Breastfeeding your child comes with a host of benefits, including emotional bonding, nutritional and immune system benefits, and even cognitive development. Yet, for parents who need to return to work while their child is still breastfeeding, pumping (expressing) milk for their baby to drink later can bring up several logistical challenges.
"Parents often feel nervous about food safety when handling and storing their breast milk.Thankfully, scientific organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) help to provide straightforward guidance that anyone can access."Patricia Campbell, MD, a pediatrician and lactation consultant at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Whether you’re working, on the go, or at home, here’s what to know about safely storing and handling breast milk.
As with any food, it’s critical to handle and store it properly to ensure quality and prevent foodborne illness.
How to safely pump and store breast milk:
Wash your hands. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Use clean, food-grade containers or bags designed for breast milk. When using bottles, make sure they can be tightly sealed (e.g., a screw cap). When using bags, ensure they’re specifically designed to store breast milk. Avoid using food storage bags or baby bottle liners, as they can leak.
Clearly label it. Include the date it was pumped or expressed. If you’re bringing milk to a childcare provider, include your child’s name and the date.
Do not reuse storage bags. Such storage bags are intended for single use only.
Clean and sanitize storage bottles. Repeat this after every use.
Don’t mix fresh and frozen. Never add fresh breast milk to frozen breast milk in a storage container.
Don’t save leftover breast milk after feeding. It should not be reheated to use at a later time.
| Location | Temperature and Time |
|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 77 F or 25 C for up to 4 hours |
| Cooler with ice pack | Up to 24 hours |
| Refrigerator (fresh and thawed milk) | 40 F or 4 C for up to 48 hours |
| Home freezer (combined with a refrigerator) | Up to 3 months |
| Fortified freezer (deep freezer) | -4 F or -20 C for up to 6-12 months |
Once thawed, breast milk should be used within 24 hours. Throw away breast milk that has gone beyond these storage time limits.
The best method for thawing is transferring the frozen milk container to the refrigerator or swirling the container in a bowl of warm water.
Do NOT use boiling water and microwaves—this can cause milk to overheat or heat unevenly, which can pose a danger to the baby or destroy the nutrient quality of the milk.
Avoid refreezing your breast milk once you have thawed it.
(Newswise/SG)