Safety Tips for Pumping, Storing, and Serving Breastmilk

Welcome to part 3 of our blog series on the benefits of breast feeding. If you’re new, you can check out the health benefits your baby receives from breastmilk and the health benefits you receive as a nursing mom here. If you’re still with us, you’ve likely decided to give nursing a try. Congratulations! We’re going to take a look at how you can safely pump, store, and serve breast milk so you have flexibility at work, running errands, enjoying date night, or even taking a weekend away.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), if you follow the guidelines below, you should be able to pump and feed your baby a bottle of breastmilk at a later time.

Pumping:

Before you start, make sure to wash your hands and clean your pump. Use milk storage bags or clean food-grade containers made of glass or plastic with tightly fitting lids. Avoid disposable bottle liners or bags not intended for breastmilk. These may work for prepared formula, but if they’re not rated safe for breastmilk, it’s best to stay away from them.

Storing Breast Milk:

Your freshly pumped milk is safe at room temperature (77 degrees or cooler) for up to four hours. Milk is safe in the refrigerator for up to four days and in the freezer for six to 12 months (six is preferable, but 12 is acceptable).

As you prepare to store your milk, make sure to add a label with the date you pumped the milk. If you don’t plan on using the milk within four days, go ahead and freeze it immediately. Store in two to four-ounce bags to avoid waste, and leave an inch at the top of the container to allow for expansion when milk freezes. Avoid storing milk in the door of the refrigerator or freezer. It is generally safe to store breastmilk in an insulated cooler on ice packs up to 24 hours if you are traveling.

Note: If you’re taking stored breastmilk to daycare, church childcare, etc., make sure to label the container clearly with your child’s name. Also make sure they center has appropriate storage to keep the milk safe.

Thawing and Serving Pumped Breast Milk:

Make sure to use the oldest milk you have first. To thaw, you can put the milk from the freezer into the refrigerator overnight. You can feed your baby with room temperature, cold, or slightly warm milk. You can also soak your container of milk in lukewarm water or run it under lukewarm water. Avoid the temptation to microwave frozen or refrigerated breast milk! Microwaving will destroy nutrients and can create hot spots that can burn your baby. You also want to avoid heating milk on the stove. You can test the temperature by dropping a couple of drops on the inside of your wrist.

Once thawed, use the warmed milk within two hours. (Definitely avoid refreezing milk that has already been thawed.) Gently swirl the milk in the bottle if the fat has separated.

We hope this blog series has been helpful in sharing the many benefits of nursing your baby. Remember, though, the choice to breastfeed exclusively, supplement with formula, or formula-feed exclusively is yours. At One by One, our mentors share baby health, safety growth, and development information with moms looking for support. Each mom and mentor meet monthly throughout the mom’s pregnancy and her baby’s early years. We provide free training and all the materials needed to women willing to volunteer as mentors. Click the button below to learn more.