your cultural and religious beliefs. So, consider trying out these breast milk hacks today, mummies. After all, there are very few opportunities in your life that you get to try out these home remedies. Who knows, they may just be the miracle cures you’ve been looking for.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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