# Can I freeze milk pumped while on antibiotics?



## sunwise (Sep 16, 2010)

Hi all - I am currently taking keflex for mastitis. Is it safe for me to freeze the milk that I am currently pumping, knowing that there is some keflex in it? (Should I worry about there being mastitis bacteria in it as well?)

Thanks for any advice!


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## foreverinbluejeans (Jun 21, 2004)

I think it would be okay to freeze it. My thinking is if its okay to nurse while taking keflex it would be okay for a baby to drink a bottle of milk from when a mother would have been taking keflex. I wouldn't worry about bacteria in the milk as long as you fed the frozen milk as soon as you thawed it. Freezing in a home freezer doesn't kill all bacteria but it does stop bacterial growth. If there were some bacteria in the milk and the milk sat around it could possibly grow.


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## CheriK (Mar 18, 2003)

It shouldn't be a concern. Cephalexin (keflex) is only minimally secreted into milk, which is why it's considered a good choice for breastfeeding mothers. As far as bacteria, mastitis isn't always caused by a bacterial infection (a blocked duct can cause the same symptoms whether or not bacteria are present); it's usually "standard of care" to prescribe antibiotics whenever a breastfeeding mom presents w/ symptoms of mastitis because there's no good, reliable way to test if her symptoms are caused by bacteria or not. And if bacteria are present, most likely the bactera were introduced from baby's mouth or mom's skin, which means that both you and baby normally have them present and are already exposed to them, so feeding milk pumped during a breast infection isn't a concern. Your body, your baby's body, your milk are not sterile and shouldn't be. Bacterial levels in human milk actually decrease several hours after pumping (those bacteria aren't actually "in" your milk but are on the pump equipment or your body and get into the milk as you pump) since your milk contains active antibodies.


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## sunwise (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks for the responses! I ultimately did decide to freeze the milk, but I marked it so that I would know it was during the time I was on antibiotics. That is not so much for me, but I may end up donating my leftover freezer stash if I don't use it, and someone else may not want milk with antibiotics in it.


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