Storing
It’s extremely important to store breast milk properly (clean and safe), to ensure there is no bacterial growth.
- Always wash hands and equipment with warm soapy water, rinse with hot water and air dry well or with a clean paper towel.
- Express milk into clean sterilized containers.
- Containers can be glass, plastic or sealable plastic bags.
- Always label the container with the date and time the breast milk was expressed.
- Refrigerate breast milk within one hour of expressing.
- Store breast milk in the back of the fridge as this is the coolest place (not in the fridge door) – must be used within 3 – 5 days and thrown out if not used within this time frame.
- Breast milk can be frozen if you have excess breast milk. It is safe to be stored in a deep freeze freezer for 6 – 12 months, or 3 months in the freezer section of a fridge with a separate door, or 2 weeks in a freezer compartment inside a fridge. This is why it is important to label the container with the date and time the breast milk was expressed.
Storing Prepared Formula
- Prepared Formula must be discarded within one hour of baby feeding.
- A bottle of prepared formula can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 24 hours (if it is fresh and baby has not fed from the bottle). This ensures there is no bacterial contamination.
- Concentrated formula and ready to feed formula that is opened should be covered and refrigerated no longer than 48 hours after this time it needs to be thrown out.
Formula Storage Guide
| Refrigeration: | |
|---|---|
| Powder Formula | Store no longer than 24 hours |
| Ready to use formula | Store no longer than 48 hours |
| Powder or ready to use formula | Keep no longer than a total of 2 hours* |
| After Feeding begins: | All formulations should be discarded after 1 hour. Formula should not be refrigerated for later feedings. |
| * If bottle has been warmed, discard after 1 hour. |
Storage of Breastmilk for home use
| Breast Milk | Room Temprature | Refrigerator | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshly expressed into a closed container | 6-8 hrs(26°C or lower).if refrigeration is available store milk there | 3-5 days (4°C or lower)Store in back of refrigerator where it is coolest | 2 weeks in freezer compartment inside refregerator. 3 months in freezer in section of refrigerator with seperate door 6-12 months in a deep freezer(-18°C or lower) |
| Previously forzen thawed in refrigerator but not warmed | 4 hours or less(i.e the next feeding) | Store in refrigerator 24 hours | Do not freez |
| Thawed outside refrigerator in warm water | For completion of water | Hold for 4 hours or until next feeding | Do not freez |
| Infant has begun feeding | Only for completion of feeding then discard | Discard | Discard |
