How To Use Expired Breastmilk And Surprising Secrets

Have you ever wondered what to do with the expired breast milk sitting in your freezer?  Don’t waste that liquid gold!  Here are some great uses for your leftover expired breast milk.

1. DIY Breast Milk Soap

SUPPLIES

1. 4 oz Coconut oil
2. 4 oz breastmilk room temperature
3. 1⁄2 teaspoon of honey
4. 1 Tablespoon ground oatmeal
5. 5 drops of Essential oils Lavender
   

STEPS

1. Get the coconut oil liquid at about 130F so as to not scorch the milk
2. Add in breast milk and stir
3. Add in honey and oatmeal whisk together
4. Add essential oil and stir
5. Place down milk
6. Pour the soap into the mold
7. Place soap in the fridge for a few hours
8. Let the soap cool and harden
9. Store in a container in the fridge until you are ready to use it on yourself or your baby

2. DIY Lotion

SUPPLIES

1. 100 ml grapeseed oil
2. 1 Tablespoon of beeswax
3. 3 drops of vitamin E oil
4. 4 oz of Breastmilk at room temperature
5. 5 drops of Essential oils Lavender

STEPS

1. Heat the oil and beeswax together until the beeswax is barely melted
2. Add Vitamin E oil and stir
3. Slowly pour in your breastmilk and wisp until it thickens
4. Allow to cool and thicken
5. This will stay good for 3 months and do not put it in the freezer

Another trick is to take non-scented lotion and add in breastmilk and 5 drops of
essential oil. This is easier than buying beeswax and Vitamin E oil that you might
not use again.

3. Healing Cracked or Sore Nipples

At the end of your breastfeeding session, you can leave a little bit of excess milk on your breast to help with healing. However, be aware that if you have a yeast infection or thrush they could make your nipples worse. Cracked and sore nipples can be a sign that your baby has a tongue tie. 

4. Breast Milk Bath

Just add a few ounces of milk to your baby’s bath. The milk will help with a lot of the
same things below: acne, diaper rash, eczema, etc. This is a great use for
expired milk that you can no longer feed your child.

5. Introducing Solids

This is great to add to baby oatmeal or rice cereal. If you are making your own baby food you can add a little bit of milk to give this new solid food Mama’s familiar taste to help with the transition.

6. Chapped Lips

Helps to reduce the cracking of your lips in the winter months. You can just spread a little on your lips fresh or let a little bit thaw out from your freezer. 

7. Blocked Tear Ducts

It is very typical for your babies to have blocked tear ducts in the first few months.  Just take a dropper and drop a few drops of breastmilk into your baby’s eye and rub lightly.

8. Ear Infections

Just take one drop of breastmilk and put it in your baby’s ear. The breast milk they are taking when breastfeeding along with the sucking motion will help the ear.

9. Pink Eye

Drop a few drops of breastmilk into your eye to help with the itching. However,
you still, need to go and see a doctor to get on stronger medication but breastmilk can help in the
short run.

10. Baby Acne

This is very common for new babies to have acne. It usually will clear on its own but do NOT pop the acne. It is not the same as teenage acne. However, if you want to help, take a new washcloth and dab a small amount of breast milk. Then just lightly pat the baby’s face and the natural ingredients will help to clear up your baby’s skin.

11. Eczema

If you have a winter baby they tend to have more dry skin, which can cause eczema. Breast milk can help ease eczema.  Just put a little bit on a washcloth or cotton ball. However, if your baby’s skin continues to have red dry spots visit your doctor. Your baby could have an allergy to food. I have heard that milk is very common for eczema.

12. Teething Relief-Breast Milk Popsicles

Take fresh breastmilk and pour it into tiny ice cube trays, or fill each section only halfway. Once frozen, place a cube into the EZPZ Baby-Led Gum Line Feeder. Babies love the cold relief, and they get a little extra milk at the same time. Always supervise your baby when using the EZPZ feeder.

13. Sick/Flu

If you or your baby are sick do NOT stop breastfeeding. Breast milk with its natural nutrients helps your baby build resistance and beat their cold. If your baby is breastfeeding their time of sickness should be cut in half. 

14. Diaper Rash

You can take a small dropper of breastmilk and put it on your baby’s bottom in between diaper changes. I will also put a little in their bath at night to help if they have a diaper rash. You will be surprised by the difference from one diaper change to the other.

15. Skin Rash

The same as a diaper rash for your baby, your milk will help with the spreading of the rash. Dab in a cotton ball or clean washcloth to the affected area and let dry. 

16. Insect Bites

These bites can include bee stings to mosquito bites that we all get each summer. Breastmilk can help reduce the pain, inflammation and irritation caused by the bite.

17. Sunburn

The cold properties of breastmilk and anti-inflammatory properties help with sunburn. Some women swear this is better than aloe vera and they enjoy the smell better too! 

18. Cradle Cap

When switching sides to feed your baby add a little bit of breast milk to the top of their head. Lightly rub their head with your fingers while they feed on the opposite side. This should speed up the process of the cradle cap going away.

19. Burns

Hopefully your baby does not have a burn. I know I burned myself on the oven and dabbed a little bit of breastmilk on the area and wrapped it in a bandage. I felt the cold and the natural ingredients helped my burn heal faster. 

20. Constipation/Diarrhea

Breast Milk is so much easier to digest. Therefore exclusively breastfed babies usually are never constipated. I noticed when we switched to cow’s milk, my son started to get constipated and had a harder time digesting cow’s milk.

21. Sleep Aid

If you are pumping your milk make sure you write down the time of day. Milk pumped in the evening has more melatonin to help aid in sleep than morning milk.  Melatonin is a hormone that will help your baby’s body play a role in sleep.  Melatonin is released from the brain when it is dark.  However, your milk in the evening also contains melatonin which is like an extra sleep aid such as when adults like oral tablets or capsules.