Hi guys! Melissa here. I'm doing a little series on breastmilk storage guidelines.
Check out my video on this topic that I did a while back, check out the video I
just did with some questions about how long you can leave breast milk out at
room temperature, and here's the question I got and you know you'll hear my answer.
And it's about freezing milk and this question is coming from Michelle
Hernandez on YouTube. And she writes can breast milk spoil in the freezer? Great
question!
Breast milk can be stored for very long periods of time in the freezer, but you
actually have to be careful about what kind of freezer you have and you have to
think about how often you're opening the freezer, so it matters. It matters whether
you put it in the door of a freezer that's being open like 20 times a day as
your family gets ice and popsicles and whatever else they're getting, or if it's
at the back of a deep freezer and you guys are gonna now you're really gonna
think I'm crazy, but I actually went to what's the name of that store I
actually rented another freezer when I was, when I was pumping and put it in our
kitchen we had an extra freezer. A deep freezer that was never opened and I stuck
all the breast milk in there because I, especially with my third baby was in the
NICU I was like the pumping queen. I was almost over lactating and I put the
breast milk in there because I wanted to be in a deep freezer. So anyway here's
the thing and here so check out my show on breast milk storage guidelines and
here's what the Mayo Clinic has to say, just to reinforce some of the rules.
Breastmilk can be kept at room temperature for up to four hours and I
don't advise that by the way, I think it should go right in the fridge. You can't
for example leave it out at room temperature for three hours and then put
it in the fridge and give it five days later no you have to pick. You have to
commit. You have to say you're either gonna leave it out for four hours and
I'd be careful about how hot it is in your home, or put it in the fridge, in
which case you're going to either freeze it that day, or you're gonna give it to
your baby within the required amount of time, or
you're gonna freeze it immediately. You can't leave it outside at room
temperature for three hours and then freeze it. You can't leave it in the
fridge for one day and then freeze it. You have to death decide that first day.
okay? So know what your system is. Freshly expressed breastmilk, according to Mayo
Clinic, can be stored in the back of the refrigerator, the back, for up to five
days if in clean conditions. That means all your pump stuff is immaculately
clean. Sterile. Sterile. And it means that it's not in the door of your
refrigerator which is getting more exposure to heat when the fridge gets
opened. Really interesting. Now freshly expressed breastmilk can be stored in
the back of a deep freezer for up to 12 months, however using the breast milk
within six months is optimal. I did go beyond the six months, especially with
babies four and five. I had so much pumped milk, I was doing this site, I had
a lot of kids, I was feeding less, you know, I was skipping some feed that I was
still pumping and they definitely had milk that was beyond the six months, but
it was in a deep freezer. And I looked at it too, like it looked good to me and when
I defrosted it I smelled it and it seemed fine. Some people even taste it,
but you got to see whether you're down with that could be like a little a
little bit yucky. Okay, so anyway follow these guidelines to a tee there's no
room for interpretation. There's no room for like finding your own sort of
personal way about it. You have to do this to the tee and you have to know
how they work. What I would do is actually print out the rules, you can
even print out my text post and put them on my refrigerator. I would get
everything ready. Have a pump station next to where you are breastfeeding your
baby. Have everything you need, make sure you're always washing your hands
thoroughly. Make sure you are you know you've got pens ready to write on your
bags make sure everything you use is BPA-free safe plastic. Pick a good solid
brand. It's a major effort but it will really pay off, it's so healthy for you,
it's so healthy for your baby. Thank you so much for doing it. You're
to a wonderful mom and, you know, God bless you. Thank you so much for writing
into CloudMom and I'll see you next time.