MILK STORAGE
Breast Milk Room Temperature Refrigerator Freezer
From: Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional, by Ruth A. Lawrence, page 894
Freshly expressed
into closed
container
Previously frozen-
Thawed in
refrigerator but not
warmed or used
Infant has begun
feeding
Only for completion of
feeding; then discard
Discard
4 hours or less (i.e.
next feeding)
Store in refrigerator
24 hours
6-8 hour
(78° F or lower)
3-5 days
(39° F or lower)
TIPS FOR FREEZING MILK
• Only fill container ¾ full before freezing to allow for milk expansion.
• Freeze milk in quantities of 2 to 4 ounce portions. This allows milk to thaw quicker and creates
less waste if your baby does not drink it all.
• ALWAYS use thawed milk within 24 hours of thawing.
• NEVER refreeze milk once it has been defrosted.
• DO NOT use a microwave oven to thaw frozen breast milk.
• Thaw frozen breast milk in the refrigerator for several hours or with warm water. If thawing
with warm water, you may need to gently shake the container to blend any fat that has separated.
WARNING
DO NOT warm milk in a microwave oven as it destroys nutrients and antibodies and can create
hot spots harmful for your baby.
DO NOT use a bottle warmer to warm breast milk, unless the bottle warmer is specially designed
to work with breast milk.
NEVER immerse a frozen bottle into boiling water as this may cause the bottle to crack.
Single use only for the milk storage bag.
-2 weeks in freezer
compartment
inside refrigerator
-3 months in
freezer section of
refrigerator with
separate door
-6-12 months in
deep freeze
(0°F or lower)
Discard
Do not refreeze
