According to Cedars Sinai, a non-profit hospital in LA, one of the top 5 most common questions about breast milk is “how long can I store my breast milk for?”
The CDC states that breast milk can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days and can stay in a standard freezer for 6 - 12 months. When storing breast milk, make sure to use breast milk storage bags or clean food containers with tightly fitted lids either made of glass or plastic. Try to avoid bottles containing BPA plastics, indicated by the recycle symbol with the number 7. Freshly expressed/pumped milk can be stored at room temperature (less than 77 ° F) for up to 4 hours and refrigerated (35° F to 38° F) for up to 4 days. However, a helpful tip is to make sure that milk is not stored on the fridge door as the temperature may change when you open and close the fridge. If you don’t think you can use your breast milk within the 4 days, freeze it as soon as possible to ensure the highest quality of milk!
One may wonder what to do if they need to take their milk on the go or want to express milk and keep it in a more private place. According to a study on the National Library of Medicine, milk can be safely stored for up to 24 hours at 59 ° F. While a large, heavy cooler unit is an option, Maia provides a small, stylish, compact cooling bottle keeping the milk below 59° F. A safe, affordable, private and stylish option for storing your breast milk and available soon on the shop tab.
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