Breastmilk

Storage, Thawing & Feeding For home and daycare use

Storage:

• Wash hands and equipment coming into contact with skin or milk in hot soapy water prior to expressing.

1. Use polyethylene bags, (Playtex bags not recommended due to increased risk of bacterial contamination) glass, or hard plastic for storage.
2. Refrigerate or freeze milk after collection as soon as possible, although fresh milk is bacteriologically safe at room temperature for up to eight hours after expressing.
3. Freeze milk you know will not be used within 24 hours, (fresh cooled breast milk can be added to frozen milk within two days form the original collection date.
4. Use breastmilk stored in a self defrosting freezer within 6 months
5. Use milk stored in a deep freezer within 12 months.
6. Always use oldest milk first, (if colostrums is saved; can be used during periods of infant illness).
7. Stored refrigerated fresh milk can be kept for 5 days, unless it has a sour smell.

Thawing and Feeding

• DO NOT MICROWAVE BREAST MILK!!

1. When thawing or heating breastmilk, use the least amount of heat possible.
2. Warm milk in a bowl of warm water.
3. Thaw milk slowly in the refrigerator over night whenever possible.
4. Once milk is thawed it can be stored in the refrigerated for 24 hours.
5. Once milk is warmed it can be refrigerated and offered a second time (it is ideal to change the nipple prior to re-cooling).

References:

Yates-Pierce K, Tully M: Mothers own Milk: Guidelines for storage and Handling. Journal for Human Lactation 8:159-160,1992

Bay Area Lactation Association: Collection and storage of Breastmilk 1993.