Many mothers find it convenient or even necessary to collect their breast milk and store it to be used later. The guidelines offered below may answer many questions mothers have about safely collecting and storing their breast milk. The following storage guidelines are only for healthy babies who were born at term. If your baby is hospitalized or was born preterm, the guidelines may be different. Check with your healthcare provider for specific instructions for storing breast milk for your baby.

7 Tips for Breast Milk Storage



How do I store my Breast Milk?
After your supply is set, you may need to start pumping and storing your breastmilk. Having breastmilk on hand for baby while you are away will make sure he always has the best nutrition. If you will be away from your baby long enough to miss one or more feedings, pump or hand express your milk at the same time you would have normally breastfed your baby. This will help you keep up your milk supply so you can continue breastfeeding, even if you return to work or school. Storing your breastmilk safely after you pump will make sure your baby always has the nourishment he needs while you are away.


How to store, freeze and thaw breast milk
Having enough breast milk is a big worry for moms. These storage guidelines will teach you how to store breast milk in the best manner, and answer your questions about breast milk storage. Breast milk can stay out at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. If you pumped breast milk during the night, you can keep it out and put it in the fridge within this timeframe.
At some point during your breastfeeding experience, you may need to pump or express your breast milk. If you are not going to use it right away, you can store your milk to use in the future. If you are pumping breast milk for a premature baby or donating to a milk bank, the collection and storage process may be more strict.