Short and simply. How long is frozen breastmilk good, at what length do you throw it out?
Thank you to everyone for responding. This has really helped.
my dr told me I could keep breast milk in the freezer for up to 6 months in a deep freezer and 3 months in the freezer on your refrigerator.
That is not quite as simple of an answer! The short answer, roughly 6 months...the long answer...it varies!
If you keep it in the very back of the freezer or a deep freeze it can last a year...if you keep it on the door or right in front only a month or a few months. I had a medela magnet or something that I got a lot of good info from, I think it came with my breastpump, but you could probably look it up on their website if you're interested!
Just a note, when you thaw it you really have to use it right away, at the very least within 12-24 hours. Strangely, it sours quickly after is has been frozen...don't learn the hard way and have to throw it out! :( It happened to me!
This is probably not the case for you, but I noticed that my breastmilk always smelled sour when I warmed it - turns out that some women have a lipase enzyme issue which causes milk to sour quicker (even when frozen). There are ways to avoid this. When this is the case, the milk will definitely smell "bad" and not just have an unusual odor.
I agree with what the first mom said. If you keep it in the freezer that is inside your house, I wouldn't use it if it was more than 4 months. They say sometimes it will last for 6, but inside you are constantly opening and closing it daily which allows warm air to constantly enter your freezer. I tried using mine after 6 months and it didn't go so well. If it is in a deep freezer, you can use it up to a year later. Also, as said before, it has to be used no later than 24 hours after it is thawed. I always thawed mine at the same time I used it, so it never had a chance to spoil.
3-6 months. But I never had to throw any out - everything was used.. ^_^
Kellymom.com is a good resource for breastfeeding related questions. Here is their storage guideline chart:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html#storage
I will try to keep it short and sweet, but because it is short does not mean it is not typed with love....;)
Never place Breastmilk on the door of your fridge or the door of your freezer
Inside a standard standup freezer or freezer/fridge = 3 months
Standard chest deep freezer = 6 months
Specialized Ultra Low Deep Freezers = 1 year (The type you have to wear a glove to enter).
Once the milk is defrost it is good in the fridge for 48 hrs. Never refreeze breastmilk. Hope this helps!
Here you go-everything from fresh to frozen:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html
Also, when you freeze, place milk in the storage bag designed for breastmilk then place that in a freezer baggie. That way if you have a leak it doesn't leak all over the freezer. I only ever had one leak but they made us bag our milk this way in the NICU and it worked great.
