How do I store breastmilk?
Milk can be stored in plastic or glass bottles, or in nursing bags, such as the kind used for feeding formula, or in special storage bags made just for storing breastmilk. All containers should be labeled with the date the milk was expressed. At room temperature, breastmilk will be good for four hours. In the refrigerator, milk will be good for 3 to 5 days. In a cooler with blue ice, it will be good for 24 hours. On a shelf in the freezer, milk will be good for 3 months. (In the freezer door, milk will not last this long.) Milk separates within a few hours, with the fat rising to the top; if you see the milk separate, it does not mean the milk has gone bad, but you will need to shake it gently before use. Nurser bags should be placed upright. If the milk is to be frozen, the bag should then be placed in an airtight container, such as a ziplock freezer bag, which will help prevent the bag from breaking. Do not fill bags or bottles to the top, as milk expands when frozen.
