Breast milk can safely stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours and need not be discarded if the first feeding attempt is incomplete.
Breast milk storage room temperature nhs.
If you need it on the go you can store your refrigerated breast milk for 24 hours in a cool bag or box with ice packs in it.
Never store breast milk in disposable bottle liners or plastic bags that are not intended for storing breast milk.
How to store breast milk.
In a fridge use within 24 hours in a cool bag with an ice pack use within 4 hours at room temperature use within 2 hours.
How long you can safely keep expressed breast milk depends on the storage method.
However it s optimal to use or properly store the breast milk within four hours especially if the room is warm.
For healthy full term infants here are the guidelines for keeping breast milk out at room temperature up to 77 degrees f or 25 degrees c.
At the back of the fridge not the door for up to 8 days at 4 c or lower in the ice compartment of the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
5 days if temperature rises above 4 c after 3 days use within 6 hours or throw away frozen breastmilk.
In the fridge for up to 8 days at 4c or lower you can buy fridge thermometers online if you are not sure of the temperature of your fridge or it is higher than 4c use it within 3 days.
Breast milk can be stored in a sterilised container or special storage bags remember to label and date it.
If made up formula is stored.
Breast milk storage guidelines.
Consider these general guidelines for healthy infants.
You can store breast milk in a sterilised container or in special breast milk storage bags.
In the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
What about storing expressing milk at room temperature.
The guidelines for storage of expressed milk at room temperature between 16 25 c vary greatly as studies suggest different optimal times liebert 2017.
Alternatively hold the bottle or bag of frozen milk under warm running water a maximum of 37 c or 99 f.
Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored.
Your breast milk can then be kept.
Fresh breastmilk including colostrum.
For 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge.
In contrast formula must be refrigerated and discarded after the first feeding attempt because it contains no antibodies or infection protection factors.
At room temperature 77 f or colder for up to 4 hours.
Store it in small quantities to avoid wasting any.
When defrosting in fridge.