When it comes to breastfeeding, one of the most commonly asked questions is “How long is my milk good for?”. Alaina, a Certified Lactation Counselor who happens to also be our office administor, was happy to answer this question for us! We hope this information is helpful!

Important tips and reminders:

All milk should be stored in sterile breastmilk storage bags. See our favorite storage bags HERE.

Label all stored milk with date and amount of milk. Squeeze excess air out of the bag to freeze flat to optimize space.

Milk stored in a deep chest freezer will last longer than a refrigerator freezer.
Thaw milk in a small container in case it leaks.
Milk should never be re-frozen after it has been completely thawed.
Any milk leftover after a feeding should be used within 2 hours.
Power outage? Don’t worry! If milk is stored in a full freezer, it should be safe for about 48 hours. If your freezer is not full, it is safe for about 24 hours. Remember not to open the doors during an outage. If your milk still has ice in it and is not completely thawed, it is safe to refreeze.
Power outage and you can’t save your milk? No worries. We can turn it into something beautiful!!! Or, check out our past blog with lots of other uses for your milk!

Alaina Leimbach, CLC (certified lactation counselor)

Office Administrator at Milk+Honey