A Guide to: Neonatal Fridges

In the world of neonatal care, breast milk is often referred to as “liquid gold.” 

Its unique composition provides essential nutrients, antibodies, and growth factors, making it an indispensable source of nutrition for newborns. For premature infants or those facing health challenges, breast milk becomes even more vital. 

Breast milk not only supports healthy growth, but also fortifies an infant’s immune system, shielding them from infections and illnesses.

To ensure breast milk is properly stored and preserved after being expressed, specialised neonatal fridges, or breast milk fridges, are vital. 

The Importance of Breast Milk Fridges

For neonatal care units, where sick and premature babies spend their first few weeks or months, the proper storage of breast milk is of utmost importance. 

Breast milk fridges play a significant role in maintaining the quality and safety of expressed breast milk. They ensure that breast milk is kept at an optimal temperature to retain its nutritional value and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

Key Features of a Neonatal Fridge

Temperature Control & Stability: Breast milk fridges are designed to maintain a consistent temperature range, generally between +2°C and +4°C. This temperature range helps to preserve the nutritional integrity of breast milk while preventing the growth of bacteria that can occur at higher temperatures.

At CoolMed, our neonatal fridges are typically set at +3°C – the midpoint in the +2°C and +4°C temperature range. 

In accordance with NHS guidelines, expressed breast milk can be stored within a dedicated neonatal fridge for up to 8 days if refrigerated below +4°C.

Precise Temperature Monitoring: Advanced neonatal fridges are equipped with temperature probes to accurately monitor and stabilise milk temperatures. 

CoolMed breast milk fridges feature state-of-the-art iCool temperature probes as well as audible and visual temperature alarms. These alarms immediately alert healthcare practitioners of any major temperature fluctuations and help to ensure vital breast milk stock doesn’t become spoiled and go to waste. 

Uniform Cooling: CoolMed breast milk fridges utilise air-circulating ventilators, which ensure uniform distribution of cold air throughout the fridge interior. This prevents hotspots from occurring and ensures that all bottles or containers of breast milk receive consistent cooling.

Ample Storage Capacity: Breast milk fridges come in various sizes and configurations to suit the needs of different healthcare practices. 

If you’re looking to buy a neonatal refrigerator for your facility, make sure to choose one with ample storage capacity as breast milk fridges should never be overfull. Overcrowding can hamper air circulation and cause breast milk to become too hot and unusable. Products within a neonatal fridge should be methodically arranged with a 1cm gap between items to ensure proper cooling.

CoolMed neonatal fridges come in 3 different sizes:

• Small neonatal fridge – 59 litre net capacity (589 x 595 x 519mm)
• Medium neonatal fridge – 145 litre net capacity (595 x 595 x 820mm)
• Large neonatal fridge – 300 litre net capacity (595 x 650 x 1500mm)

User-Friendly Design: The design of CoolMed breast milk fridges includes an easy-to-use digital temperature controller with battery backup, adjustable shelves, and internal energy-efficient LED lighting. 

These user-friendly features enhance convenience for healthcare professionals, making it easier for them to store and retrieve breast milk as needed.

Our neonatal fridges also have built-in key locks to protect against unauthorised access. Upgrading to a combination lock further enhances security.

Hygienic and Easy to Clean: Our breast milk fridges are constructed using materials that are easy to clean and maintain, such as aluminium and plastic-coated wire shelves. All interior surfaces are smooth and resistant to stains, ensuring a hygienic environment for breast milk storage.

Storing Breast Milk

Breast milk storage fridges are essential components of neonatal care units, providing a safe and reliable means of preserving valuable breast milk. With their precise temperature control and hygienic design, these fridges are important tools in supporting the health and wellbeing of neonates.

Contact Us

At CoolMed we offer a next day delivery service on all our neonatal fridges, ensuring our products are available as soon as you need them. We also offer free fridge positioning and removal of product packaging, unlike other suppliers. 

If you’d like any further information on how to store breast milk, or would like to enquire about our range of breast milk fridges, please call us on 0161 772 5666, or email us at info@coolmed.co.uk. We’ll be more than happy to help.