If you are pumping and storing your breast milk, it’s important to do so safely. These guidelines will help you preserve the milk’s nutrition and protect your baby’s health.
Preparation
- Wash your hands before pumping or expressing breast milk.
- Wash containers in hot, soapy water and rinse them thoroughly.
- Label stored breast milk with name, month, date and year.
Methods of breast milk storage
- Glass bottles
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic bags made for breast milk storage
Things to keep in mind:
- As milk freezes, it expands.
- Do not add fresh milk to already frozen milk.
- To help prevent any waste, try storing breast milk in small containers of 2 to 4 ounces.
Human milk storage guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these safe breast milk storage times and temperatures:
- Room temperature (up to 77° F or 25° C)
- Freshly expressed/pumped: up to four hours
- Thawed, previously frozen: one to two hours
- Leftover from a feeding: use within two hours of feeding
- Refrigerator (40° F or 4° C)
- Freshly expressed/pumped: up to four days.
- Thawed, previously frozen: up to one day or 24 hours
- Leftover from a feeding: use within two hours of feeding
- Freezer (0° F or -18°C)
- Freshly expressed/pumped: use within six months is preferred, up to 12 months is acceptable
- Thawed, previously frozen: up to one day or 24 hours. Never re-freeze human milk after thawing.
Safely thawing frozen breast milk
First of all, congratulations on your freezer stash! Every drop counts, and now we want to ensure you have the correct knowledge to prepare it for your baby.
Tips to decrease waste:
- Try to use the oldest milk first.
- Freeze milk in smaller amounts (2 oz, 3 oz or 4 oz).
- See the CDC’s Human Milk Storage Guidelines if you have questions about safe milk storage.
To prepare the milk:
- Move breast milk from freezer to fridge about 12 hours before you plan to use it.
- If you are planning on bringing milk to child care with your baby, take the milk out of the freezer each night that you will need for the next day.
- If you need to quickly thaw frozen milk, run it under warm water – never hot – for a few minutes until the milk is warmed.
- Don’t feel like you need to purchase a bottle warmer. Placing the milk bottle in a mug or bowl of warm water for a few minutes is just as effective and much cheaper.
- Never microwave breast milk or heat it on the stove as this can create hot spots that can burn your baby’s mouth.
- Heating milk too quickly can also affect the nutritional composition and break it down faster.
- It is normal for milk to separate. Before feeding, gently rock or swirl the milk. Avoid shaking breast milk as it can damage some of the nutrients.
- After milk is warmed, use it within two hours.
- Be sure to use milk within 24 hours of fully thawing it.
Once milk is thawed, never re-freeze milk.
If you have any further questions about storing or preparing your milk, Sanford Health lactation specialists are available. Sanford Health offers support for every mom, whether you’re breastfeeding, pumping or formula feeding.
Learn more about lactation services.
Learn more
- Breastfeeding: Milk bank donations aid new mothers
- A routine can help the transition to work after having baby
- 5 breastfeeding FAQs for new moms
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Posted In Children's, Health Information, Women's
