It's probably quite safe. The ice has transferred its cooling capacity to your milk as you have added milk to the chiller. Keep in mind that just because the ice is melted, that does not mean your milk is unsafe. According to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, your milk can be safely stored at up to 59 degrees Fahrenheit for up 24 hours. Check out our science page to learn more about the chilling capacity of our breastmilk chiller - even when the ice is fully melted!

However, there is another possible explanation for what is happening. You might be adding too much water. All you need is a tiny splash to help the ice settle in and maybe sneak another couple cubes in. Too much water will speed up the ice melting.

To get the maximum chilling capacity out of your Chiller, you want to make sure your ice is touching the bottom of the inner chamber. But please know that the ice and water do not have to surround the inner chamber for your Ceres Chill to work beautifully.

Lastly and very importantly, please make sure that your Chiller's vacuum insulation seal is intact by testing the chiller with ice in the outer chamber. A really easy was to test the seal is to put a couple of ice cubes (6-8) in the outer chamber of your Chiller and wait at least an hour. If the ice is more than half way melted, produces condensation on the outside of the outer chamber, or feels really cold to the touch, your seal is likely broken. This can happen if the outer chamber is badly dropped or otherwise abused. We use a bismuth seal rather than a lead seal to ensure the highest quality and safety for infant use but a bismuth seal can be broken under certain conditions. Please reach out to us immediately at info@cereschill.com to let us know this has happened.

This has happened on isolated occasions when moms are using the outer chamber for 24 ounce storage or as a bottle warmer. It seems that a couple of the connectors have gotten damaged in shipping. 

To get your Chiller open, try running cold water over the top of the metal outer chamber or place the entire chiller in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then try pushing down on the connector as you unscrew it. You can also try hitting the chiller hard on the top with something heavy like a book. The pressure has likely pressed the damaged threads together, and it might help to press the locked threads down rather than trying to twist and pull them apart. These tricks should help release the vacuum seal.

Please reach out to us immediately at info@cereschill.com if you're having difficulty opening your Chiller. We want to make sure your Chiller is easy to use.

First things first (and you may have already done this), be sure to check the gaskets and seals to make sure they are still in place and not damaged. They should sit snuggly down in their little slots and can be gently removed, cleaned and pressed back in place with tweezers or a narrow chopstick. There should be three soft silicone seals. One large one around the center connector, one inside the neck of the center connector and one in the small cap.

If you're missing a seal or if it's damaged, please reach out to us at info@cereschill.com 

This has happened to a couple of moms. We've learned that there are some pretty epic dishwashers, detergents and environments out there. Although your outer chamber might be okay in most dishwashers, we've found that you just can't risk it because there are a couple out there that get super-hot and detergents with bleach that will discolor the outer chamber. It is still safe but it may not be as pretty as the day we created it. 

If you've had a mishap with a dishwasher, please reach out to us (info@cereschill.com) with more info so we can talk through the problem. We haven't had any issues with using hot water or leaving chillers out in the blazing hot sun but one mom boiled hers for several minutes and that did not go well. Bleach or harsh abrasive cleaners also will damage the finish. Just hand-washing with hot water and liquid dish soap is the safest way to get your outer chamber clean and prevent damage.

Rust or stains are not common for Ceres Chill mamas, but they do happen. It's important to remember that even the very best stainless steel is rust resistant, but not rust-proof.  If you are finding small spots on your inner or outer chambers after use, you can specially clean your steel parts using the below methods which helps to restore the rust resistant surface through a passivation.  

Stainless Steel Cleaner: Apply hot water and your chosen non-toxic stainless steel cleaning solution to a soft sponge, mixing thoroughly. Proceed to wipe and rinse your chiller clean.

Baking Soda or Vinegar: Sprinkle baking soda or vinegar on dampened affected area, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and scrub with a non-abrasive or soft sponge.

If the stains are really dramatic or you are just plain worried, please don't hesitate to reach out to us (info@cereschill.com or 206.338.5506) so we can talk and work through the problem with you. 

If you notice condensation only after adding your milk to the Chiller, that is completely normal! Those water droplets are actually coming from your milk as it comes in contact with the cold inner ice chamber. Breastmilk is over 80% water, so it's essentially just mixing back into where it came from.

If you ever notice condensation before adding milk, that means that there's humid air in your outer chamber. It helps to make sure that all of your parts are fully dried and stored in a cool place before use. You can place the parts in the fridge in between uses if you live in an especially humid area!

Please reach out to us at info@cereschill.com if you ever feel like something isn't working as it should.