How long can you keep breast milk in the fridge? Storing breast milk is an important topic for any new mom. Breast milk is the best nutrition for your baby and it’s always better to have some on hand than not. Whether you are storing your own breastmilk or using powdered formula, you need to know how long it can be kept in the refrigerator before using it.
Freshly expressed breast milk
Freshly expressed breast milk. Breast milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 hours. It should then be refrigerated and used within 24 hours (1). At this point, there are three options you can take:
If you’re going to be away from your baby for only a few hours, it’s fine to put the milk in a cooler bag with ice packs or frozen gel packs. You’ll want to keep the container upright at all times so that air doesn’t get in and freeze the contents of your bottle of milk.
If you know ahead of time that you’ll need some extra pumped milk for that evening’s dinner party, try freezing some now by using an ice cube tray (2). The cubes will fit perfectly into a small ziplock bag later on so they’re ready when needed!
Or if you want more flexibility with how much and when you use your stored breast milk, use plastic storage bags instead of bottles–they’re easy enough for anyone who has ever opened up their lunchbox during elementary school! Just remember not to squeeze out every last drop because this could change how quickly bacteria grow inside as well as cause buildup inside containers themselves over time.”
If you don’t plan to feed your baby the milk within 24 hours, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator. However, if you know that you’ll be using it within 24 hours (for example, if he’s been sleeping for an unusually long time), there’s no need to refrigerate it. You can keep breast milk at room temperature instead—at temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees F (20-22 degrees C).
You can freeze breast milk for up to a year. (This may vary depending on what type of freezer you use.) To freeze your breast milk, follow these steps:
Make sure you have clean bottles and lids
Place the clean bottle upside down in a container filled with hot water to sterilize it
Remove the frozen portion from the freezer and thaw in hot water or in a bowl of warm water
What you need to know about storing milk
The first thing to know is that breast milk can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Storing your breast milk in the fridge isn’t enough, however; you must also make sure that the temperature of your refrigerator is not too cold or too warm.
To store your breast milk at just the right temperature, keep it away from any refrigerators with automatic ice makers, and avoid placing it next to other foods or beverages that can transfer flavor and bacteria into your precious liquid gold.
Breast milk is healthy for your baby and can be stored in a refrigerator easily and safely.
It’s best to use the refrigerator for breast milk storage. A refrigerator is a safe place for storing breast milk and other foods because it keeps them at a low temperature.
If you keep your baby’s food in the freezer, make sure it is stored properly so that it stays nutritious and tasty. You may want to use an ice cube tray with compartments or “lids” on each cube to help keep the ingredients separate from one another as they freeze solid.
If you plan on keeping your infant’s food out of refrigeration while traveling, make sure that you bring along ice packs or other means of keeping their meals cool until they reach their destination.
Conclusion
You can safely store breast milk for up to six months in the refrigerator. After that, you may need to consider freezing it.