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How to Store Breast Milk

The storage guide

how to store breast milk

Every drop is hard-won. Here's exactly how long it lasts, where to keep it and how to use it safely, so nothing you've worked for goes down the sink.

Based on CDC breast milk storage guidelines

01

how long it lasts

Keep milk at the back of the fridge or freezer, never in the door.

Breast milk Room temperature77°F or colder Refrigerator Freezer
freshly expressed up to 4 hours up to 4 daysNot using it by then? Freeze it right away 6-12 monthsAbout 6 months is best, up to 12 months is acceptable
thawed, previously frozen 1-2 hours up to 24 hoursCounted from when it's fully thawed never refreeze
brought to room temperature, or warmed 2 hours - never refreeze
leftover after a feed 2 hoursAfter the baby finishes, then throw it away - -
02

freeze it smart

Freezing keeps milk safe, but quality drops the longer it's stored.

Whenwithin 4 days

If you won't use fresh milk within 4 days, freeze it right away

How much2-4 oz

Freeze one feed's worth per bag, so nothing goes to waste

How long6-12 months

About 6 months is best. Up to 12 months is acceptable

03

store, thaw, warm

store

  1. Made for milkUse breast milk storage bags or clean, food-grade containers.
  2. Label every bagThe date you expressed it. For childcare, add your child's name.
  3. Back, not the doorAvoid temperature swings in the fridge or freezer door.
  4. Leave roomLeave about an inch at the top. Milk expands as it freezes.
  5. Combining milkCool fresh milk before adding it to older milk. Date it by the oldest milk.

thaw

  1. Oldest firstAlways thaw the oldest milk first.
  2. Three waysIn the fridge overnight, in a bowl of warm water, or under lukewarm running water.
  3. Thawed milk clockFridge: up to 24 hours once fully thawed. Countertop: 1-2 hours.

warm

  1. OptionalMilk doesn't need warming. Room temperature or cold is fine.
  2. Sealed and gentleKeep it sealed. Stand it in warm water or under warm (not hot) running water.
  3. Wrist checkTest a few drops on your wrist before feeding.
  4. SwirlSwirl to mix in any fat that has separated.
The non-negotiables

never microwave

It can destroy nutrients and create hot spots that burn a baby's mouth.

never the stovetop

Don't heat milk directly on the stove.

never refreeze

Once milk has thawed, it stays thawed.

never save leftovers

Use within 2 hours of a feed, then throw it away.

04

read your LACEVO bag

Every LACEVO milk storage bag has a color-changing thermal sensor, so you can see where your milk is at in real time.

LACEVO temperature sensing breast milk storage bag
Purple = Cold

Straight from the fridge or freezer. Safe to feed cold, or keep warming if your baby prefers it warm.

Blue = Optimum

Optimum feeding temperature. Check on your wrist, then feed.

White = Hot

Too hot. Let it cool before feeding.

2-4 oz

Freezing? Freeze one feed's worth per bag and leave about an inch at the top, because milk expands as it freezes. Each LACEVO bag holds up to 6.8 oz.

As a safety precaution, always test the milk temperature on your skin before giving it to your baby.

Shop milk storage bags
05

on the go

  • An insulated cooler bag with frozen ice packs keeps milk for up to 24 hours.
  • When you arrive, use it, refrigerate it or freeze it.
  • Flying? You can carry more than 3.4 oz of breast milk in your carry-on, plus ice and gel packs.
06

if the power goes out

  • Keep doors shut. A full, unopened freezer keeps food safe for about 48 hours, a half-full one about 24 hours.
  • Still has ice crystals? It can be refrozen.
  • Fully thawed but still cold? Refrigerate it and use within the next day, or throw it away.
07

your questions, answered

how long can breast milk stay in the fridge?

Up to 4 days. If you don't think you'll use it by then, freeze it right away.

how long does frozen breast milk last?

About 6 months is best. Up to 12 months is acceptable. Freezing keeps milk safe, but quality drops over time.

how long is breast milk good at room temperature?

Freshly expressed milk is good for up to 4 hours at 77°F or colder. Thawed milk is good for 1-2 hours on the countertop, and warmed milk should be used within 2 hours.

can I refreeze thawed breast milk?

No. Once milk has thawed, never refreeze it. The only exception is a power outage where the milk still has ice crystals.

do I have to warm breast milk?

No. Milk can be served at room temperature or cold.

can I mix fresh milk with stored milk?

Cool the fresh milk first, then combine. Date it by when the older milk was first stored.

how much should I put in a LACEVO milk bag?

Freeze 2 to 4 oz, or one feed's worth, per bag and leave about an inch at the top. Each bag holds up to 6.8 oz.

can I reuse LACEVO milk bags?

No. They're pre-sterilized and single use only.

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