The process of storing breast milk can feel daunting as a new mom or surrogate mother. Often referred to as “liquid gold,” your breast milk holds crucial nutritional and immunological benefits for babies. Proper breast milk storage can impact its quality and safety.
Unfortunately, many women are given very little information about pumping and breast milk storage at the hospital, which means you’re left to navigate the complexities on your own. In this guide, we provide everything you need to know about storing breast milk in a simple, easy-to-consume format. Below, we’ll explore:
If you’re anticipating a return to work, planning a trip, shipping breast milk to your intended family as their surrogate, or donating breast milk, you’ll want to start building a supply of breast milk. The timing at which you start depends on you and your situation.
Surrogate mothers who decide to pump often do so soon after giving birth, before their supply has a chance to dry up, while new moms may wait until closer to their return-to-work date.
For many lactating women, nursing and pumping, it can be challenging to build up a supply of breast milk to store for later.
The Bump offers a few recommendations to increase your supply and start creating a stash of stored breast milk. They recommend:
There are a few features to look for as you shop for breast milk storage bags:
Some brands we recommend include:
Medela
Lansinoh
Ameda
Dr. Brown's
Check out VeryWell Family's list of best breast milk storage bags.
Before pumping or nursing, remember to:
After pumping, follow these tips for breastmilk storage:
You can store breast milk in the refrigerator for up to 4 days for freshly expressed or pumped milk, or 1 day for thawed, frozen milk. It is best to freeze breastmilk for up to 6 months in the freezer, but it is acceptable if you keep it frozen for 12.
Because of these timelines, it’s important to write the date on every bag.
Follow the CDC’s milk storage guidelines:
If you have to pump on the go, there are some important tips to keep in mind for breast milk storage:
There are a few situations in which you may find yourself with extra stored breast milk. For instance, you could be a surrogate who pumped breast milk your intended family didn’t need, a new mom who has finished feeding her baby breast milk, or a lactating mother who pumped more than your baby needed whose stored supply is close to expiring.
If you fit any of the criteria above, reach out to a milk bank near you to see if you qualify to donate breast milk. There are over dozens of non-profit milk banks located across the country who would love more milk to give away to families who desperately need it!
You can ship frozen breast milk to a milk bank by following a few safety guidelines: