It is extremely important to follow the recommended storage guidelines for breast milk so that nursing mothers can maintain the safety and quality of their breast milk. This article will provide you with important information about breast milk storage guidelines to follow before and after expressing your milk.
Breast Milk Storage Guidelines
There are several guidelines on breast milk storage depending on how long you plan to keep your breast milk. It’s important to make sure that the milk is properly labeled especially when the mother is not at home.
Follow these basic guidelines every mama need to know about expressing and storing your precious breast milk.
Before expressing breast milk:
Wash your hands well with soap and water or use alcohol based hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.
Express milk by hand or using manual or electric pump.
When using a pump, make sure the tubing is clean. Replace immediately if moldy.
Inspect pump kit carefully including switch, pump dials and countertop.
Where to store express milk?
Use clean breast milk storage bags or food-grade containers with fitting lids.
Avoid bottles with recycle symbol number 7, indicates that the container may be made of a BPA-containing plastic.
Do not store breast milk in disposable bottles of plasticbags that are not intended for storing breast milk.
Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours (77°F or colder), in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer best for 6 months or up to 12 months is acceptable.
How to store expressed breast milk?
Label the breast milk clearly with date of when it was expressed.
Do not store the breast milk in the door of the fridge to protect if from temperature changes from opening and closing.
If you will not use the expressed milk within 4 days, freeze it immediately.
Store your breast milk in small portions for easier thawing. Preferably 60ml or less.
Freeze breast milk in small amounts of 2 to 4 ounces (or the amount that will be offered at one feeding) to avoid wasting breast milk that might not be finished.
When freezing breast milk, leave about an inch of space at the top of the container because breast milk expands as it freezes.
Store the milk at the back of your freezer where it’s coldest and do not remove unless you’re ready to give it to your baby.
If you will be delivering breast milk to a childcare provider, clearly label the container with the child’s name and talk to your childcare provider about other requirements they might have for labeling and storing breast milk.
Breast milk can be stored in an insulated cooler bag with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours when you are traveling. Once you arrive at your destination, milk should be used right away, stored in the refrigerator, or frozen.
How to unfreeze breast milk?
If you’re not going to need it right away, you can defrost breast milk in the fridge around 12 to 24 hours otherwise run warm water over it until it’s at room temperature.
Once fully thawed breast milk can be stored at room temperature for max of 2 hrs and in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Do not thaw breast milk in the microwave oven.
Do not re-freeze the breast milk once thawed.
How to use thawed breast milk?
Breast milk does not need to be warmed. It can be served room temperature or cold.
If you decide to warm the breast milk, here are some tips:
- Keep the container sealed while warming.
- Warm breast milk by placing the container of breast milk into a separate container or pot of warm water for a few minutes or by running warm (not hot) tap water over the container for a few minutes.
- Do not heat breast milk directly on the stove or in the microwave.
- Test the temperature of the breast milk before feeding it to your baby by putting a few drops on your wrist. It should feel warm, not hot.
Swirl the breast milk to mix the fat, which may have separated.
If your baby did not finish the bottle, the leftover breast milk can still be used within 2 hours after the baby is finished feeding. After 2 hours, leftover breast milk should be discarded.
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