Breastmilk Collection and Storage

Guidelines For Normal Newborns

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Medela, Inc. via Maternal Connections™

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Collecting BreastMilk

• First, wash hands well.
  
  
• Wash breast pump equipment that contacts the breast, Milk, or collection containers in a dishwasher or by hand, in hot, soapy water. Rinse with cold water and air dry on a clean towel. Check with your hospital or doctor for any other instructions.
  
  
• When to pump depends on you and your baby's schedule. Your milk supply usually is most plentiful in the morning, so that is a good time. Try to pump midway between feedings. Be flexible. If your baby skips a feeding, nurses a shorter time than usual, or only nurses on one side, pump out the rest of the milk and save it. If you are planning to return to work and continue breastfeeding, begin pumping one to two weeks before you return. Try to simulate what your pumping schedule will be at work.
  
  
• Before pumping, get comfortably seated and relaxed. Pump your breasts according to the breast pump manufacturer's instructions.
  
  

Storage

There are several containers available for storing breastmilk. These include specially designed plastic bags, plastic bottles or glass containers. There are advantages to each.

1. If you are going to freeze your breastmilk, leave some space at the top of the container. Breastmilk, like most liquids, expands as it freezes.
   
   
2. When using plastic bags, use those designed for breastmilk collection. Before storing, fold the top several times and seal with freezer or masking tape.
   
   Place smaller bags in a larger bag to help protect against punctures. Medela's CSF bags come with twist ties for easy sealing and don't need to be double bagged.
   
   
3. Mark the date and amount on each container.
   
   
4. Freeze your milk in two ounce to four ounce portions. Smaller amounts thaw quicker, and you will waste less milk if your baby consumes less than you anticipated.
   
   
5. You may continue to add small amounts of cooled breastmilk to the same container throughout the day. Chill in the refrigerator until evening. Then, freeze in appropriate amounts.
   
   
6. You may also add to previously frozen milk. First refrigerate all freshly expressed milk until cold, and then add to the frozen milk. The newly added milk must be of a lesser amount than the previously frozen milk.¹
   
   
7. If you carefully washed your hand before pumpIng or expressing, your breastmilk will be safe for a few hours at room temperature, 68'F. Immediate refrigeration, however, is recommended.²
   
   
8. Fresh milk may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours³ at 39'F.
   
   
9. Frozen milk may be stored in the back of the freezer portion of a refrigerator-freezer for up to six months⁴.
   
   
10. Frozen milk may be stored in a -20'C deep freezer for up to 12 months⁵.
    
    
11. Defrosted milk may be kept for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator⁶.
    
    

BreastMilk Storage Guidelines

Defrosting

To defrost frozen milk:

• Place milk in refrigerator the night before you're going to use it. Refrigerator defrosting takes 12 hours.
  
  
• Place the frozen milk under warm running water or in a pan of warm water. Don't use hot water, as this can destroy some of the milk's immunological components.
  
  
• Fat in breastmilk will separate and rise to the top. By gently swirling the container, you can mix any fat that may have separated.
  
  
• Never refreeze thawed breastmilk.
  
  
• Remember, the color, consistency and odor of you breast milk may vary depending upon your diet.
  
  
• Discard any breastmilk you don't use during a feeding.
  
  

Caution: Never microwave breastmilk! Microwaving breastmilk can change the milk's composition, and has the potential to burn your baby.

Intake Guidelines

How much breastmilk should you anticipate for your baby for each feeding? That depends on the individual infant, but here are some guidelines⁷.

Average intake by age:

0-2 months	2-5 oz. per feeding
2-4 months	4-6 oz. per feeding
4-6 months	5-7 oz. per feeding

Average intake by weight:

8 tbs.	21.3 oz. in 24 hours
9 tbs.	24.0 oz. in 24 hours
10 tbs.	26.7 oz. in 24 hours
11 tbs.	29.3 oz. in 24 hours
12 tbs.	32.0 oz. in 24 hours
14 tbs.	37.3 oz. in 24 hours
16 tbs.	42.7 oz. in 24 hours

References

¹Lauwers J. Woesner C: Counseling the Nursing Mother, p. 436.

²Barger J and Bull P: A Comparison of the Bacterial Composition of breastmilk Stored At Room Temperature and Stored in the Refrigerator. Int J Childbirth Educ 2:29-30, 1987

³Instructions from Mothers' Milk Bank at Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA, Maria Teresa Asquith, Ronald Cohen, MD.

⁴Ibid

⁵Ibid

⁶Lauwers J. and Woessner C: Counseling the Nursing Mother, second edition, P. 437, 1989

⁷Renfrew M, Fisher C, and Arm, S: Bestfeeding: Getting Breastfeeding Right for You, p. 5, 1990

⁸Scipien G, Barnard M. Chard M, Howe J, and1 Phillips P: Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing p. 218. 1975.

Credits

Contributions made by Pat Bull, RN, IBCLC.

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