Breast Milk Storage Guidelines

For breastfeeding, and especially for exclusively pumping, moms it's essential to be aware of proper breast milk storage rules.  By simply typing breast milk storage into Google search, you'll find a ton of information.

Widely accepted storage times for breast milk.

I'm sure we can all agree that breast milk is a precious resource.  The last thing you want to do is end up throwing out some of your liquid gold because of improper breast milk storage or be giving your baby old, possibly "expired" breast milk.

I was amazed when I learned that breast milk can be stored in a deep freezer up to 12 months!

My Mistakes

This is my second time exclusively pumping, but when I was a newbie pumper...I had no idea what I was doing!

I had so many unlabeled breast milk storage bags.  I froze my milk in ugly shapes and just tossed in in the freezer carelessly.

It's okay if you're cringing.  I was bad.  It was bad.

I did buckle down though.  I did get informed.

Use a Reference

Most new moms will get some kind of breast milk storage chart in their hospital goodies, from WIC, or with their breast pump.  If not, I have created a very simply breast milk storage chart to use as a guide.

If you click on it, you'll be taken to the full 4x6" scale, which you could theoretically print out and put on your fridge/freezer/in your diaper bag.

Medela's own Breastmilk Storage Guidelines.

Here is Medela's breast milk storage guide, which I managed to snag as a magnet with my first baby.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a great breast milk storage system, even after I found the proper guidelines.  I lived in an apartment sans deep freezer and was even storing some milk at a relative's home.

When my son weaned, I was left with tons of milk, much of which was not properly labeled.  I didn't really know about the options of selling or donating breast milk.

I ended up throwing out several gallon size freezer bags worth of breast milk because I felt so overwhelmed and disorganized and didn't know what to do with it!

This time I've been careful label everything and to store it in a way that's convenient!

Do you have a breast milk freezer stash?  When do you plan to dip into it?

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