Always remember that the first step to storing any kind of milk is to wash your hands. When your hands are dried off (with a clean cloth or towel, not paper towel!), take your freshly-pumped breast milk and pour it carefully into a breast milk storage bag. I hold the bag open with one hand and I pour carefully with the other – trying not to spill! And yes, I have cried over spilled milk (aka liquid gold!).
According to the AAP, once your milk is in the refrigerator, you have up to four days to use it. After the four days are up, you’ll need to discard it. Once your milk is taken out of the fridge, feed it to your baby within 4 to 8 hours. If you know you’ll be on a longer trip and out of the house, bring your bottles in an ice pack or cooler.
When freezing your breast milk, it’s a good idea to freeze as soon as you’re finished pumping. Fresh milk can stay in a freezer bag for up to a month, and in a deep freezer for up to three months! You’ll want to freeze this milk in easy-to-use quantities, such as 2 or 4 oz. or even 6 oz., depending on your baby’s needs.
When thawing breast milk, it’s most convenient to take the bottle out of the freezer the night before and stick it in the fridge when you know for sure that you will use the bottle within 24 hours. Don’t ever put a frozen milk storage bag in the microwave or a boiling pot of water.
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