🍼 Feeding · 0 – 12 months
🥛 Storing Pumped Breast Milk
If mum is pumping, storing that liquid gold requires strict hygiene rules to preserve its nutritional superpowers and keep nasty bacteria well away.
Gear to get ready
- Sterile milk storage bags or BPA-free glass/plastic bottles.
- Labels with the pumping date and time.
The storage rules
1. At room temperature (20–25°C / 68–77°F)
4 hours maximum.
2. In the fridge (4°C / 40°F)
Up to 48 hours (tuck the bottle right at the back of the fridge, never in the door).
3. In the freezer (-18°C / 0°F)
Up to 4 months.
4. Thawing
Always thaw frozen milk in the fridge or under warm running water.
Classic mistakes
- ❌ Refreezing thawed milk Absolute no-go—you risk causing serious food poisoning.
- ❌ Warming it in the microwave Destroys precious antibodies and creates hot spots that can badly scald your baby's mouth.
This guide doesn't replace medical advice. When in doubt, call your doctor or your local emergency number.