Storing breast milk: How and for how long at room temperature, in the fridge or in the freezer?
When breastfeeding there are situations where you need to express milk, with an electric or manual breast pump.
It can be on the occasion of a medical visit in which the mother is absent for a few hours, for work or simply to go to the hairdresser or beautician or for an evening with friends.
Pumping can also become a daily routine when the mother returns to work after compulsory and/or optional leave.
At room temperature:
Temperature : between 16 and 30 degrees:
Duration : better if up to 3-4 hours maximum (a little more if it was extracted in very sterile conditions)
Warnings : Containers must be closed and kept as cool as possible. Throw away the leftover milk in the bottle within 1-2 hours after the end of the feed.
In a cooler bag
Temperature :15°C
Duration : up to 24 hours
Warnings : keep the ice or the cooling part in contact with the milk container at all times and limit the openings of the thermal bag.
In the refrigerator at home
Temperature : 4° C or lower
Duration : better if up to a maximum of 72 hours (3 days)
Warnings : keep the containers in the rear area of the main part of the refrigerator. It can be kept a few more days (5-8) only if the milk has been expressed in completely sterile conditions.
In the freezer
Temperature : -4°C or lower
Duration : better up to a maximum of 6 months. It can last longer (up to 12 months) if the milk is stored at -18°C. Put the milk at the bottom of the drawers or at the bottom where the temperature is more constant.
Warnings : at -18°C the milk keeps longer but the quality over time may no longer be the same.
Storage of thawed breast milk
- At room temperature (15-30°C): Better if you do not exceed 2 hours,
- In the refrigerator: 24 hours maximum
- It can no longer be frozen again
Put labels on the containers with the date, time of extraction and quantity written on them.
Source :
Your Guide to Breastfeeding – US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.