# Centrifuging breast milk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208 "2014-08-10T03:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/1 "2014-08-10T03:28:06Z")
I’m trying to find the easiest way to centrifuge my wife’s breast milk, so we can save the fat from her extra milk to use for my daughter’s last bottle of the day (so she’ll sleep better). I’m thinking about getting a medical-grade centrifuge, but I also have a corded electric drill and a vitamix (commercial grade) blender. If I get a centrifuge, I’d like one that can hold the 50 ml test tubes, because anything much smaller would be time-consuming. I need some help finding a centrifuge that would hold that size tubes, though. The ones I’ve seen on ebay seem to hold only smaller sizes (I think). I’m open to rigging something up with my drill or blender, or just getting a centrifuge, but I hope to keep the cost under $500 or so. The cream doesn’t always separate out well, so this is all I’ve come up with. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/2 "2014-08-10T03:47:36Z")
You could just try collecting hindmilk for such a purpose. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/3 "2014-08-10T03:56:59Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > You could just try collecting hindmilk for such a purpose. Granted, your idea would work, but I am hoping for a little more fine-grained control over the cream-to-skim ratio. Hindmilk will vary in fat content day-to-day and over time as well. I appreciate the suggestion, though. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/4 "2014-08-10T04:47:00Z")
Do you have a top-loading washing machine? Spin cycle. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/5 "2014-08-10T05:01:53Z")
Is your wife lactating yet? Most women don’t need a centrifuge to remove the fat, they just need a refrigerator. Unlike homogenized cow’s milk, breast milk readily separates when you let it sit still and chill in a bottle or jar. The more opaque stuff on the top is the fat, the watery stuff more water and protein. You can skim off the top. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/6 "2014-08-10T05:13:10Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Do you have a top-loading washing machine? Spin cycle. I wish, but our apartment complex only has a central laundry area. Thanks, though. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/7 "2014-08-10T05:14:21Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Is your wife lactating yet? Most women don’t need a centrifuge to remove the fat, they just need a refrigerator. Unlike homogenized cow’s milk, breast milk readily separates when you let it sit still and chill in a bottle or jar. The more opaque stuff on the top is the fat, the watery stuff more water and protein. You can skim off the top. Hers doesn’t always separate that well. It’s unreliable in that way. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/8 "2014-08-10T05:14:57Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Is your wife lactating yet? Most women don’t need a centrifuge to remove the fat, they just need a refrigerator. Unlike homogenized cow’s milk, breast milk readily separates when you let it sit still and chill in a bottle or jar. The more opaque stuff on the top is the fat, the watery stuff more water and protein. You can skim off the top. Agreed. Also, centrifugation separates things based on density. Since fats are less dense than the rest of the milk the fats will accumulate at the top of the milk when centrifuged. Since you are not pelleting the fats I don’t know if centrifugation will speed up the accumulation of fats at the surface. Even if it does speed up the process it seems like a huge expense and hassle to do something that can be accomplished by placing the milk in the fridge for a while. Plus, by the time you get up and running, baby will be sleeping through the night. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/9 "2014-08-10T10:39:37Z")
Tie the bottle into the spokes of a pushbike ? turn the pushbike upside down… pedal by hand. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/10 "2014-08-10T12:32:18Z")
Just pick up a [cream separator](http://www.amazon.com/Cream-Separator-50L-H-Manual/dp/B0035QZ1G4) – it should do the trick ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/11 "2014-08-10T13:10:33Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Just pick up a [cream separator](http://www.amazon.com/Cream-Separator-50L-H-Manual/dp/B0035QZ1G4) – it should do the trick Do those work with really small amounts of milk? My wife only makes about 5 ounces at a time. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/12 "2014-08-10T13:13:07Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > Tie the bottle into the spokes of a pushbike ? turn the pushbike upside down… pedal by hand. I actually like this. I work out of town a lot though, I don’t know convenient it would be for my wife to do while she’s home by herself with the baby. We might try this, though. We already have an exercise bike in storage. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/13 "2014-08-10T13:34:59Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > I actually like this. I work out of town a lot though, I don’t know convenient it would be for my wife to do while she’s home by herself with the baby. We might try this, though. We already have an exercise bike in storage. As interesting as a question as this is…when you are not home, why can’t the baby just get milk from the tap, so to speak? Evening milk should be just what you want. Attempting to feed the baby an even higher % of milkfat than natural will probably lead to indigestion. Seriously. If your wife is able to nurse normally, just make it easier to snuggle in somewhere comfy with baby around 7 PM or so. How old is baby? When baby is ready for a little cereal or vegetable mush, give that before bed as the first feedings and go from there. Cite: Nursed babies for about 10 years, and 2 more to go.🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/14 "2014-08-10T14:33:54Z")
Don’t centrifuge at \> 3750 g.min, or it’s hard to resuspend the fat. > **[A method for standardizing the fat content of human milk for use in the...](https://internationalbreastfeedingjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4358-4-3)** > > Background Accurately targeting the nutritional needs of the early preterm infant is challenging when human milk is used due to the natural variation in energy composition. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a simple method for... ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/15 "2014-08-10T14:36:17Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > As interesting as a question as this is…when you are not home, why can’t the baby just get milk from the tap, so to speak? Evening milk should be just what you want. Attempting to feed the baby an even higher % of milkfat than natural will probably lead to indigestion. Seriously. > > If your wife is able to nurse normally, just make it easier to snuggle in somewhere comfy with baby around 7 PM or so. How old is baby? When baby is ready for a little cereal or vegetable mush, give that before bed as the first feedings and go from there. > > Cite: Nursed babies for about 10 years, and 2 more to go.🆒 She’s 1 month old, so solids are not realistic yet. As far as indigestion, the goal is to find the maximum fat % she can tolerate well, and use that. With my first child we gave formula for the last bottle of the night, but I’m trying to avoid that. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/16 "2014-08-10T14:39:45Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Don’t centrifuge at \> 3750 g.min, or it’s hard to resuspend the fat. > [A method for standardizing the fat content of human milk for use in the neonatal intensive care unit | International Breastfeeding Journal | Full Text](http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/4/1/3) Thanks, that’s good to know. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/17 "2014-08-10T15:00:16Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > Thanks, that’s good to know. That’s pretty low compared to most commercial centrifuges. However, I don’t know if it’s low enough to rig up something on your own. You mentioned a $500, which is more than enough to get your a lower-end lab centrifuge. They even sell them on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/18 "2014-08-10T15:07:08Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > That’s pretty low compared to most commercial centrifuges. However, I don’t know if it’s low enough to rig up something on your own. You mentioned a $500, which is more than enough to get your a lower-end lab centrifuge. They even sell them on Amazon. Actually I just got a Drucker 642E for $72.50 on ebay. It only holds 20 ml tubes, but that’s no biggie. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/19 "2014-08-10T15:27:50Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > Actually I just got a Drucker 642E for $72.50 on ebay. It only holds 20 ml tubes, but that’s no biggie. Please let us know how it works out! ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208/20 "2014-08-10T15:36:29Z")
Whatever you do, I hope it doesn’t make your wife dizzy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centrifuging-breast-milk/695208.md?page=2)