B

Breast milk question!

Hey mamas! I was wondering something. I pumped milk on the way home for work. Left it out for over 4 hours. My question is, how long is breastmilk safe to put back in the fridge after pumping đŸ˜« i don’t wanna waste it
Like
Share Mobile
Share
  • Share

Show your support

I’m not sure where I read or heard about the number 6 rules with breastmilk. Either I read it in one of my pregnancy or baby books, a lactation nurse or the daycare I worked in years ago? Or maybe a friend or a mom or maybe my grandma? Anywho, they said breastmilk is good for 6 months if it was in the freezer, 6 days if it has been in the fridge and 6 hours once it has been outside of the fridge (unless the room is hot, like in the summer with no AC then less than 6). I’m not sure if these are facts, but I did follow these rules when I nursed my 2 babies, and I always smelled the milk and made sure it looked okay from the outside (no weird growth or anything) before feeding it to them. The milk within these time frames were always good and smelled right.

Smell it. Taste it. I know it sounds weird but you will know if the milk is off.

2 replies

Yes! I agree I had my daughters milk in the fridge for 2 days .. it smelt funny so I tasted it and it was spoiled

It sucks when it spoils. I've just decided to say screw it and put it in the freezer if not using for next feed.

I only let it sit for 4 hours then I toss it. But normally I pump and put it in a cooler right away

2 replies

Yeah rather safe then sorry

It was in the cooler case but the ice pack wasn’t in there. That’s why I’m torn. I’ll just use it for a bath

Let’s think of it this way.. if you had a cup of warm milk that you left out in your car for over 4 hours... would you drink it? Rule of thumb, if you wouldn’t do it for yourself, don’t do it for your mini.

1 reply

That’s totally not true. Breast milk is very different from cows milk!

Smell and taste it. Should smell spoiled if it is bad. Typically it stays good for 4-6 hours outside the fridge. If you aren’t comfortable with baby drinking it, you could always give the baby a breast milk bath with it. It’s great for their skin!

I heard breastmilk can be left out 6-10 hours room temp. Milk can be in the fridge for a week. And freezer for 6 months deep freezer 12 months

LC in training here. I will use mine for up to 6-8 hours if it wasn’t hot where it was!!

4-6 hours at room temp. 3-6 months in a freezer connected to a fridge and really it doesn't "go bad" it just starts to lose its nutritional value. 6-12 months in a deep freeze. Frozen milk can be re-froze if there are still any ice crystals left in the bottle/ bag. Breastmilk is pretty hardy and can withstand a lot. Most of the time, if it's gone bad baby won't drink it.

Just taste it, you’ll know if it’s bad!

Once pumped fresh out of breast it’s only good out for 5 hours then it’s garbage

But I usually only wait two hours out because that’s my princess 👾

Milk being left out is good for 24hours milk in the fridge is good for 5day in a freezer it's good for 6months and in a deep freezer it's good for a year.

BreastMilk is very forgiving

Smell the milk! If the milk went bad it would smell sour or like farts 😂 if it smells fine then your good to feed

as long as it doesn’t smell spoiled, or sitting in a hot area it’s fine! definitely don’t dump it, if you’re super concerned save it for babies skin at bath time.

4 replies

Really breast milk bath...tell me more please??

You just pour the milk in the bath water... or make breastmilk soap out of it.

Try today for free
Scan the QR code and join the app
to connect with women at a similar stage in life.
Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

StarStarStarStarStar-Half

Trusted by 5M+ women

Logo
Try today for free
Scan the QR code and join the app
to connect with women at a similar stage in life.
Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

StarStarStarStarStar-Half

Trusted by 5M+ women

Logo

https://www.romper.com/flowcharts/is-this-breast-milk-still-good-44115

3 replies

This is so neat.

I know I find it so handy and fun I think I've clicked all of the options just too see

I leave mine out up to 8 hours.

I agree do the snifff test, I would save it for a milk bath over throwing it away 😊

The rule is 6 hours if the room is below 70 degrees. If it’s a hot room, more like 4 hours. Smell it and taste it, if it smells and tastes good, it’s fine.

I know the rule is 6 hours out, 6 days in fridge, 6 month in freezer.

666 rule. 6 hours at room temp. 6 days at the back of the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.

Does anybody know if I heat fridge breast milk once can I reheat a second time? I find conflicting info. Thanks

4 replies

Hmm... I think as long as it wasn’t refrigerated you can.

Breast milk after pumping is safe in the fridge for 5 days after that chuck it away, if you express too much milk freeze it and defrost it, but use that milk straight away after defrosting and heating it to however LO likes it. I breastfed for 2/3 weeks of my LO’s life and the reason I stopped is because he was demanding more then I can pump out, so freeze milk if you are pumping a lot out :)

Usually the smell will let you know lol I think the max it can stay out is around 3-4 hours? Also depends on the room temperature, but the safest way to go is to smell it tbh

Use it as toner! Breast milk is amazing for our skin! 😘

Even if it "goes bad" i make breatmilk soap, lotion, diaper cream, bathes, breatmilk is amazing!

6 replies

Melissa would you mind sharing how you do this?

Of course which would you like to know???

Room temp is a big indicator on how long you can leave freshly pumped milk out. 3-8 hours I was told my a lactation consultant. Also it should smell normal or sweet but if it has a funny smell then I would toss it. Only you can know if the smell is good or not. It’s always best to bring a small cooler with you when you know you have to pump away from home. Also you can leave in fridge for 5 days and on the freezer for 6 months and in a deep freeze for one year. I am planning to stop pumping when my daughter is 6 months and I have saved almost 2,000 ounces so far. It can be done.

1 reply

How the heck?!!! 2000? My son is a month and I have maybe 20 Oz tops lol

It’s good for 4 hours. They recently changed the rules

I had a premature baby and he was in N.I.C.U and they have said to me that when you express pump milk is 2 hours room temperature but you have to put it in the fridge before the 2 hours after 2 hours out is no good anymore if you put it in the fridge it’s only 2days. After 2 days is not good anymore if you haven’t put it in the freezer with those days. but if you have put it in the Freezer up to these two days or before these two days you can keep it in the fridge for six months. If you don’t want to get ready of the milk you can bath you little one with it. I have read a article about it .

I read 4 hours somewhere

Try today for free
Scan the QR code and join the app
to connect with women at a similar stage in life.
Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

StarStarStarStarStar-Half

Trusted by 5M+ women

Logo
Try today for free
Scan the QR code and join the app
to connect with women at a similar stage in life.
Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

StarStarStarStarStar-Half

Trusted by 5M+ women

Logo

Also if you do Facebook or podcasts check out the badass breastfeeder its grate

4 hours in room temperature 4 days in fridge 4 weeks in freezer Let's say it is in room temperature for 1 hour. Now it will be ok for 3 days in the fridge and 3 weeks in the freezer. And such.

3 replies

I thought it can be months in freezer

I heard 6 month is the freezer and 12 months in the deep freezer

It is only safe to consume if it is put in the fridge before 4 hours if left at room temperature. If you had it out for 2 then put it in the fridge when you take it out you have 2 hours at room temp before it needs to be wasted. It just can’t go longer than 4 hours total. I’ve got about 8oz that was wasted milk (lb decided he didn’t want to drink out the bottle anymore) in my freezer which I am going to do a milk bath for my little boy to save throwing it down the sink. Maybe use it for that instead? will be good for her skin :) x

You can always put it in babes bath! It’s only good out for 2 hours

4 hours

I've been told up to 8hrs but that seems like a long time to me so I use it before 5hrs but typically its the 3 to 4hr mark. Mine doesn't go into the fridge, once it's fridges and then warmed it has a shelf life of 2hrs

I’ve been told the rule of 6! 6 hours at room temperature 6 days in fridge & 6 months in freezer x

Smell / taste! If it not good then it will smell yucky! If it fine you should smell anything or it should smell sweet

1 reply

This is not always true because if you produce high amounts of lactic acid it can smell ïżŒand taste bad when even fresh this can happen to anyone working out can make it worse. đŸ˜©

I used my milk that I wasn’t sure of in baby’s bath soft skin and no waste đŸ™Œâ€ïžđŸ™Œ

Milk that isn't needed by bubba is all great for your hair as a treatment so that it doesn't get wasted x

Honestly it is good for waaaay longer than they say. Every lactation consultant I've worked with has said that a baby won't drink it if it is bad so you can be extremely flexible. We leave ours out throughout the night and feed the baby when he wakes and have never had a problem at all. Done this with two kids.

Read more on Peanut