pumping and storing breast milk is a lifesaver for working moms and those who want to build up a stash for emergencies. Some mothers need to pump some or all of their baby’s milk. But with so many different guidelines out there, it can be confusing to know what’s best. Here’s a simple breakdown of the most important things to remember based on the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s Clinical Protocol #8: Human Milk Storage Information for Home Use for Full-Term Infants.  

Why Store Breast Milk?

Many mothers pump and store breast milk for various reasons:

• Returning to work
• Having a planned separation from their baby
• Maintaining flexibility in their breastfeeding routine

Safe Practices

• Washing Hands: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or a waterless hand cleanser if your hands don’t appear dirty, before pumping or handling breast milk. It’s not necessary to clean the breasts or nipples before pumping.
• Pumping: You can use either a hand pump or an electric pump. Clean all pump parts as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Containers: Choose containers made of glass, hard-sided plastic, or polypropylene (glass being the safest choice based on new research). Avoid containers with Bisphenol A (BPA) or Bisphenol S (BPS). Don’t use hospital Formula Bottles for storing breast milk.
• Cleaning Containers: Wash containers in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Air dry completely or dry with paper towels. There’s no need to sterilize them unless your baby is premature or immunocompromised.

Storage Guidelines

• Room Temperature: Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored safely at room temperature (50–85°F or 10–29°C) for up to 4 hours. Ideally, refrigerate or chill as soon as possible.
• Refrigerator: Store breast milk in the back of the fridge (39.2°F or 4°C) for up to 4 days, although some studies suggest it may be safe for up to 8 days.
• Freezer: Frozen breast milk can be stored for at least 6 months at -4°C (24.8°F) to -20°C (-4°F). It may be acceptable for up to 12 months, but more

Tips for Freezing and Thawing

• Labeling: Label all containers with the date the milk was expressed and your baby’s name (if storing for daycare).
• Freezing: Leave space at the top of the container for expansion during freezing. Freeze breast milk in small quantities (2-4 ounces) to avoid waste.
• Thawing: Thaw frozen milk in the refrigerator overnight or by running it under warm water or placing it in a container of warm water. Avoid using a microwave, which can destroy nutrients. If you want to keep the most nutrients in the milk, thawing it slowly in the fridge is best for keeping the milk’s nutritional and antibody value.

Using Stored Milk

• Fresh Milk First: It’s best to use fresh milk first because it’s higher quality than frozen milk. Fresh milk has more antibodies and nutrients that can help protect your baby from infections. The antibodies in fresh milk may be more relevant to the mother and baby’s recent pathogen exposures.  It also has more antioxidants, vitamins, protein, fat, and good bacteria than refrigerated or frozen milk.”
• Warming: Warm thawed milk to room temperature or lukewarm (no hotter than 100°F or 37.8°C) by placing it in a container of warm water for 20 minutes. If you overheat the milk, it can damage the nutrients and fat content.  Don’t use hot water or a microwave.

Important Reminders

• Discard Leftovers: Discard any leftover milk in the bottle or cup within 3 hours after your baby finishes feeding, keep it in the refrigerator during this time (Thawed milk needs to be discarded by 2 hours).
• Handling: Expressed breast milk doesn’t require special handling like other bodily fluids. You can store it in a work refrigerator with other people’s food, but label it clearly.
• Even if you have a nipple infection or yeast there is no need to throw away your milk: Breast milk naturally has good bacteria that help your baby’s tummy fight infection. These help keep harmful bacteria away. Even if you have a nipple bacterial infection or yeast, your milk is still safe to feed your baby unless it looks stringy or has a bad smell. There is no evidence to suggest you should discard your milk.

For More Information: Talk to your pediatrician or lactation consultant for personalized advice on storing breast milk. This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your baby’s feeding.