Advice about storing breastmilk varies, so it can be confusing to know what to do. At A Woman’s Work, we use guidelines set out by La Leche League for healthy, full-term babies. If your baby is sick or premature, you’ll want to follow the specific milk storage instructions given to you by your hospital or healthcare provider.

 

 

Tips for storing and thawing your breastmilk:

• Always wash your hands well when breastfeeding, pumping or working with your baby’s food.

• Express milk into clean collection containers each time you pump. A Woman’s Work carries a variety of milk storage containers and can advise you on which are best for the way you plan to use and store your milk. Some storage bags are designed specifically for use with a manufacturer’s bottle or breast pump, so it may be helpful to select them at the same time. Label each container with the date you collected the milk and the number of ounces it contains.

• Put breastmilk in the freezer within 24 hours of expression, and put it in the back of the freezer where the temperature stays most stable. Breastmilk stores best in the least porous container. (For deep-freezing use only glass or hard plastic.) Suitable containers in order of least to most porous are:

  1) Glass;
  2) Medical grade plastic;
  3) Polycarbonate;
  4) Approved milk storage bags.

• When using stored breastmilk, always use the oldest milk first.

• Warm refrigerated milk gradually over 5-10 minutes in body-temperature water. Thaw frozen milk the same way over a longer time. Don’t use scalding hot water, and never warm milk in a microwave oven. Microwaving breastmilk can kill some important enzymes, and creates “hot spots” that could burn baby’s mouth.

• Discard any milk left in the bottle when your baby has finished eating, particularly if the milk has been thawed or warmed. It’s terribly hard to want to discard breastmilk, but it’s the safest thing for your baby. Minimize waste by storing in small quantities that vary by a half-ounce, so you have some choice about how much to thaw out.

• Breastmilk transferred from freezer to refrigerator should be used within 24 hours.

• Never re-freeze breastmilk.

How long can you safely store your milk?
Breastmilk is remarkably stable, since it contains enzymes that prevent bacterial growth for several hours after it’s been expressed. (Processed formulas, on the other hand, are unstable and spoil quickly.) Your breastmilk can be safely stored:

• at room temperature for up to 8 hours;

• in a refrigerator for up to 8 days;

• in a home refrigerator/freezer for up to 3-4 months;

• in a deep freezer (-20 degrees C) for up to 12 months.

Note: always store breastmilk in the back of the refrigerator or freezer rather than in the front or in the door, where temperatures fluctuate due to the door’s opening and closing.

			My Mommy's Milk Glass storage bottles by Lansinoh
			Milk Storage Bags Mother's milk storage bags by Medela Click here to buy
			DayCarrier Kit Insulated discreet cooler by Medela Click here to buy