Mold, frozen milk, WWYD

[FlyingDumbo]

I really think I run into the most ridiculous problems. I am a worrier. Before you ask, I did call the pediatrician. She said she has no idea, but she would toss a week of frozen milk to be safe. She also said the likelihood of any issues from this is very small. She did not think necessary to bring the baby in unless he seems sick.

Heres the situation. I bought a dish drying mat on Fathers Day. Baby bottles all get washed and put on racks, but the CAPS have been on the mat. I wash them all about 3xs a day.I noticed last night the mat is moldy!!!! Now the caps have touched the milk. It gets pumped, bottled, capped, refrigerated sometimes overnight, and then a good shake (so milk touches caps) and poured in bags to freeze. So if the mold got on the caps, it could have gotten in the milk. Mold cannot grow in frozen milk, but spores lay dormant and can grow when milk gets thawed and make baby sick. Its unlikely but possible according to the pediatrician. My mom is a nurse, got an A in microbiology, she said the milk is probably all fine, but toss a week or two to be safe.

Doctor said toss about a weeks worth but admitted she had no idea. I was thinking of tossing back to July 1. I don't know how long the mold has been on the mat, I didn't notice it until last night. How many weeks back would you throw away?

I am definitely throwing away at least 1-2 weeks worth. But wondering if I should go back farther. I don't know how long the mold has been on the mat. My life is ridiculous.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Not something I'd give much thought to.

 

[HM]

Do you label your milk? The most I'd throw away would likely be the ones that were put together the day before you noticed the mold. I'd assume the mold was new at that point.

I also am not very concerned about mold on food. I cut off where the mold is and use the rest (cheese, rolls, tomatoes, etc). No one has become sick.

 

[wiigirl]

Not something I'd give much thought to.

Me neither.....

 

[Minnesota!]

wouldn't even cross my mind to throw any of it.

 

[FlyingDumbo]

PHEW! Thanks for the reality check. I am just being neurotic. I needed to hear it! Sometimes I have a hard time distinguishing an actual problem from something I have turned into one in my neurotic mind.

 

[scrapquitler]

Not something I'd give much thought to.

Same here. If it makes you feel better, toss out this week's milk and don't give it another thought. And from now on, hang the mat up to dry and circulate air thru it in between using it, and toss it in the washer every few days (or use a clean dishtowel and toss in the wash everytime you run a load).

 

[FlyingDumbo]

Same here. If it makes you feel better, toss out this week's milk and don't give it another thought. And from now on, hang the mat up to dry and circulate air thru it in between using it, and toss it in the washer every few days (or use a clean dishtowel and toss in the wash everytime you run a load).

Thanks, I tossed the mat and am going back to the dishtowels like before.

Sometimes I just need to hear it from someone else. But not my husband. Haha he always tells me I am going overboard. Patient man!

 

[debknight]

How old is the baby?

 

[laughinplace199]

PHEW! Thanks for the reality check. I am just being neurotic. I needed to hear it! Sometimes I have a hard time distinguishing an actual problem from something I have turned into one in my neurotic mind.

Welcome to motherhood! I'm a worrier too and I remember that every decision seemed like life or death when my first baby was born! It will get easier.

When my kids were on bottles, I bought a bottle drying rack that sat on a plastic tray (maybe The First Years?). The bottle caps, covers, and etc would rest on the tray so there was no risk of mold.

 

[scrapquitler]

Thanks, I tossed the mat and am going back to the dishtowels like before.

Sometimes I just need to hear it from someone else. But not my husband. Haha he always tells me I am going overboard. Patient man!

It's always better to hear it from someone other than the hubby, isn't it? I always try to live by the motto that my Mom did: "A little dirt isn't going to kill you" (assuming of course that you have a baby without any major health problems).

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Unless your kiddo has health issues already, I think you're fine, I agree with PP that if you really feel you must, then throw out any frozen milk from the day before you noticed the mold.

So funny story about my kids, we have 2 big dogs (lab and golden) and when my DD (12) was an infant, and started sitting in a high chair to eat Cheerios, pasta, whatever, I noticed that the dogs just hung around her chair all the time, made sense, babies aren't neat eaters and all. One day I noticed that she'd take a bite of pasta, then hold out her hand, dog would lick it clean, then she'd take another bite. I shooed them away, but it never stuck, and obviously, she's grown up just fine. When DS (10) came along, he continued the tradition.

So, yep, I'm that mom, but my kids are healthy, smart and don't have any issues from it. I won't tell you about the time I found her in the back yard with rabbit poop in her hand...

 

[DizBelle]

Unless your kiddo has health issues already, I think you're fine, I agree with PP that if you really feel you must, then throw out any frozen milk from the day before you noticed the mold.

So funny story about my kids, we have 2 big dogs (lab and golden) and when my DD (12) was an infant, and started sitting in a high chair to eat Cheerios, pasta, whatever, I noticed that the dogs just hung around her chair all the time, made sense, babies aren't neat eaters and all. One day I noticed that she'd take a bite of pasta, then hold out her hand, dog would lick it clean, then she'd take another bite. I shooed them away, but it never stuck, and obviously, she's grown up just fine. When DS (10) came along, he continued the tradition.

So, yep, I'm that mom, but my kids are healthy, smart and don't have any issues from it. I won't tell you about the time I found her in the back yard with rabbit poop in her hand...

Uh, eeeeewwwwww....

 

[dakcp2001]

How old is the baby?

Yes, how old? A newborn does not have much of an immune system. How old is the baby, is the baby sick at all now, and how old will the baby be when you serve said moldy frozen breast milk?

 

[dyna]

Also when Gsons was little I found mold on nipples where the nipple went up inside bottle and bottle caps from where they was not being dried good when washed......something I found totally disccusting an un acceptable even tho the mold was never touching the milk or juice.

I still like the towel method for drying dishes just throw in laundry when done clean one each time no mold nothing nasty.