How long is freshly pumped milk good for

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If your baby is in a neonatal intensive care unit NICU or special care ward, your hospital may have stricter recommendations for cleaning and storage. Stored breast milk tends to separate into layers, with the fat cream rising to the top. Gently swirl the bottle to mix the layers before feeding your baby. When your baby feeds on expressed breast milk from a cup or bottle, bacteria from his mouth can naturally end up in the milk.

Healthy, full-term babies can drink breast milk at room temperature or warmed to body temperature. You may notice that your refrigerated or defrosted breast milk can sometimes smell different. This is because an enzyme called lipase breaks down fats and releases fatty acids — a process that helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Some mums report that their stored milk has a soapy or rancid smell. If you have to transport your milk between work and home or daycare, use a cooler bag with ice packs.

The convenient way to store, carry and warm expressed breast milk, Medela breast milk storage bags are easy to use and hygienic. The Medela breast milk bottles are a perfect complement to your breastfeeding experience.

Discover our new range of pacifiers — made in Switzerland. Choose a location. Your breastfeeding journey. Medela Homepage Breastfeeding for Mums Your breastfeeding journey storing and thawing breast milk. Talk with your child care provider about how they require breast milk be stored and labeled. Store breast milk in small batches. Any remaining breast milk left in a bottle after your baby is finished with a feeding should be used within 2 hours, or, if quickly refrigerated, used for the next feeding.

You can always thaw an extra container if needed. Refrigerate or chill milk right after it is expressed. It is best to use refrigerated breast milk within 4 days, but it can be refrigerated for up to 8 days. To warm breast milk from the refrigerator: Place the bottle in a bowl of warm water or run it under warm water.

Microwaving breast milk is not safe due to the risk of scalding your baby with hot milk. Freeze breast milk if you will not be using it within 24 hours. Breast milk expands as it freezes, so do not fill the milk all the way to the top of the storage container. Again store the milk in the back of the freezer, not the door.

To thaw breast milk from the freezer: Put the bottle or bag in the refrigerator overnight, hold it under warm running water, or set it in a container of warm water.