• Exclusive Pumping 101
    • Exclusive Pumping Playbook
    • Weaning from the Pump
    • Free Sample Schedules
    • Free Email Course
    • Exclusive Pumping From Birth
    • Awards
    • Stories
  • Tips
  • Supply
    • Milk Supply Guide
  • Feeding
  • Work
    • Pumping at Work Jump Start
    • Back to Work Workbook
  • Health
  • Products
  • Shop
    • Guides
    • Discounts
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Site Index
  • Contact
  • Start Here

Exclusive Pumping

Home » Exclusive Pumping 101 » Handling and Storing Breast Milk When You’re Exclusively Pumping

Handling and Storing Breast Milk When You’re Exclusively Pumping

By Amanda Glenn, CLC. Last Updated November 11, 2021. Originally Posted April 19, 2021.

Handling and Storing Breast Milk
Storing Breast Milk and How to Use It
How Long Can Breast Milk be Left Out?
How Long is Frozen Milk Good For?
Storing Breastmilk After Pumping
How to Store Breast Milk Safely
The Rules for Storing Pumped Breastmilk
The Best Ways to Store Pumped Breastmilk
How to Store Your Breastmilk
Best Ways to Store Breastmilk
Breastmilk Storage Guidelines and Tips
How to Store Breastmilk after Pumping
Pumping Tips Breastmilk Storage
Exclusive Pumping and Milk Storage

Wondering how to store breast milk? Here’s everything you need to know about storing breast milk at room temperature, in the refrigerator, and in the freezer.

three Medela bottles with breast milk in it in a refrigerator with text overlay how to handle and store breast milk

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click a link and take action, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I love! More info here.

Once you’ve pumped your milk, what do you do with it? You can:

  • Feed it to your baby at the next feeding
  • Store it in the refrigerator
  • Freeze it

Below are summaries and best practices regarding each of these options.

Storing at room temperature and feeding fresh milk

One option that can be easiest when you’re exclusively pumping or pumping to feed your baby in the next few hours is to keep your milk at room temperature and feed it fresh.

This is pretty straightforward – once you’ve finished pumping, you can set it aside and then give it to your baby when he or she is hungry.

How long can breast milk stay out?

Freshly pumped milk can safely stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours. (Slightly longer – up to 6 to 8 hours – may be acceptable depending on the ambient temperature.)

Feeding Fresh Breast Milk

Reusing expressed breast milk

Illustration of mother feeding baby a bottle | Can You Reuse a Bottle Baby Didn't Finish? | You can offer it again within 2 hours of baby finishing the feeding | After 2 hours, you should discard or use for a milk bath | Either leaving the bottle at room temp or putting it in the fridge and re-warming is fine. Source: CDC/Kellymom

What if your baby starts a bottle, but doesn’t finish it?

You can offer it again within two hours of when baby finished the first feeding.

What should you do with the milk during those 2 hours? Some parents choose to leave the milk at room temperature, and others prefer to refrigerate and rewarm. Because no studies have been done, we don’t know which is better.

Storing in the refrigerator

3 Medela bottles with breast milk in them in a fridge

Breast milk storage guidelines for refrigerated milk can vary quite a bit. The CDC says breast milk in the fridge is fine for 4 days, while other sources will say up to 8 days. If possible, I would aim to use or freeze milk in the fridge within 3-4 days.

If you have a number of bottles in the refrigerator at any given time, it is a good idea to label them with the pump date (you can use a piece of masking tape or a dry erase marker) or order them with the oldest bottles in front so that they are used first.

Mixing breast milk is fine. Treat the mixed milk as if it was all pumped on the first pump date/time.

Over time, cream will rise to the top of the milk as it is stored in the fridge. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

The pitcher method

mason jar full of breast milk with a green spout sitting on a granite countertop

If you’re exclusively pumping and have a lot of bottles in your fridge, you may want to try the “pitcher method.”

This just means combining all the milk that you pump in one day into a large container (like a Dr. Brown’s pitcher or mason jar).

Then, at the end of the day, you prep bottles for the next day and freeze any extra milk.

More on the pitcher method here.

Warming the milk for feeding

When you are ready to feed your refrigerated milk to your baby, you may need to warm it. (Cold bottles are fine if your baby will take them, but many will not.)

There are a few different ways you can do this:

  • Use a bottle warmer
  • Put it in a container of warm water
  • Run it under warm water in the sink

Never microwave breast milk or formula, as the microwave can create “hot spots†that will burn the baby’s mouth, and make sure to check the temperature after warming by squirting a bit on your wrist or hand.

Freezing breast milk

frozen milk in zip-top bags in a freezer

Frozen milk can be stored in most freezers for up to 12 months, though the CDC says up to 6 months is ideal. (The CDC used to have different guidelines for regular freezers and deep freezers, but they no longer distinguish between the two.)

If you’re freezing milk in the freezer compartment of a mini-fridge, that should be used within 2 weeks.

If you have frozen milk that you’re not sure is still good, you can test it with MilkStrips. (More on these test strips here.)

How frozen milk should be stored

Breast milk can be frozen in glass or plastic bottles or breast milk storage bags. If you have a small freezer stash, you might want to use reusable breast milk bags; if you are building a larger one, you’d want to use disposable bags.

When freezing the milk, label it with:

  • The date the milk was pumped (if you have milk from more than one pumping session in the same bag, use the earlier date). You can include the time the milk was pumped as well, but this is usually less important.
  • The amount of milk in the container.
  • Your child’s name (if your child will be using the frozen milk in a childcare setting).
Freezing Breast Milk

How much milk should you freeze in each bag?

There is no correct answer here – you kind of have to figure out a system that works for you.

Many sources recommend storing milk in 1-4 oz portions so you don’t waste milk. This will work fine – if it turns out you need to thaw a bag with more milk than you need, you can thaw it in cold water and store the rest for later. You’d just need to use it within 24 hours.

When should you start freezing milk?

This also doesn’t have one correct answer. I would suggest starting to freeze your milk whenever you have a little extra that you won’t need in the next few days. (If you’re wrong and you do need it, you can always thaw it and use it.)

More on when to start freezing milk here and how much you want to store here.

Using frozen breast milk

There are a few different ways that you can thaw milk:

  • Put the milk in the refrigerator to thaw slowly (it will take about 12-24 hours)
  • Place the milk in a container of cold water
  • Put the milk in a container of warm water (thaws and warms the milk at the same time)

If you plan to use only part of the milk in the bag, or if you’re defrosting for a later feeding (for example, if you’re prepping bottles for the next day’s childcare), you’ll want to thaw the milk in the fridge or in cold water. Otherwise, warm water can be easiest since there’s no separate warming step.

Defrosting Breast Milk in the Fridge

Frozen milk should not be thawed at room temperature.

More on defrosting breast milk here.

How to use milk once it’s thawed

Once frozen breast milk has been thawed, it should be used within 24 hours.

Frozen milk should not be refrozen.

Rotating frozen milk

A few weeks after you start freezing milk, consider starting to rotate your milk. This just means using the oldest milk in your freezer for a feeding, and replacing it with the milk that you would have fed your baby.

Before building up a large freezer stash, it’s a good idea to give your frozen breast milk a test run with your baby. This is just to make sure that you don’t have a lipase issue.

Storing breast milk in a cooler

Breast milk can be stored for up to 24 hours in a cooler. (More on breast milk coolers here.)

If you need to travel with fresh or frozen breast milk, here are some tips for packing your breast milk.

Breast milk storage | bottle of breast milk on the counter Room Temp 4 hours | 2 bottles in the fridge Fridge 4 days | frozen breast milk in bags in the freezer Freezer 12 months | cooler full of ice and Medela bottles Cooler 24 hours

Do you have any questions about how to store breast milk? Ask them in the comments!

References

  1. CDC. “Proper Storage and Preparation of Breast Milk.” https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/handling_breastmilk.htm
  2. Bonyata, Kelly, IBCLC. “Human Milk Storage.” https://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/milkstorage01.pdf
  3. Bonyata, Kelly, IBCLC. “Reusing Expressed Breastmilk.” https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/reusing-expressedmilk/

  • Share

Filed Under: Bottle Feeding Breast Milk, Exclusive Pumping 101, Featured

« Strawberry Banana Lactation Smoothie
Best Nursing Swimsuits (2022) »

Comments

  1. Amity says

    July 26, 2022 at 9:20 am

    Hi, the info you provided is great! I’ll be flying without my baby for the first time and the whole trip will be about 10 hours. You said you can store up to 24 hours in a cooler. Do it need to maintain fridge temp? (I have a thermometer) or just need to be cool? Also if I use ice in a cooler, would that freeze the fresh milk? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      July 28, 2022 at 11:36 am

      Hi Amity! The CDC says 59 degrees or cooler. Ice shouldn’t freeze the milk. Hope that helps and have a great trip!

  2. Jenise says

    July 10, 2021 at 6:11 am

    I’m pumping for a caregiver to feed my baby while I’m at work but breastfeeding on nights and weekends. Is it best to freeze milk I’ve pumped on Fridays or just keep in the fridge for Monday’s feedings since it’s less than four days? I’m using the pitcher method and it’s working great so far.

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      July 11, 2021 at 2:58 pm

      Hi Jenise! You can really do it either way. I just kept it fresh because it was easier, but either way will work! 🙂

  3. Kallie says

    July 8, 2021 at 1:27 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! I’m exclusively pumping and having a hard time determining the best “rotation” schedule in and out of the freezer. I freeze every 3rd day of the week but am now getting to a point where I still have too much in my fridge that we’re not getting through fast enough AND a huge supply in the freezer that I’d like to rotate in. I want to have the “freshest” milk in the freezer when my supply drops off to get my through the remainder of his first year. I haven’t been able to find a ton of resources on rotation options. Can you recommend a schedule?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      July 12, 2021 at 3:04 pm

      Hi Kallie! A lot of people do one frozen bottle a day or pick a day to feed frozen milk (like Frozen Fridays). I would try one of those out and see how it works for you!

  4. Janelle says

    July 7, 2021 at 10:11 am

    Hi Amanda! Is there harm with air bubbles in frozen milk bags? I can’t seem to get all the air out without pushing some of the milk out. I’m freezing 2 ounces in 4 ounce lansinoh bags but thinking I should freeze 3-4 oz to help eliminate as many air bubbles as possible. I already see crystals forming where the air bubbles are in the bags. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      July 7, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      Hi Janelle! No, it’s not problem. You want to get as many out as you can to save space, but it’s no big deal. 🙂

  5. Christina says

    July 1, 2021 at 5:59 am

    5 stars
    This blog is FANTASTIC and exactly what I have been looking for! Thank you for all your information. I have a question in general about the guidelines. I am not sure how to word it but I will just try my best. So if I have breast milk in the fridge…it can be in there for 3-4 days (best practice). If I do not use it in 3-4 days, is it then safe to freeze?

    Also, I will be traveling by car soon. If I put frozen breast milk in a cooler, can I just put it back in the freezer when we get to our cottage and then treat it like normal frozen breastmilk? Same with refrigerated…if it is in a cooler for travel…I know it’s good for 24 hours in the cooler…but then is it still good for 3-4 days in the fridge at my destination?

    I am so sorry that is so confusing…just trying to figure out how the guidelines work with crossover type situations. New momma…sorry so wordy!!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      July 2, 2021 at 3:00 pm

      Hi Christina!

      So to answer your first question – yes. if it hasn’t gone off (and it wouldn’t have in 3 days) then yes, you can freeze it. Just freeze it as soon as you know you won’t be using it soon.

      Yes, that should be fine. As long as the frozen milk stays frozen, you can put in the freezer at the cottage and treat it like normal frozen milk. Same with the cooler – but I’d keep it as cold as possible and use it as soon as you can. (Just like, use that first, versus feeding fresh milk and keep the cooler milk in the fridge for days.) But that’s more of a best practice than a rule. The CDC doesn’t go into all these hypotheticals!

  6. Christl says

    June 21, 2021 at 11:56 am

    Thanks for all your info and tips and tricks! If I’m pumping and will feed to my baby within 4 hrs of pumping, will the milk retain more nutrients and “superpowers” if I keep it at room temperature, or if I refrigerate it and warm it up with a bottle warmer? My baby will drink at room temperature, but not at fridge cold. Just wondering what makes the most sense! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      June 22, 2021 at 7:24 am

      Hi Christi! I’m not sure the research has been done on what exactly happens to the levels of antibodies and nutrients in terms of warming. Overall, i would say do what is easiest for you, as the difference will likely be minimal and a trade off – the refrigerated milk would have less bacterial growth but the milk that wasn’t warmed might have slightly more antibodies. Again, this is going to be a very minimal difference so just do what works best for you!

    • Esme says

      June 24, 2021 at 4:17 am

      So I pumped 5 oz and refrigerate it and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feed it to my baby ? Can you help me by explaining how I should feed him that milk ? he usually drinks around 2-3 oz per feeding
      thank you

    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      June 24, 2021 at 11:59 am

      Hi Esme! The next time baby needs a bottle, I would put 2-3oz in a new bottle, warm it (if baby likes bottles warm), and feed. Then you can feed the rest of the pumped milk the next time baby needs a bottle. If it won’t be for more than a few days, I would freeze it. I hope that helps!

  7. Erika Orozco says

    May 20, 2021 at 10:12 pm

    Hi, i just had a baby about a week old now…i’ve been having issues with the baby not latching on and/or not producing enough milk so I’ve been supplementing with formula and pumping about every two hours for 20 min. I’ve been storing my freshly expressed milk into breast milk storage bags and then putting them in the refrigerator. My question is what is the safest way to store the milk each time I pump…do I keep pouring it in the same bag at room temp then refrigerated it or do I refrigerate it first to chill then out it in the same bag?

    Erika

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      May 21, 2021 at 7:20 am

      Hi Erika! Congrats on your baby! Refrigerate it first so that it’s the same temp as milk that’s already chilled, then combine! 🙂

  8. Theresa says

    May 16, 2021 at 7:19 pm

    If I am traveling by car with breast milk in a cooler, As soon as I get to my destination is it safe to then put the milk in the refrigerator? If so, how long would it be good for?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      May 17, 2021 at 7:18 am

      Yes that’s fine. As long as it was in the cooler for less than 24 hours, you can follow normal guidelines for the fridge.

  9. Jennifer Ballard says

    April 13, 2021 at 11:32 am

    Why should you not thaw frozen milk at room temperature? I have been leaving out a few bags but put them in the fridge before completely thawed (still very cold, almost slushy)

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      April 13, 2021 at 7:25 pm

      I’m honestly not sure, as the CDC hasn’t (at least as far as I know) given a reason for this guideline?

  10. MMM says

    February 12, 2021 at 4:46 am

    Hi Amanda, your blog is amazing and so so informative. Thank you!
    I have read over and over again that frozen breast milk should not be thawed at room tent; however no one has been able to explain the rationale for this. Can you help here.

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      February 14, 2021 at 8:47 am

      Hi! Thank you! I can’t explain the rationale for it because I don’t understand it either. It’s a great question that I would love the CDC to explain!

  11. Laci says

    January 23, 2021 at 5:41 pm

    If I pump after baby nurses and only get 2 oz, can I dump that in with the 4 oz I have in the fridge from when I pumped earlier in the day?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      January 23, 2021 at 6:41 pm

      Hi Laci! You can, just chill it before you dump it in.

  12. Toyin says

    January 11, 2021 at 1:19 am

    Hi Amanda,

    I have a bottle that was in the refrigerator which I wanted to freeze. I ran it under hot water to break up the fat and then left the bottle in a cup of warm water. I forgot about it and came back 10 minutes later. The milk is now warm. Is it okay to still freeze it? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      January 11, 2021 at 5:58 pm

      Hi Toyin! No, I’m so sorry – it should be used within 2 hours of being warmed. Sorry for giving you bad news!

  13. Mar says

    January 3, 2021 at 8:40 am

    5 stars
    Great article! If I thaw frozen milk, warm it, and baby does not consume the whole bottle. Can I refrigerate and reuse/rewarm the rest similar to refrigerated milk? Or is the fact it’s previously frozen mean it’s a one use and done bottle?
    Thanks,
    Maria

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      January 4, 2021 at 6:51 pm

      The CDC doesn’t make a distinction between refrigerated and previously frozen. 🙂

  14. Jennifer says

    December 31, 2020 at 10:09 am

    I know you can’t combine freshly expressed milk with refrigerated milk but can you pour freshly expressed milk into a a cold glass jar that has been in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      January 2, 2021 at 1:50 pm

      Yes, I see no reason that would cause any issues, assuming the glass jar is clean!

  15. Natasha says

    December 30, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    Hi Amanda,
    My baby was born preterm so I’m exclusively breast pumping at the moment. Whatever I pump at the NICU stays there what I pump at home stays in my freezer. I have a question though, once my son starts requiring more then 2 oz is it ok to defrost milk from that particular day and combine it together for his feeding? It’s something that I haven’t been able to get clarification on. Thank you in advance!!
    Natasha 🙂

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      December 30, 2020 at 8:05 pm

      Yes, that’s fine. You can combine milk from multiple sessions for a single feeding. Congrats on your sweet baby!

  16. Madhura says

    December 25, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    Hi Amanda,

    Can I refrigerate the baby’s unfinished breast milk and can reuse after few hours or even if I refrigerate it should be under 2 hours ??

    Madhura

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      December 28, 2020 at 9:05 am

      Hi there! Even if you refrigerate it, it should be under 2 hours. Hope that helps!

  17. Jen says

    December 16, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    Thank you! Your site has been invaluable with information when I chose to exclusive pump for my 6 week old. At the moment I am pumping just a little more than what baby drinks. I’ll pump 3.5 to 4.5 oz while baby drinks about 2.5 to 3.5. I typically put aside 1 oz before feeding so I don’t waste anything. Any suggestions on how to reduce waste and what to do with the extra 0.5 to 1 oz that I don’t end up giving to my baby?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      December 16, 2020 at 6:39 pm

      Hi Jen! I would combine that 0.5/1 ounces in a separate bottle each day, then freeze it each night!

    • Jen says

      December 16, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      Thank you for the reply! Is It okay to mix freshly pumped breast milk with refrigerated breast milk? When I tried to mix two refrigerated ones together I struggled to get the fIlm/fat? on the side of each container to mix

  18. Jenny says

    November 12, 2020 at 6:18 am

    5 stars
    Hi Amanda – thank you for all this amazing information on your site. this may be a silly question. Do I need to let me pumped breast milk cool before storing away in the refrigerator? I usually cap and store it quickly in the fridge, but noticed a lot of water droplets form afterwards.

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      November 12, 2020 at 1:13 pm

      Hi Jenny! No, what you’re doing is fine!

  19. Michelle says

    October 24, 2020 at 8:39 am

    Hi Amanda, love your site, have used it for two babies now. I started storing extra milk in the fridge (life 1 – 6 days now) and newborn baby doesn’t need it, it is okay to still transfer it all to the freezer now for the future? Thanks! Michelle

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      October 24, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      Yes! Do it as soon as you know you won’t need it, but as long as it’s within the guidelines that’s fine.

  20. Nikki says

    October 12, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    Hi! My baby has transitioned the cup and is happily drinking cold milk. If the milk is still cool when she is finished, can I put the cup in the refrigerator and use it for the next feeding? Could you explain the feeding rules of using chilled milk? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      October 13, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      Hi Nikki! You can use it for 2 hours after baby starts drinking it. 🙂

  21. Sarah says

    August 20, 2020 at 9:50 am

    Hi!

    When freezing my sons milk, we always used breast milk bags but we cut the info tab off because we had some leaking issues and found it easier. We would write the date with a sharpie on the bag itself – was this a mistake? Can we still use the milk or do you think the sharpie could have contaminated the milk?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn, CLC says

      August 20, 2020 at 10:24 am

      Hi Sarah! While I don’t know for sure, I think this is most likely okay – I have seen many people decorate breast milk bags with sharpies on social media (and Kiinde, who makes bags, has shared them, which I assume they wouldn’t do if this is an issue). If you’re concerned you could ask the bag manufacturer if this is a possibility?

  22. Jaclyn Lagner says

    April 30, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    Hi! I have a quick scenario question about using frozen breastmilk. I have been exclusively pumping since the end of January, but have yet to use my stash (I realize I should have tested it before now – whoops!) Right now, I take my freshly pumped breastmilk out of the fridge a couple hours before my baby eats so it has a chance to warm up slightly. Can I do the same thing with frozen breastmilk? For example, can I first thaw frozen breastmilk in the fridge (I know it takes about 12 hours), and then let it sit at room temperature for a couple hours to warm a bit? Or is this a no no?

    Thank you!
    Jaclyn

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      April 30, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Jaclyn! I have searched everywhere for this question and can’t find an evidence-based answer. I would probably default to leaving it in the fridge and warming it as a result. Sorry!

    • Jaclyn Lagner says

      May 1, 2020 at 10:08 am

      Hi Amanda – For some reason I was not able to reply to your comment so I am replying to my own comment. Thank you for looking into it! I could not find any information either.

  23. Caren says

    April 21, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    Hi there,
    I see many have asked the question about being able to still use a bottle that was refrigerated, warmed but never drank from. I see you have stated the CDC day it must be consumed with in 2 hours. Do you happen to know why it can’t be re-refrigerated and heated up again? I under stand when it’s been drank from with possibility of bacteria but if it never touched the baby’s mouth what’s wrong with it?
    Thanks for any input

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      April 22, 2020 at 8:11 am

      Hi Caren! It’s because the warming process allows bacteria to grow more quickly. I don’t know why 2 hours is the guideline they chose but that is the logic behind it. Hope that helps!

  24. Milly says

    April 18, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    Hi Amanda, May I know if it’s alright to leave freshly pumped milk at room temperature for around 3 hours before refrigerating it?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      April 19, 2020 at 8:41 am

      My understanding is that that’s okay. 🙂 I would refrigerate it as soon as you can though.

  25. America says

    March 15, 2020 at 6:10 pm

    Hello!
    my milk supply has increased a lot, my lo is one weeks old & takes 2oz every feeding.
    i usually pump 5 to 6 ounces i store it in the fridge and only take the 2oz out & put the rest back, wondering of thats safe?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      March 16, 2020 at 7:19 am

      Hi America! Are you taking the 2oz out, putting it in a different bottle, and feeding it? If so, that’s fine! If you’re feeding in that bottle and putting it back, the rest of the bottle should be used within 2 hours.

  26. Tuong L. Pham says

    March 15, 2020 at 10:52 am

    Hi Amanda,

    Is there a must to store frozen milk in a separate deep freezer that is used for storing milk and milk only?
    Any documented cases of cross-contaminated with other food that you have come across?

    Many many thanks!

    Linh

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      March 15, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      Hi Linh! Not that I know of!

  27. Lauren Dyer says

    March 3, 2020 at 7:09 pm

    uestion: I will put milk from fridge in bottle, warm it up. I always fill bottle to 6 oz, he will take 4 usually (up to 6 at times so I always fill to 6) so I usually have 2 oz leftover. Put 2 oz in bottle back in fridge, and then add 4 more oz cold milk and reheat. Is this ok? How often can I reheat that same bottle? I’ve heard twice. So for example if I’ve reheated that bottle twice but there is still milk leftover at the end, do I have to get rid of it? What are the current recommendations? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      March 4, 2020 at 1:25 pm

      Hi! I would just put 4oz in the bottle instead and warm more up if he ends up taking more. I wouldn’t keep doing it as you’ve described – there is the chance for bacteria to grow in the leftover milk. I hope that helps!

  28. Sarah says

    February 29, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    Hi Amanda! Thanks so much for all of the helpful information 🙂 I was wondering if you know- I have used all of the available space in our inside freezer and garage freezer so I bought a deep freezer today to transfer all of the milk into that. Do you know if it will then be good for up to a year or still only the 6 months?? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      February 29, 2020 at 4:28 pm

      Hi! It depends on how long it was in the other freezers and how often you opened the doors of the other freezers. If you had it in there for a few weeks and rarely opened the doors, probably closer to a year. If it was longer and you opened the doors frequently, you might want to keep it for a shorter amount of time.

  29. Ha Bui says

    February 1, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    Hi Amanda, i’m mother of a 10 week girl and started exclusive pumping a week ago. I’m so glad that i found your page, so much useful information for a new pumper like me. Thank you so much.

    I prefer to feed my baby with freshly pumped milk and put any extra in the fridge. By the end of the day, i collect all the extra and put into the freezer. My question is what is the expiry date of the frozen milk now? Is it a full 3 months or should it be 2 months only as a third of its shelf-life has already passed in the fridge (given the shelf-life in fridge is 3 days).
    Thank you again for your hardwork!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      February 2, 2020 at 10:39 am

      Hi Ha Bui! It should be fine for the full time, I’ve never seen any experts suggest discounting the time based on fridge time! 🙂

  30. Marina says

    December 19, 2019 at 10:34 am

    Hi Amanda, I warmed up a bottle of fresh breast milk that wasn’t refrigerated but my baby didn’t want to drink it. The milk never touched his mouth. How long is it safe to keep this milk? Can I freeze it?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      December 21, 2019 at 4:36 pm

      It’s only good for 2 hours according to the CDC unfortunately!

  31. Misty Carroll says

    November 11, 2019 at 3:28 pm

    Hi! Can I re-refrigerate milk that was in the refrigerator and warmed but not consumed?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      November 11, 2019 at 3:35 pm

      Hi Misty! You can but the CDC guidelines state it should be used within 2 hours of being warmed. (So you can re-refrigerate and re-warm, but only within 2 hours. You can also leave it at room temp.)

  32. STACY says

    November 8, 2019 at 6:23 pm

    I took a refrigerated bottle and warmed it for my baby. She didn’t drink it all. Must she drink the rest within 2 hours before discarding?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      November 8, 2019 at 6:51 pm

      That’s what the CDC recommends. 🙂

  33. Rena says

    October 28, 2019 at 8:58 am

    Hi Amanda,

    if I take out the milk from refrigerator, under room temperature, how soon my baby has to consume it please?

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      October 28, 2019 at 8:09 pm

      Hi Rena! About 4 hours.

  34. Amber says

    October 26, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    My little guy is having trouble gaining weight, so they’re having me pump after nursing and offer him the pumped milk. My question is can I still save and freeze what he doesn’t take? Or do I have to discard it since it touched his mouth?

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      October 26, 2019 at 7:35 pm

      If it’s in a bottle he drank from, you have to discard it. You could try offering smaller bottles, and then freeze any milk you don’t offer?

  35. Nicole says

    October 23, 2019 at 8:45 pm

    Can you take milk out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter to “warm up” before your next feeding? IE: middle of the night feedings to take a bottle out after a feeding to be used at the next one in 3-4 hours? I have not been, but curious if there’s guidelines on if you can safely do this. My LO seems to spit up cold milk.

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      October 24, 2019 at 8:15 am

      You can. I answered this with more detail here! 👍
      https://exclusivepumping.com/can-i-feed-my-baby-this-breast-milk/

  36. Rena says

    October 21, 2019 at 4:42 am

    Hi Amanda, can I transfer the milk to freezer after set in the refrigerator for 2 days? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      October 21, 2019 at 5:56 pm

      Yes you can! 🙂

  37. Marina says

    August 28, 2019 at 4:58 pm

    Hello,

    Thank you for providing all this info with pumping. It’s a great resource. I have a question about frozen breast milk. I need to transfer my frozen breast milk from my in-laws deep freezer to my refrigerator freezer to be used within a few days. Is it safe to do so? I have found lots of info from freezer to deep freezer but not vice versa.

    Thanks,
    Marina

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      August 28, 2019 at 7:07 pm

      As long as you’re using it within a few days it’s fine. 🙂

« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Amanda

Hi! I’m Amanda. I'm a Certified Lactation Counselor® and an experienced exclusive pumper. My goal is to help make exclusively pumping as easy as possible for you, so that you can enjoy your baby! This website is for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. Read More

As Featured In Buzzfeed, the Atlantic, Romper, San Diego Breastfeeding LLC

Let’s Be Friends

  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Exclusive Pumping Books by Amanda Glenn

Exclusive Pumping Playbook

Weaning from the Pump

Popular Posts

  • 4 Reasons You're Getting Little or No Milk When Pumping
  • Save or Dump: Can I Feed My Baby This Breast Milk?
  • How Much Milk Do Breastfed Babies Eat?
  • Power Pumping to Increase Milk Supply
  • Best Hands Free Breast Pump: Elvie vs Willow vs Momcozy (2022)

Copyright © 2022 Exclusive Pumping LLC. All rights reserved. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Facebook Group
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information