Breastmilk Storage Guide
3 min read • By: Gerber Medical Hub
Quick summary
Proper breastmilk storage involves clean hands, labeled containers, and following temperature guidelines. Fresh milk lasts up to 4 days in the fridge and 6-12 months in the freezer. Thawing should be gradual, never in a microwave. Feed oldest milk first and discard unconsumed portions within 1-2 hours.
Table of contents
Breastmilk storage instructions
Breastmilk storage is easy once you get the hang of it.
- Wash your hands before expressing or handling breastmilk.
- Store breastmilk in clean containers, such as screw cap bottles or bags designed to store breastmilk that fit directly onto breast pumps. Avoid using ordinary plastic storage bags that could easily leak or spill.
- Clearly label and date expressed milk.
- Store in refrigerator or freezer (depending on when you will use it).
- Do not add fresh milk to already frozen or chilled refrigerated milk.
- Never refreeze breastmilk after it has been thawed.
| Storage Location & Temperatures | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Breastmilk | Countertop/Room Temperature 77°F (25°C) or colder |
Refrigerator 40°F (4°C) |
Freezer 0°F (-18°C) or colder |
| Freshly Expressed or Pumped | Up to 4 hours | Up to 4 days | Within 6 months is best; Up to 12 months is acceptable |
| Thawed, Previously Frozen | 1–2 hours | Up to 1 day (24 hours) | Never refreeze human milk after it has been thawed |
| Frozen milk thawed in the refrigerator | 40°F | Store milk in the back of the refrigerator for a more stable temperature | Up to 24 hours |
| Leftover from a Feeding (Unfinished bottle) |
Use within 2 hours after baby is finished feeding | ||
Thawing breastmilk
Simple tips to help make sure your thawed breastmilk will be safe for your baby.
- Night before. Frozen milk is best thawed in the refrigerator the night before it will be used.
- Warm water. Frozen and refrigerated milk can be thawed under running warm (not hot) water or placed in a container of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes before a feeding.
- Mix it up. Gently rock the thawed milk to help mix the fat layer back into the rest of the milk.
- Temperature test. Shake a few drops of breastmilk onto your wrist; liquid is a safe temperature if it feels barely warm on the skin.
- Never combine. Never add fresh breastmilk for storage to refrigerated or frozen breastmilk.
- 24 hours. Defrosted breastmilk is good for up to 24 hours if kept in the refrigerator under appropriate conditions.
Never thaw or heat breastmilk in a microwave. In addition to creating hot spots in the liquid that may burn your baby, the microwave may destroy some of the breastmilk's nutrients.
Feeding breastmilk
- First in, first out. Feed the oldest stored milk first.
- One to two hours. Once milk is offered and exposed to baby’s saliva, any unconsumed milk should be discarded within one to two hours after a feeding begins.
MyGerber Baby Experts support
Questions? Meet Dotti! She is completely free and ready to chat with you 24/7. Real answers, from real people, backed by real experts in sleep, nutrition, and lactation. Sign up at gerber.com
