Good questions! We have answers

Ceres Chill is so simple, it can seem complicated

This compact Chiller uses a minimum of parts to accomplish everything! Rather than perusing the FAQ below, you may simply want to check out our User Guide to better understand all the ways you can use it and how easy it is to clean.

FAQ

Does Ceres Chill work with all major breast pumps?

Yes! Ceres Chill is compatible with these major pumps without an adapter: Medela, Evenflo, Ameda, Ardo, Gland, Kidstime, Nibble, Babysteps, Bellema

With our adapter available for purchase, Ceres Chill works with Spectra 1 & 2, Baby Buddha, Cimilre, Motif by Aeroflow
If you have a Lasinoh or Hygeia, please reach out to us so we can make sure we get you a special adapter to accommodate these pumps
Pump into hands-free containers and safely store in the Chiller: Freemie, Elvie, Willow
If you don't see your pump listed here, please reach out to us so that we can confirm whether you need an adapter and to make sure we get you what you need

Why use Ceres Chill?

Say goodbye to "pump and dump!" We don't want to see more breastmilk going down the drain because moms can't store their breastmilk on the go! Coolers are unreliable, require advanced freezing and only last for 6-8 hours. How can we possibly do everything we need to do in that short amount of time?!

There are more and more portable pumps coming to the market and we provide a portable breastmilk solution! Ceres Chill also provides you with versatile, longterm use and a breastmilk storage solution that you are proud to have on your desk, nightstand or tucked in your gym bag.

COST SAVINGS: This is a incredibly high quality bottle that makes life a million times easier for moms and in some cases it is really the only way some moms can feasibly continue breastfeeding or transport their milk. This is particularly true for moms who travel a lot for work and women who have difficult environments to contend with and no access to fridges for extended periods - pilots, soldiers, realtors, postal workers).

These chillers are not disposable like the coolers that end up in the trash more often than not and they last more than twice as long. Not to mention, the time can be renewed with just a handful of ice. You use this chiller like the best water bottle and thermos you have ever treated yourself to.

These chillers are comparable in price in many ways to the traditional options but they are sustainable and higher quality. Coolers range in cost from $18-$250; Medela Storage system is about $34; Mini fridges for offices or bedsides are typically $90. Ceres Chill pretty much replaces all of these and costs $86. I honestly had to dump my milk on every long work trip because of complications with TSA but all that headache ended with Ceres Chill.

How is Ceres Chill different from a regular thermos?

Ceres Chill is designed by a pumping, working mom for pumping, amazing, hardworking moms. This means it has all the compatible threading to connect your pump directly to the Chiller so you can pump into it. You get convenience and peace of mind knowing you are not needlessly risking contamination.

Also, thermoses can't keep freshly expressed breastmilk at a safe temperature. A regular thermos can keep milk cold or keep coffee hot but Ceres Chill safely and reliably changes the temperature so you can pump directly into the Chiller, bring the temperature down to a safe level and keep it there for over 20 hours!

Can I use a hands-free bra?

Yes! Ceres Chill assembles with all that you need to double pump with a hands-free bra. With each Ceres Chill, you get one lightweight 12-ounce Milk Chamber (it weighs less than an 8 oz capacity plastic bottle) that connects directly to your pump and another light 3-ounce capacity chamber which doubles as the Cup so you can easily pump both sides without bringing a ton of extra plastic in a cooler with you everywhere you go.

Here's a diagram of the parts and how they go together

Do I need more than one chiller?

Lisa, our inventor, designed the chiller in a way that a regular breastfeeding mom would only need the one chiller to carry the breastmilk that she’s likely to produce in a 20-hour period. Please see our guide as you will see that using the second method (ie using the chamber for ice and water to keep the milk cool and the outer chiller to store the milk) you can hold up to 24oz/720ml milk so you have plenty of capacity. However, the chilling time decreases with this method when storing over 15 ounces, meaning that we recommend moms add ice to the inner chamber after 8 - 10 hours to ensure safe chilling over very long days.

For this reason, it can be very convenient to have two chillers. Some of our moms have said that they like to have one in the dishwasher and one to grab. That’s why we have created a double chiller bundle! As a mother we have many tasks to juggle at once and sometimes we may not remember to pop the dishwasher on or to have time to wash a chiller. Having two chillers gives you the flexibility!

Is it safe to add warm milk to already chilled milk?

We know where you're coming from with this question! Recent research shows there are actually benefits to pooling breastmilk over the course of 24 hours. However, as with a lot of questions moms have, there is a range of information out there on the internet. We want to give you all the information that we have so you can do what it best for you and your baby.

Based on recent published research, pooling breastmilk over the course of a day is actually beneficial. Pooled breastmilk provides more evenly distributed caloric feedings, is more convenient for new mothers, and is believed to decrease the risk of contamination and bacteria that result from multiple containers. The study discussed below specifically showed no signs of increased bacteria from combining newly expressed milk with chilled milk from multiple pumping sessions over 24 hours.

We also know that there are many websites that say combining milk is perfectly fine, but it is best to chill milk before adding it to milk that is already cold. The CDC provides a "tip" that is often cited by other websites which says "it is best to cool freshly expressed milk before combining it with older, previously cooled or frozen milk." Based on the updated research, many of our Ceres Chill mamas use their Chillers to pump and store their milk all day. Ceres Chill bottles are typically used to chill newly expressed milk over the course of one day, consistent with peer reviewed pediatric research published in the Journal of Breastfeeding Medicine (summarized here) regarding the benefits of pooling breastmilk.

Moms who want the flexibility of Ceres Chill but also want to chill their milk before combining, purchase two Chillers (one to chill before combining, and one to store the combined milk all day or all night). Any two chillers can be purchased as a set at a significant discount. Discounted peace of mind and up to 48 ounces of storage for over 20 hours is pretty great and sure beats short-lived coolers for pumping mamas on-the-go.

See below excerpt from peer reviewed, published research by leading pediatricians in this field.

We found that a single daily [pooling of warm and chilled breastmilk] provides several important benefits— consistent nutrient quality, equivalent bacterial content, and improved maternal satisfaction—over individualized collection.

Lisa M. Stellwagen, Yvonne E. Vaucher, Christina S. Chan, Taylor D. Montminy, and Jae H. Kim; Breastfeeding Medicine Vol. 8, No. 2, published April 10, 2013

How does pumping warm milk into a thermos cool it and keep it cold?

Ceres Chill has an amazingly engineered, patent-pending dual chamber system. The outer chamber holds the ice - just a few cubes and a bit of water in contact with the inner Milk Chamber is all you need. You then just pump directly into the 12 ounce inner Milk Chamber as needed throughout the day. Thermodynamic tests show milk being chilled down to 42 degrees within 1-3 hours and staying well within safe storage temps for 20+ hours in 68-72 room temperatures.

How does it do all the things you say it does?

We get it, it can be hard to figure out the first time.Ceres Chill has a small number of parts that recombine to meet all your needs throughout the day — commuting, working, traveling, and having fun out in the world with or without the baby. Any caregiver can take Ceres Chill on an adventure!

In this little video, Terra shows you how it works.

How about airport security screening?

We have taken all TSA and government office protocols into consideration with this design. Using an open water chamber and a separate breastmilk reservoir that can be easily and cleanly tested without compromising your milk, Ceres Chill moms will skate through security as smoothly as any of us ever did...which is not to say that TSA is easy, just that Ceres Chill and your breastmilk won't make it harder than it needs to be.

How many ounces does Ceres Chill hold?

12 - 34 ounces! Ceres Chill can chill and safely store 12 ounces for over 20 hours, 24 ounces for 10 hours and 34 ounces of already chilled milk for 10 hours.

No more messy, sticky blowouts while pumping or trying to switch bottles that are too small mid-pumping. Consulting with pumping mammas and lactation consultants, 12 ounces is the ideal capacity to safely store milk for a normal work day or cross-country flight. Most moms pump 5-10 ounces in a workday so we wanted to make sure we had you covered while keeping the Chiller lean, light and easy to grab, stow in a bag, or tuck in a large cupholder. However, if a woman has an extra long shift, flight delay or other unforeseen emergency, Ceres Chill can be used to chill and store up 24 ounces for up to 10 hours and if you need more time, just add a bit of ice!

Special ways to use Ceres Chill to store up to 34 ounces of milk

Does Ceres Chill come with a pump?

Ceres Chill does not come with a pump but it is compatible with all major pumps (natively compatible with Medela and similar brands and with an adapter for wide bottle neck brands like Spectra or Lansinoh). This allows you to choose the pump that is best for you and be able to pump directly into Ceres Chill, knowing that your milk is safely stored with not added risk of contamination that other storage systems have when using multiple containers and chilling mechanisms.