How Long Is Breastmilk Good For?
Whether youāre pumping and storing breastmilk for your own baby or donating breastmilk to families in need, weāve got all the details on how to safely store, freeze, andĀ defrost breastmilk. Plus, we answer the pressing question:Ā How long is breastmilk good for?
Breastmilk Storage Basics
Properly storing breastmilk preserves its immune-supporting nutrients to help your baby thrive. Plus, it ensures your hard work does not go to waste! Hereās how to store breastmilk safely:
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Keep it sanitary.Ā No matter if youāre at home, work, or school, wash your hands well with soap and water for 20 seconds before you pump. While youāre at it, make sure your pump supplies and bottles are clean and disinfected prior to use.
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Choose the right supplies.Ā Store your breastmilk in clean breastmilk storage bags or food-grade glass or plastic containers with tight seals. Donāt use containers featuring the ārecycle symbol number 7ā as they contain BPA, an unsafe chemical found in plastic. Never store your breastmilk in disposable bottle liners or plastic bags that arenāt specially designed for breastmilk.
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Less is more.Ā Consider storing in small amounts, such as two to four ounces. This way you canĀ defrost and combine frozen bags to get to your desired amount, rather than potentiallyĀ defrosting too much and having to throw some of it out.
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Donāt overfill.Ā Because breastmilk expands when frozen, leave about one inch of room at the top of your sealable storage bag, bottle, or food-grade container.
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Remove air.Ā Take out as much air from the breastmilk storage bags as you can before freezing. Thisāll help sidestep possible freezer burn.
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Label before storing.Ā Always write the date you expressed your breastmilk on the storage container, so you know when to use itāand how long it will last.
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Freeze ASAP.Ā If you know you wonāt use your freshly expressed breastmilk within 72 hours, freeze it immediately to preserve the quality of your milk.
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Start from the back.Ā When tapping your frozen or refrigerated breastmilk stash,Ā be sure to work backward, using the oldest milk first.
How long is breastmilk good for at room temperature?
Have you ever accidentally left your freshly pumped breastmilk out on the kitchen counterā¦and not realised it till hours later? Yikes! To a nursing parent, spoiled (or spilled) breastmilk is what nightmares are made of. But take heart: Because breastmilk has such powerful antiviral and antibacterial ingredients,Ā freshly expressed milk canĀ safely remain at room temperatureĀ for four hours at up toĀ 29 degrees CelsiusāandĀ as long as 6 to 8 hours at temperatures below 26 degrees Celsius, according to La Leche League Internatioinal.Ā (Thatās twice as long as baby formula.)Ā
How long is breastmilk good for in the refrigerator?
Expressed breastmilk will stay fresh in a refrigerator for up to 8 days at 4 degrees Celsius or lower (you can purchase a fridge thermometer online). If you're not sure how cool your fridge is or it's above 4 degrees Celsius, use it within three days.Ā
And donāt just willy-nilly toss your liquid gold anywhere in the fridge. The further back you can store your breastmilk, the colderāand saferāitāll be. ItāsĀ neverĀ a good idea to keep expressed breastmilk inside the refrigerator door, which is the warmest part of the appliance, thanks to your family opening and closing the refrigerator throughout the day.
How long is breastmilk good for in the freezer?
It depends on where in the freezer you store your breastmilk! According to the NHS, you can expect expressed milk to last:
- Up to 2 weeks in theĀ ice compartment insideĀ a refrigerator (-15Ā° C)
- Up to 6 months in the freezer section of the refrigerator with a separate door (-18Ā° C or lower)
How long is breastmilk good for after defrosting?
While you donāt have to useĀ defrosted breastmilk immediately, thereās a window of use you need to adhere to.
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At room temperature:Ā DefrostedĀ breastmilkĀ should notĀ be at room temperature for longer than four hours.
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In the refrigerator:Ā Once defrosted, refrigerated breastmilk is good for 24 hours.
How to safelyĀ defrost breastmilk:
Before you dip into the breastmilk bank in your freezer, itās imperative to learn how toĀ defrost your breastmilk correctlyā¦and what to do with leftoverĀ defrosted milk. Thatās because, while breastmilk is 100% natural, itās prone to contamination from bacteria and viruses if handled wrong.
The key is knowing which frozen breastmilk storage container toĀ defrost first. Hint: Itās always the oldest one, because itās closer to expiration than the others. You canĀ defrost your breastmilk a couple of ways, depending on how quickly you need to use it. Ifā¦
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You need to feed your baby now:Ā Defrost your breastmilk by setting the frozen storage container into another vessel full of warm or lukewarm water, like youāre giving your breastmilk a bath.
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You need to feed your baby in the near future:Ā Place your frozen breastmilk in the fridge and let itĀ defrost overnight. (Use it within 24 hours after itās thawed.)
How not toĀ defrost breastmilk:
Yes, there are wrong ways to thaw your breastmilk. In fact, these missteps might even lessen breastmilkās health benefits.
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Never microwave breastmilk.Ā This not only puts your baby at risk for serious burns, it also damages your breastmilkās nutrients.
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Donāt refreezeĀ defrosted breastmilk:Ā Once breastmilk has been thawed, avoid refreezing. (Itās thought that this may break down nutrients and increase the chance of bacterial growth.)
What do I do with leftover breastmilk?
Whether your baby leaves a bottle half-full of freshly expressed breastmilk orĀ defrosted breastmilk, the remaining milk should be consumed withinĀ one hour. If itās been longer, itās recommended that you toss the leftover breastmilk as the potential for bacterial contamination goes up.
How long is breastmilk good for in a cooler?
Breastmilk can be safely stored in an insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours. (Be sure to place your breastmilk next to the ice packs right after youāre done pumping.) When you arrive at your destination, either use the breastmilk right away or quickly store it in the fridge or freezer.
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