2

If I have too much breast milk already in the refrigerator and I do not want it to go to waste, can I then place it in the freezer even if it's been in the refrigerator for five days?

Improve this question
2
  • possible duplicate of How long does breast milk last after taken from the fridge?
    – user11394
    Commented Jul 26, 2015 at 16:11
  • The chart given in the similar question is helpful; but this specific question didn't come up in the other thread, so I would like to see some answers. Interesting question!
    – aparente001
    Commented Aug 2, 2015 at 14:48

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

The La Leche League provides detailed information about breast milk storage recommendations.

They don't actually discuss freezing after refrigeration specifically. However, the time limit on refrigeration is the following:

72 hours (ideal) up to 8 days (acceptable if collected in a very clean, careful way)

Five days is right in the middle of that 3-8 days "if collected in a very clean, careful way" -- so the answer to is five-day-old milk safe depends on how confident you are in your pumping hygiene.

Also consider carefully what type of freezer you will be using.

Freezer (compartment of refrigerator)             5° F (-15° C)   2 weeks
Freezer (compartment of fridge, separate doors)   0° F (-18° C)   3 – 6 months
Deep Freezer                                     -4° F (-20° C)   6 – 12 months
Improve this answer
1

Try to freeze things as soon as possible and once something is frozen DO NOT thaw it and try to refreeze it because bacteria will grow.

And here's a reference (short and easy to read) on freezing food: Freezing and Food Safety

This doesn't give you a set number of days and I was hard pressed to find one for breast milk.

A couple of ideas:

  • Make sure you know what fresh breast milk tastes like and dispose of anything that tastes off.
  • Use old milk from the fridge first. If there's yesterday's milk in the fridge, give baby a bottle and pump so you're now storing fresher milk.
  • Don't panic, just freeze it. If there's a tiny chance this milk won't be used right away, just toss it in the freezer. If you're wrong you just have to thaw the milk. If you put it in the fridge and are wrong you may have to throw it away.
Improve this answer
3
  • The question I linked to for dupe has a table from the CDC specifically about storing breast milk, and how long it's viable at different temperatures, if you need those numbers.
    – user11394
    Commented Jul 27, 2015 at 0:59
  • Thank you, I completely forgot to cross reference answered questions. Ill try to remember to do that first on the exchange sites next time.
    – user7678
    Commented Jul 27, 2015 at 13:14
  • It can be hard to tell what's already here, and what's on external sources. I only knew the other question had the info because I remember it from when I wrote my answer.
    – user11394
    Commented Jul 27, 2015 at 18:18

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .