Breast Milk

How long you can keep it

At room temperature (66-72°F): The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no longer than one hour, but the La Leche League says research shows that room-temperature breast milk is safe to drink for up to ten hours.

In a refrigerator: The AAP recommends two to three days, but the La Leche League says up to eight days is safe.

In a freezer compartment inside a fridge: Up to two weeks.

In a freezer compartment with a separate door: The AAP recommends up to one month, but the La Leche League says three to four months is safe.

In a separate deep freeze: Up to six months.

Breast milk safety secrets

Should you go with the more conservative or the more liberal time estimates? "It's largely up to the parents and what they feel comfortable with," says Jennifer Shu, M.D., coauthor of the AAP book Heading Home With Your Newborn. Many pediatricians, she says, offer milk storage recommendations somewhere in between the two extremes. What that means for you: You don't have to stress out if you're forced to leave your milk out of the fridge for a few hours, but, says Dr. Shu, "if you have any concerns about freshness, it's best to err on the side of caution, especially when it comes to preemies or newborns."

Label each container of milk with the date it was stored.

Store the milk in the back of the fridge or freezer to minimize its exposure to warm air when you open the door.

Freeze about two to four ounces per container. Leave a little room at the top of the container to allow for expansion.

Thaw frozen milk slowly in the fridge for no more than 24 hours or in a bowl of warm water.

Never refreeze thawed milk.

Don't save milk left over from a feeding to use another time; germs from your baby's mouth can contaminate the milk.

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