Breast milk must be safely stored and prepared to minimize the risk of foodborne illness for baby. This article explains everything you need to know.
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The following information pertains to babies born at term without any significant medical needs. For guidance on babies who are premature or have medical needs, talk to your baby’s pediatric healthcare provider.
It depends on how it is stored. Once expressed, and as long as it is untouched by baby, breast milk keeps:
2 hours in a bottle once baby has started feeding
4 hours at room temperature (around 70 F or 21 C)
24 hours in a thermos in an insulated lunch box with an ice pack
4 days in the refrigerator if untouched by baby
6 to 12 months in a freezer
Be sure to wash your hands with hot water and soap before handling a breast pump, bottle, and pumped breast milk to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Also, make sure that breast pump parts, bottles, and storage materials are all clean before using.
Once you are ready to store breast milk, follow these safety tips:
Label containers of breast milk with the date it was pumped to help you keep track.
Breast milk can be collected in a pitcher in the refrigerator over a 24-hour period. Be sure each batch is cooled to the fridge temperature before adding it to the pitcher.
With the pitcher method, breast milk can be stored in the pitcher in the refrigerator for 4 days from when the first batch of milk was pumped.
If your doctor or pediatric dietitian recommends fortified breast milk (breast milk with powder formula mixed in), know that, once mixed, it lasts about 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
If you are planning to freeze breast milk, freeze it as soon as you can after pumping.
When freezing, remember to leave space at the top so there is space for the liquid to expand as it freezes.
Use freezer-friendly containers like bottles, sealed cups, or storage bags made specifically for breast milk storage.
If possible, place breast milk in a deep freezer or toward the back of the freezer to help minimize temperature fluctuations as you open and close the freezer door.
Make sure to clean pump parts after each use to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. If they can’t be washed immediately after pumping, store the parts in a clean container in the refrigerator to wash and clean as soon as you’re able.
When handling breast milk, try your best to reduce the number of times it is transferred between containers. The nourishing fat in the breast milk can stick to the different containers.
Use the FIFO approach: first in, first out. In other words, use the oldest frozen milk before using more recently frozen milk. This helps reduce waste.
Do not thaw breast milk on the counter, which can increase the risk of foodborne illness. When thawing breast milk, use one of these methods:
Defrost frozen breast milk overnight in the refrigerator.
Defrost under warm running water and use immediately once thawed.
Once thawed, previously frozen breast milk keeps for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature and 24 hours in the refrigerator. Do not refreeze thawed milk.
Cold breast milk may be offered to baby. Do not use the microwave to thaw or warm milk, which can lead to “hot spots” in the bottle and increase the risk of burns.
It varies. Generally babies require between 24 to 32 fl oz (720 to 960 ml) of breast milk per day, and some babies may drink more while others may drink less. Both scenarios are normal. Expect more frequent nursing sessions when baby is younger, and fewer nursing sessions as baby becomes more efficient and stronger at drinking breast milk. Breast milk intake also gradually decreases as baby builds the skills to consume solid food, which can happen as early as 9 months of age. See Baby Feeding Schedules for more information.
No, a specific sanitizer product isn’t required to clean pump parts and bottles.
It’s generally recommended to wash pump parts and bottles with hot water and dishwasher detergent between each use. Some pump parts may also be able to be cleaned in the dishwasher, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions. The CDC suggests sanitizing pump parts every few days to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. This can be done either by steam microwaving, boiling the parts, or using the sanitizing setting on the dishwasher, according to pump manufacturer recommendations.
Baby bottles should be washed in between each use. It is generally recommended to sanitize baby bottles once daily, particularly for younger babies or babies with medical complexities. Babies who are older and healthy may not need to have their bottles sanitized. Baby bottles may be sanitized either by boiling, steam microwaving, or using the sanitizing setting on the dishwasher, according to bottle manufacturer recommendations.
No. Baby can drink chilled breast milk. This also helps baby begin to get comfortable with the idea that food can have different temperatures.
If it is within 1-2 hours from the start of the feed, it is generally fine to reoffer the leftover breast milk to baby. After that, it is recommended to discard the leftovers. Why? Bacteria in baby’s saliva can cause breast milk to spoil rapidly and can increase the risk of foodborne illness.
Yes, a little. However, frozen breast milk is still highly nutritious and some nutrient loss is generally not a significant issue for most babies. Plus, freezing is a convenient way to store additional breast milk and reduce waste.
Breast milk may also be frozen within 48 to 72 hours from when it was expressed, but generally, it is best to immediately freeze it after pumping to keep breast milk fresh.
Lipase is a digestive enzyme that is present in breast milk, and its role is to support the breakdown and eventual absorption of fat in baby’s body. Lipase can impact the taste of breast milk. Some parents may realize their breast milk is high in lipase when it smells “off” or soapy, particularly when pumped and stored for later use. It is important to remember that there is nothing that a parent did “wrong” to produce high lipase breast milk. Having high lipase breast milk is very common, and it is just as nourishing. Despite its different smell and taste, as long as it has been safely handled and stored, it is entirely safe and acceptable to offer to baby.
Some babies are sensitive to the smell and taste of high lipase breast milk and may refuse it. Fortunately, there are ways to help to store and serve high lipase breast milk to increase baby’s acceptance of it.
Apply gentle heat. Shortly after pumping and before freezing, gently heat until the milk reaches a simmer (180 F / 82 C), and remove immediately off the heat. Lipase is sensitive to heat, and gently heating it helps reduce any “off” flavors and smells. Just avoid letting it come to a boil as too much heat can lower the nutritional value.
Freeze immediately after pumping. While this will not completely get rid of the taste of high lipase milk, it may help slightly. The previously frozen and thawed breast milk can be mixed with freshly pumped milk using a 1:1 ratio. This helps mask any “off” flavors.
Some families may choose to add a couple of drops of non-alcoholic vanilla essence to high lipase milk to help cover up the taste. Research on this is limited so speak to your baby’s pediatric healthcare provider for individualized guidance and support.
Tip: Once baby starts solids, high lipase breast milk (like all other expressed breast milk) can be mixed into solid foods, such as porridges, pancakes, and vegetable mashes.
Yes, a little, however it is still very nourishing for baby.
In general, breast milk can be substituted 1:1 for cow’s milk and milk alternatives in recipes.
Here are some ideas:
Stir into soft, scoopable foods like beans, grains, porridge, and mashed vegetables.
Mix with nut and seed butters to make a smooth sauce to drizzle on finger food.
Add into well-cooked scrambled eggs.
Use in pancake batter.
Download the Solid Starts App for more ideas.
Refrigerate or immediately freeze to offer later. If refrigerated, offer the food within a couple of days of when the breast milk was pumped. If breast milk is freshly pumped, used in cooking, then immediately frozen after, then food may be offered within a couple to a few months from the time of freezing. Avoid using previously frozen breast milk to prepare food that will be frozen for later use.
No, it is also completely fine to use pasteurized cow’s milk or milk alternatives for cooking once cow’s milk and other common allergens have been safely introduced. It is a common misconception that baby can’t have food containing cow’s milk before age one.
Yes, donating excess breast milk helps save the lives of vulnerable infants, such as premature babies and those who are hospitalized shortly after being born. Search online for local milk banks near you.
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