Storing Breastmilk Safely

There are many different reasons why mothers express and store their milk. Some have an abundance of milk and need to express off regularly to reduce pain and sensitivity in their breasts. Others head back to work while their baby is still breastfeeding and need to ensure there is plenty of milk for bub while mum’s away. Expressing is also the best way to keep your milk supply flowing – and it’s a vital tool when the dreaded weaning phase begins!

Looking for breastmilk expression tips? Visit our guide to Expressing Breast Milk for New Mums.

So how do you store your milk safely?

1. Finding the right breast pump for your needs

Whether you’re headed back to the office, your partner takes on some feedings, or you’re leaving your little one with the grandparents for a date night, storing your breastmilk is a great solution.

But first you need a pump that helps you express off milk quickly and comfortably. Our Pigeon GoMini is a stylish and functional device that’s lightweight and compact – so you can easily store it in your bag wherever you go. That means expressing on-the-go is made simple. And best of all, it’s designed for your comfort!

2. Storing your milk

As any mother who’s expressed milk already knows, after going through all the effort of expressing and collecting your milk, the worst thing to happen is for it to go to waste because it’s been left out for too long or stored incorrectly.

There’s also a few different ways to store your milk. It doesn’t always have to go directly into the freezer. If, for example, you need some ready-to-go meals for bub over the next few days (but no longer than three days total), you can pop it in the fridge. There’s also a window of around six to eight hours where it can be left at room temperature (26°C or less) for an upcoming feed.

Need longer storage? Off to the freezer it goes (see the table below for how long you can keep the milk refrigerated or frozen).

5 steps for safely-stored breastmilk

1. Tear away the safety seal at the top of the storage bag and open it by gently pulling the zip-seal apart. Don’t blow into the bag as this ruins the sterilised interior.
2. Pour expressed breastmilk into the bag. Make sure you don’t overfill it, as the liquid will expand in the freezer and explode!
3. Carefully squeeze the bag to allow any excess air to escape.
4. Once all the air has been squeezed out, seal the bag tightly.
5. Mark the bag with today’s date and off it goes into the fridge or freezer.

 How to thaw and warm your breastmilk

 Place in the fridge for up to 24 hours after removing from the freezer.

1. Immerse the storage bag in warm water (recommended 40°C) and use your fingers to massage the outside of the bag to separate chunks of frozen milk to speed up the process.
2. Alternatively, you can use a dedicated bottle warmer to bring the cool liquid breastmilk up to the appropriate feeding temperature.
3. Never microwave your breastmilk. You will lose the nutritive value and it may create dangerous hot spots in the milk.

 Breastmilk storage guidelines

The Australian Association of Breastfeeding recommends the following guidelines for safe storage of breastmilk: 

Breastmilk	Room temperature	Refrigerator	Freezer
Freshly expressed into a closed container.	6–8 hrs (26ºC or lower). If refrigeration is available store milk there.	No more than 72 hours. Store in back of the fridge, where it is coldest.	2 weeks in freezer compartment inside refrigerator (-15°C).  3 months in freezer section of refrigerator with separate door (-18°C).  6–12 months in deep freeze (-20°C).
Previously frozen – thawed in refrigerator but not warmed.	4 hours or less (i.e. the next feeding).	Store in refrigerator for 24 hours.	Do not refreeze.
Thawed outside refrigerator in warm water.	For completion of feeding.	Hold for 4 hours or until next feeding.	Do not refreeze.
Infant has begun feeding.	Only for completion of feeding, then discard.	Discard.	Discard.

 *Storage times may vary for preterm or sick babies. Source: National Health and Medical Research Council 2012, Infant Feeding Guidelines. NHMRC, Canberra p59.

Can my breastmilk split?                                                                                    

Have you noticed that your stored breastmilk has started to separate into two different-coloured parts during storage? Don’t worry, this is completely normal and it doesn’t have any ill effect on the quality of the milk. Just give it a light shake to mix it together and you’re ready to feed it to bub.

One last thing…

It’s obvious but it does bear repeating: breastmilk is a bodily fluid, and because your baby’s gut is so sensitive in the early months of their life, you want to ensure nothing contaminates their milk supply! So always remember to wash your hands before feeding, pumping or handling breastmilk storage bags. That goes for pumping while on the go as well – so always wash before and after using your Pigeon GoMini!

For more tips and advice, check out our helpful blogs. You can also find exceptional products for breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, oral care and more at our online store.