Breast Milk Storage Routine

What you'll need

Baby positioned where they can see parent's actions — in a bouncer, on a play mat, or being held. Have expressed breast milk and storage containers ready. Ensure baby is calm and alert.

How it works

1. 1~30s

   Start by showing your child the bottle or container of expressed milk. Hold it where they can see it clearly and say something like, 'Look, your child, this is your milk!' Then slowly pour it into a storage container. Watch their eyes — does your child follow the milk from one container to the other? Does they seem to notice the liquid moving? Tell me what you observe.

   Watch for: Baby visually tracks the movement of milk from one container to another.

2. 2~35s

   Now take the storage container and show it to your child. Point to where you write the date and say, 'Today is Tuesday, so I'm writing Tuesday on your milk.' Make your movements slow and deliberate. Notice if your child watches your hand as you write. Does they seem interested in the container now that it has milk inside? Does they look back and forth between your face and the container?

   Watch for: Baby shows attention to the labeling routine, watching parent's actions with interest.

3. 3~30s

   Now slowly place the labeled container in the refrigerator or wherever you store milk. As you close the door, say, 'Bye-bye milk! See you later!' Watch your child's reaction. Does they look toward where the milk disappeared? Does they seem to understand it's still there even though they can't see it? Even a brief continued gaze at the refrigerator door shows early object permanence.

   Watch for: Baby continues to look toward where milk was stored after it disappears from view.

What this develops

• ◆Milestone
  Feeding Anticipation

  Socialprimary

Visual example