You may find a wide spectrum of guidelines written about the safety of breast milk at various temperatures. It can be confusing to try to figure out which source is correct. Why is there so much variability? The simple answer is that research is conducted in controlled situations and different populations have different needs.  For example, pumped milk will last longer in a refrigerator that is never opened. A hospital environment with fragile, premature babies requires that milk be handled much more carefully than a home environment with a healthy baby.

What follows is a middle-of-the-road approach that considers the research as well as the less than perfect conditions that are found in our homes. The guidelines below assume that your baby full term and healthy.

Room temperature: 4 hours or until the next feeding. (No need to warm it up!)
Refrigerator: 5 days
Freezer: 3 months
Deep Freeze: 6 months

Whenever possible use fresh, refrigerated milk. Just as a freshly picked apple is more nutritious than an apple that’s been in cold storage for 3 months; your milk is most nutritious immediately after it’s been expressed. In addition, freezing destroys some of the live cells in your milk. So, if possible, store your precious milk in the fridge, leaving the frozen stash for emergencies.

If you are having a hard time figuring out a system for storing your milk for your return to work, our lactation consultant is happy to help! Contact Renee Beebe at www.second9months.com