Frozen Breast Milk: Safe Storage, Freeze, Thaw

Frozen breast milk – storage tips

If you freeze pumped breast milk, your partner can also feed your baby, for example, if you are not always able to breastfeed your baby for professional reasons.

• There are a few things to consider when freezing breast milk. Of course, hygiene comes first, both when pumping and freezing.
• Do not leave breast milk for long, but freeze it as soon as possible after pumping.
• It is best to freeze small portions. Use a suitable container for this, such as a special milk bag for breast milk.
• Like any liquid, breast milk expands when it freezes. So don’t fill the bag all the way up.
• Label the bag with the fill date. Frozen breast milk should be stored in the freezer for a maximum of six months.
• Place the bags of breast milk at the very back of the freezer. There are the fewest temperature fluctuations. Breast milk should be kept at a constant -18 degrees.

Thaw frozen breast milk – this is how it works

Breast milk must not be thawed at room temperature and certainly not in the microwave.

• Place the frozen breast milk in the refrigerator for 12 hours to thaw.
• If you need it faster, hold the bag of breast milk under lukewarm running water. The water temperature must not exceed 37 degrees, i.e. normal body temperature.
• Different layers have probably formed in the thawed breast milk. Do not shake the milk, just gently swirl the bag or bottle to remix the different ingredients.
• Once the milk has been thawed, it should only be stored for a maximum of two hours. During this time, the baby should get breast milk.
• Otherwise, it is better to dispose of the thawed breast milk. Once thawed, you can no longer freeze breast milk.