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How long you can safely keep expressed breast milk depends on the storage method. Consider these general guidelines: Room temperature. Freshly expressed breast milk can be kept at room temperature for up to six hours. However, it's optimal to use or properly store the breast milk within four hours, especially if the room is warm. Insulated cooler.
You can store breast milk in a refrigerator with a freezer that has a separate door (0°F or −18°C) for up to 12 months, although using it within six months is preferable. The earlier you use up your breast milk, the better, because longer storage can diminish the amount of vitamin C in it.
Do not store breast milk in the door of the refrigerator or freezer. Storing it further inside will help protect the breast milk from temperature changes when the door opens and closes. If you don't think you will use freshly expressed breast milk within 4 days, freeze it right away.
Breast milk can be stored at 0° F or colder for up to 12 months, although using it within 6 months is best. Count the age of the milk from the first time it was frozen, regardless of when it was moved.
At 4 °C (39 °F) or below, the optimal storage time is 4 days, but 5–8 days may be acceptable for breast milk collected under very clean conditions and stored towards the back of the fridge (ABM, 2017).
Freshly expressed milk can remain at room temperature (up to 77°F or 25°C) for up to 4 hours, or up 6 to 8 hours if very cleanly expressed; however, it is best to chill as soon as possible. Breast milk is best stored in the back of the refrigerator (39°F or 4°C), where there are fewer temperature fluctuations.
How long breast milk lasts depends on where you’re storing it. Follow these guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure your breast milk doesn’t...