How to Store Pumped Breastmilk...?

I have been breastfeeding and pumping for a year now. La Leche League is the definitive expert on all things breastfeeding. Here is the link for their milk storage guidelines.

http://llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html

Their website has lots of other helpful information for breastfeeding moms as well.

I pumped for 6 months for each of my three kids. It's a lot of work, but worth it!

If you aren't able to thaw it overnight (this happens sometimes when you are sleep deprived and forget to take it out), you can put the bag of milk in a cup of hot water. YOu can keep changing the water every 5 minutes to keep it hot. It usually takes about about 20-30 minutes to thaw if I remember correctly. The experts say the slower you thaw the more nutrients are preserved, but I sometimes needed to do the quicker thaw in hot water when I was in a bind.

www.kellymom.com is a great resource for breastmilk questions. I would trust this site over others.

Also, Jeanne at Cygnus Lactation in Mundelein has definitive resources.

I only keep my milk 5 days in the fridge after pumping or freeze it. Good 3 months in a good freezer. NEVER thaw or heat in a microwave (hot spots). I t can stay out about 5 hours after pumping at room temp. Once the baby starts to eat from it, use within an hour or toss (has now been introduced to bacteria).
I got the final word on this from my ped.

I nursed/pumped for 6 months, including for 4 months after I went back to work. One thing I noticed is that the guidlines are much shorter if the source is trying to sell you something. For example, if you look at Similac's or Medela's data, they tend to shorten it (5 hours room temp, 3 days in the fridge, etc.). Shortening the time to them means you buy more bags, more bottles, or more formula.

I would trust La Leche League's website, which also matched my Lactation Consultant's directions. My baby's caretakers and I used these with no incident.(http://www.llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html)

- at room temperature for up to 10 hours
- in a refrigerator for up to 8 days
- in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 2 weeks
- in a freezer compartment with a separate door (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 3 to 4 months.
- in a separate deep freeze for up to 6 months or longer
- If milk has been frozen and thawed, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours for later use. It should not be refrozen.

As far as thawing goes, at night I usually moved the 2 bags for the next day from the freezer to the fridge and then warmed the bottle with a warmer. If I didn't have the time and needed to go straight from fozen, I would just put the bag in a glass of warm water on the counter for about a half hour. Just long enough to become liquid, and then I would put the bottle in the bottle warmer.

Go to the La Leche League website.

Hi K.

Due to my daughter being born 3 months early I never had her latch, so I ended up using a pump for 15 months--yes you read it right.....I would never change any of it & will use a pump again. How I did it was I never kept freshly expressed milk more than 48 hours before I used it & would freeze it within 24 hours if I had too much. I had so much frozen from the hospital that when my supply started slowing I implemented fresh with defrosted frozen...defrosted never more than 24 hours in the fridge. Feel free to contact me with any scenerio you may have, I am sure I have had the same scenerio & fresh breast milk I never left out for more than an hour, but I would re-refridgerate & it worked out just fine for me--I would never re-refridgerate if there was frozen involved. I also never re-refridgerate more than once (fresh).

I was told (by the nurses at the hospital where I stayed with my preemie for a month) that the best way to thaw breastmilk was in lukewarm water. I didn't end up freezing much breastmilk, but I was told to use it within 24 hours.

They also said that refrigerated milk can keep for up to three days. I did this for six months (until she was able to breastfeed on her own) and never had a problem.

I just had baby #3 (3 weeks ago) and in the hospital they told me the rule of 5s. Can stay 5 hrs room temp, 5 days in the fridge and 5 months in the freezer. I would always thaw under warm/hot water. Never in the microwave (don't warm bottles this way either).

Hi K.

I've been going by a book that I got from my breastfeeding class at Northwestern Hospital.
1. The best way to thaw it is in the refrigerator and you must use it within 24 hours. (it takes several hours to thaw though). Or you can that it in a pan of warm water. If you do this and put it in the fridge, you must use it in 4 hours or use it immediately if you have it room temp.
2. After being pumped, it can be kept in the fridge for 5 days.
3. See my response to your first question

Hope this helps!

Hi K.,

I'm a breastfeeding counselor, and it looks like you got some good advice. One minor thing I would just add is that when you store milk in the fridge or freezer, never put it in the door. Always put the milk as far back in the fridge/freezer as possible because that is where the temperature is the coldest.

I agree with the last comment about using the Lansinoh storage bags. In my personal experience, they almost never leak and are convenient for storage because they will lay flat and take up less room.

Hi K.-
I pumped exclusively for my son for 6 months. Here are the details:

1. Thawing in the refrigerator or thawing by submerging container in warm water are both safe thawing methods

2. Freshly pumped milk can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week before either using it or freezing it for later use.

3. After thawing frozen milk, it should be used within 24 hours.

I always thawed it either in the fridge if I had time, or I'd boil water in a tall measuring cup in the microwave and then submerge the bag or bottle in the hot water, turning until it was thawed - that's also how I heated the bottles of breastmilk too.

I thaw it under hot water. I think it works great that way I'm not thawing anything I don't think I'll use.

Fresh pumped milk can be kept in the fridge for about a week.

Pumped milk that has been thawed I think is only good for about 24 hrs in the fridge, a few hours at room temperature.

Hi there. I purchase the Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags. Per the bag, milk can be stored:
- at room temp. for 10 hours
- in a refrigerator for 8 days
- in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerafor 2 weeks
- in a freezer with a separate door 3-4 months
- in a separate deep freeze 6 months or longer

To thaw placed the sealed bag in warm tap water. Never place in boiling water, microwave or stovetop.

Once thawed, I normally keep cold until feeding time < 2hours.

Hope this helps!

K.:

1. You can thaw, as maria said under hot water/ you can thaw it in the refridge

2. again maria was correct it can be kept in the fridge at least a week.

3. you can keep it in the fridge after thawing for probably that long/

you can re refridge if your child does not drink it all for at least 48 hours.

there is not a lot of research available/ milk that goes bad will smell bad.

P., RLC, IBCLC
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions

The local health dept should have basic info for nursing moms and what to do with freezing,etc. If not,try LaLeche group. They can definitely tell you all the everything with breastfeeding. Good luck..........J.

K.:

I have been breastfeeding since the birth of my son on March 14, 2008. I am a breast pumping expert at this point. I freeze my breastmilk in Lanisoh bags. The safest way to thaw the milk is in the fridge overnite, sitting the milk out at room temperature or under warm water. After breastmilk has been thawed out, the baby should consume it w/in 24 hrs. Thawed milk should never be re-frozen. If my son does not finish thawed milk, I throw it out.

After pumping freshly expressed breastmilk, it can be kept in the fridge for no longer than 5 days. On the 5th day, freeze it or give it to the baby or throw it out.

I hope this helps.

M.

My understanding is the following:
1) The best way to thaw frozen breastmilk is to put it in the fridge the day before you need to use it and then let it warm to room temperature before feeding (in a pinch....let the milk bag soak in warm water to thaw and use quickly).

2) You can keep it in the fridge fresh (not frozen) for 8 days.

3) You can keep the milk in the fridge after thawed for 3 days.

You can store the breastmilk in bags, or you can actually freeze it into bottles...which makes thawing and serving to your baby easier if someone else is doing it!

1. Safest way to thaw? Take it out of the freezer and let it thaw naturally in the refridgerator for 24 hours if you know in advanced you will need it.

Otherwise, i use a 2-cup measuring cup and fill it with water, stick it in the microwave and then set the frozen breastmilk inside the warm water for about 10 minutes.

2. Afer being pumped, freshly expressed, not frozen, it is good for 5-7 days.

3. If you thaw the frozen breastmilk, ideally it should be used within 24 hours.

Hope that helps!!!