How to Safely Store Breast Milk?
How to safely store breast milk?
Up to 3–4 days in the refrigerator, up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator freezer compartment, and up to 6 months in a freezer at temperatures below -18°C.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA):
Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored:
- At room temperature (77°F or colder) for up to 4 hours.
- In the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- In the freezer for about 6 months is best; up to 12 months is acceptable. Although freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are important to follow for best quality.
from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov)
According to the National Health Service (NHS, UK):
You can store breast milk in a sterilised container or in special breast milk storage bags:
- in the fridge for up to 8 days at 4C or lower (you can buy fridge thermometers online) – if you’re not sure of the temperature of your fridge, or it is higher than 4C, use it within 3 days
- for 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge
- for up to 6 months in a freezer, if it’s -18C or lower
Breast milk that’s been cooled in the fridge can be carried in a cool bag with ice packs for up to 24 hours.
Storing breast milk in small quantities will help avoid waste. If you’re freezing it, make sure you label and date it first.
According to the National Health Service (NHS, UK):
* Most of these materials are sourced from original English-language sources. The translations were created with the help of Google Translate and ChatGPT. For the most complete and accurate information, please always refer to and verify the original source first. For the most complete and accurate information, please always refer to and verify the original source of the information.
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