Breast milk is often referred to as “liquid gold” due to its unparalleled nutritional benefits for infants, providing essential macronutrients, antibodies, and immune-boosting properties. However, in certain cases, fortifying breast milk may be necessary to meet a baby’s specific nutritional needs. With services like BoobieJuice.com, parents can transform their frozen breast milk into a shelf-stable, nutrient-dense powder that can be used to fortify feedings. This article explores when and why fortification might be needed, how to use nutritional testing to create a fortification schedule, and how to safely fortify breast milk using freeze-dried powder processed by BoobieJuice.com.

For immediate support for NICU Nutritional Fortifying contact BoobieJuice’s team at 602-456-1492 or email ilove@boobiejuice.com for VIP timely support.

Does Human Breast Milk Typically Need Fortifying?

Human breast milk is naturally designed to meet the nutritional needs of most infants, offering an ideal balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and immune factors. For the majority of healthy, full-term babies, breast milk alone is sufficient without additional fortification. However, certain situations may require fortification to ensure adequate growth and development, particularly for:

• Preterm or low-birth-weight infants: Premature babies often have higher caloric and nutrient needs to support rapid growth and development, which native breast milk may not fully meet without supplementation.
• Infants with medical conditions: Babies with conditions that increase caloric expenditure (e.g., certain metabolic disorders) or those recovering from illness may require additional calories or nutrients.
• Infants showing poor weight gain: If a baby is consistently dropping percentiles on growth charts, a pediatrician may recommend fortification to boost caloric intake.
• High-lipase milk concerns: Some mothers produce milk with high lipase activity, which can cause a soapy or metallic taste over time in frozen storage. Freeze-drying halts lipase activity, preserving flavor and nutrition, making it an ideal base for fortification.

Fortification is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Unless a pediatrician or healthcare provider identifies inadequate growth or specific nutritional deficiencies, breast milk typically does not need fortification. Always consult with a medical professional before making changes to your baby’s feeding regimen.

When to Fortify Breast Milk with Guidance from a Doctor or Nutritionist

Fortifying breast milk should be a medically supervised process, as improper fortification can lead to imbalances in nutrients or digestive issues for the infant. Here’s when and how to seek professional guidance:

1. Consult a Pediatrician or Nutritionist: If your baby is not gaining weight adequately, is preterm, or has a medical condition, your pediatrician may recommend fortification. A nutritionist or lactation consultant can provide tailored advice based on your baby’s needs and your milk’s composition. For example, Milkify’s fortification program emphasizes collaboration with healthcare providers to ensure safety and efficacy.
2. Assess Nutritional Needs: A doctor or nutritionist will evaluate your baby’s growth metrics, such as weight, length, and head circumference, to determine if fortification is necessary. They may recommend increasing the caloric density of breast milk (e.g., from a standard 20 kcal/oz to 22–24 kcal/oz) to support growth.
3.  Consider Insurance Reimbursement: BoobieJuice.com notes that it can be difficult to obtain coverage and some health insurance plans may cover some costs related to breast milk fortification, storage, or nutritional testing. BoobieJuice is both FSA and HSA eligible and can be paid for using your accounts.
4. Monitor Baby’s Response: Fortification can sometimes cause digestive discomfort, such as gas or diarrhea, especially if formula is used. If using freeze-dried breast milk powder, the risk of intolerance may be lower since it’s derived from your own milk. However, any changes should be monitored closely with your healthcare provider to ensure the baby tolerates the fortified milk.

Using Nutritional Testing by BoobieJuice.com to Create a Fortification Schedule

BoobieJuice.com offers nutritional testing to analyze the macronutrient content (calories (kCal), fats, proteins, carbohydrates (Lactose), Inorganic salts, moisture levels and overall milk density) of your breast milk as a baseline and secondary testing of your freeze dried powder. This testing is critical for creating a personalized fortification schedule to meet your baby’s specific caloric and nutritional needs. Here’s how to leverage this service:

Understand Your Milk’s Composition: Breast milk’s nutritional content varies based on factors like the time of day it’s expressed and your diet. On average, breast milk contains about 15- 20 kcal/oz, but this can fluctuate. BoobieJuice’s Breast milk testing provides a detailed breakdown of your milk’s macronutrients, allowing you to understand its baseline caloric density.

Develop a Fortification Schedule: With  the nutritional analysis, BoobieJuice along with your pediatrician or nutritionist can create a fortification recipe. For example, if your milk tests at 20 kcal/oz and your baby needs 24 kcal/oz, BoobieJuice can provide the calculated amount of freeze-dried breast milk powder to increase the caloric density.

Example Fortification Schedule:

• Baseline: Your milk tests at 20 kcal/oz, and your baby needs 24 kcal/oz. 
• Action: Add approximately 3.4 grams of freeze-dried breast milk powder per ounce of liquid breast milk to increase caloric density.
• Frequency: Fortify all bottles or specific feedings (e.g., 2–3 bottles per day) as advised by your doctor.
• Monitoring: Track your baby’s weight gain and tolerance weekly, adjusting the schedule as needed.

How to Fortify Breast Milk with Breast Milk Powder

Rehydrate Safely: Each BoobieJuice pouch includes breast milk rehydration instructions tailored to your milk’s composition. To fortify, add the powder to expressed breast milk or solid foods, ensuring thorough mixing to avoid clumping. Use purified water and pre-sterilized bottles, and follow CDC guidelines for safe handling, especially for premature or immunocompromised infants.

Ongoing Adjustments: Nutritional needs change as babies grow. Regular follow-ups with your healthcare provider can help adjust the fortification schedule based on growth progress or changes in your milk’s composition.

BoobieJuice.com’s freeze-drying process transforms your frozen breast milk into a shelf-stable powder that retains its original macro nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and immune factors. Here’s a step-by-step guide to fortifying with their powder.

1.  Send Your Milk to BoobieJuice: Ship or drop off your frozen breast milk in pre-sterile storage bags to BoobieJuice’s cGMP-certified facility in Tempe, Arizona. Their contactless, bag-for-bag processing ensures your milk is never pooled or exposed to equipment, maintaining purity.

2.  Receive Your Powder: BoobieJuice processes your milk into single-serving “On the Go” pouches or larger “At-Home” pouches, each labeled with custom rehydration instructions and provides your macro nutrient analysis along with kCal rates . The powder is shelf-stable for up to 3 years without refrigeration and good for 1 month after opening and resealing the pouch. Your order will be return shipped or available for pickup.

Benefits of Using BoobieJuice.com Freeze-Dried Powder for Fortification

• Preserves Nutrients: BoobieJuice’s gentle freeze-drying process retains nearly all macronutrients, antibodies, and probiotics, unlike freezing, which can degrade fats and vitamins over time.
• Convenience: The powder is lightweight, travel-friendly, and requires no refrigeration, making it ideal for on-the-go feeding or daycare.
• Customized Fortification: Nutritional testing allows for precise fortification tailored to your baby’s needs, avoiding the guesswork of commercial fortifiers.
• Halts Lipase Activity: Freeze-drying stops lipase enzymes, preserving taste and aroma for babies sensitive to high-lipase milk.
• Space-Saving: Powder takes up to 90% less space than frozen milk, freeing up freezer space and reducing waste.

Conclusion

Fortifying human breast milk with freeze-dried powder from BoobieJuice.com offers a convenient, nutrient-preserving solution for parents looking to meet their baby’s unique nutritional needs. While breast milk is typically sufficient for most infants, fortification may be necessary for preterm babies, those with medical conditions, or those struggling with weight gain. By leveraging BoobieJuice’s freeze dried breast milk services along with their nutritional testing, parents can work with their pediatrician or nutritionist to create a tailored fortification schedule, ensuring precise caloric increases (e.g., from 20 kcal/oz to 24 kcal/oz). With careful handling and medical oversight, BoobieJuice’s freeze-dried powder can enhance your baby’s diet while maintaining the unparalleled benefits of breast milk.

For more information, visit BoobieJuice.com to explore their services, request a nutritional test kit, or contact their team for personalized support 602-456-1492 or email ilove@boobiejuice.com

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting fortification to ensure the best outcomes for your baby.