Breast Milk Storage

These guidelines are for full-term, healthy babies. For premature or medically compromised babies, consult with your baby’s pediatrician.

Type of Breast Milk	Countertop, room temperature: 77°F (25°C) or colder	Refrigerator 40°F (4°C)	Freezer 0°F(-18°C) or colder
Freshly expressed	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
Leftover from a feeding (baby did not finish a bottle)	Use within 2 hours	Use within 2 hours	Use within 2 hours

*source CDC 6/19

HELPFUL TIPS:

Fresh breastmilk is optimal for baby
Be mindful of expiration dates when considering how to use milk. It is recommended to use oldest fresh or frozen milk first. Avoid accumulating a large freezer stash
Store in approved human milk containers (bottles or breastmilk storage bags)
If freezing, leave about 1 inch at the top to allow for expansion. To take up less space, lay milk storage bags flat and stack on top of each other. They can be contained in a plastic freezer bag, which adds an extra layer of protection
Thaw milk overnight in refrigerator or by placing in bowl of lukewarm water
To avoid waste and for easier thawing, store milk in portions of 1-4 oz.

Wendy Eson is an IBCLC and the Manager of the Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh.