Storing and Thawing Breast Milk
Breast milk storage
It is important to preserve pumped breast milk and store it properly to maintain a good quality for your baby's health. Therefore, store it as follows:
After you have ensured that the pump and the milk storage containers are clean, write the date on a sticker that will be attached to the milk container to record the pumping date and also when it will expire (see a table detailing storage times below). If the milk you pumped is aimed at freezer storage, allow a small headspace before closing to accommodate expansion during freezing.
Freshly pumped breast milk that has been stored in the refrigerator and has not been frozen contains a higher concentration of anti-inflammatory agents than frozen milk. Therefore, if you know your baby will consume pumped breast milk within three days, store it in the refrigerator and consume it before thawing frozen milk. If you realize you have not consumed the refrigerated pumped milk and you want to keep it, you can freeze it within 24 hours. It is recommended to freeze breast milk intended for freezing as close to pumping as possible.
Which storage containers are recommended for storing breast milk?
- Suitable containers for storing breast milk include glass bottles or plastic containers that are clean, dry, and have a lid. Sterilization is not required if the baby is healthy, and the milk is for home use.
- Plastic bags designated for storing breast milk that have an Israeli standard mark.
How to preserve your breast milk
You can preserve your pumped breast milk according to the following directions:
At room temperature
It is recommended to consume the milk within 3-4 hours, or up to 6 hours, provided the room temperature remains below 29 degrees Celsius.
In the refrigerator
Fresh breast milk can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Breast milk that was frozen and thawed in the refrigerator must be consumed within 24 hours of thawing.
It is important to store breast milk at the back of the refrigerator, away from the refrigerator or the freezer’s door, as the temperature fluctuates with each opening.
When freezing breast milk
- In a freezer compartment within a refrigerator: where the temperature fluctuates due to the opening of the refrigerator’s door, you can keep the breast milk for up to two weeks.
- In a freezer with its own door within a refrigerator: where the temperature fluctuates due to temperature fluctuations caused by opening the refrigerator door, you can keep the breast milk for up to 3-4 months.
- In a deep-freeze freezer (minus 18 degrees Celsius and below): the recommended storage duration is dix months to one year. It is crucial to store the breast milk in the back of the refrigerator.
- In a sealed cooler with an ice pack: up to 24 hours.
It is important to ensure continuous contact between the ice pack and the milk and transfer the milk to the refrigerator as soon as possible.
How do you thaw breast milk?
- Before starting to consume the pumped breast milk, it is essential to wash your hands.
- Breast milk’s fat layer separates off and floats to the top; this is normal. A gentle stir will resume its original texture suitable for eating.
- Fresh breast milk taken out of the refrigerator, or frozen milk that has been thawed in the refrigerator, should be heated to room temperature in lukewarm water (not boiling water).
- Avoid heating pumped breast milk in boiling water or in a microwave oven.
- Partially consumed pumped breast milk remaining in a feeding container that the baby has eaten from must be consumed within an hour. Leftovers must be discarded because germs from the baby’s mouth enter the milk. To avoid wasting milk, it is recommended to fill the milk bottle with a smaller quantity than the regular portion and add up if needed.
| Storage method | Temperature | Recommended storage duration | Possible storage duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Room temperature |
16-29 degrees Celsius |
3-4 hours |
Up to 6 hours |
It is recommended to transfer it to the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible |
| Sealed cooler with an icepack | Minus 15 degrees Celsius | - | Up to 24 hours | Ensure continuous contact between the ice pack and the milk, and transfer the milk to the refrigerator as soon as possible |
| Fresh breast milk in the refrigerator | 4 degrees Celsius or less | 3 days | Up to 8 days | Store it in the back of the refrigerator |
| In the freezer compartment within the refrigerator (for example, a minibar at a hotel) | Fluctuating temperature due to frequent door opening | - | Up to two weeks | - |
| In the freezer with its own door within a refrigerator | Minus 4 degrees Celsius | 3 months | Up to 12 months | - |
| Deep freezer | Minus 18 degrees Celsius | 6 months | 12 months | - |
| Milk that has been frozen and then thawed in the refrigerator | Minus 4 degrees Celsius | - | Up to 24 hours | Store it in the back part of the refrigerator |
How to use the pumped breast milk
- Generally, refrigerated breast milk that has not been frozen contains a higher concentration of anti-inflammatory agents than milk that has been frozen. Therefore, it is advisable to use refrigerated milk first and then frozen milk.
- Before consuming pumped milk, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry them carefully (preferably with a disposable towel).
- To heat refrigerated breast milk, warm it to room temperature in a container with lukewarm, not boiling, water. Generally, breast milk does not require heating. You can also feed it cold or at room temperature.
- Frozen breast milk can be thawed to room temperature in several ways: take it out of the freezer an hour before consumption, place it in a container of lukewarm water (not boiling), or leave it at room temperature.
- Frozen breast milk can be transferred to the refrigerator and consumed within 24 hours.
- Pumped breast milk must not be heated in boiling water or in the microwave oven.
- Breast milk’s fat layer separates off and floats to the top; this is normal. A gentle stir will resume its original texture suitable for eating.
- Partially consumed pumped breast milk remaining in a feeding container that the baby has eaten from must be consumed within an hour. Leftovers must be discarded because germs from the baby’s mouth enter the milk. To avoid wasting milk, it is recommended to fill the milk bottle with a smaller quantity than the regular portion and add up, if needed.
Breast milk feeding of babies in daycare centers and nursery schools
- It is your right to bring pumped breast milk to a nursery school to ensure that your baby continues to be fed with breast milk even when you are unable to feed them directly.
- Bring the pumped breast milk to the daycare center daily in a liquid state.
- It is preferable to bring freshly pumped breast milk to the daycare center (if immediate delivery is not possible, store it in the refrigerator). The second priority is breast milk that has been frozen and thawed in the last 24 hours before being brought to the daycare center.
- Write the name of the baby on the milk bags, as well as the pumping date and, if relevant, the thawing date.
Storing pumped breast milk in the daycare center
Breast milk should be stored on a refrigerator shelf (not at the door), at a temperature of at or below 4 degrees Celsius, and warm it in lukewarm, not boiling, water before feeding.
Even if the daycare center staff is experienced, it is still a good idea to provide them with specific instructions for storing your pumped milk.