Building up a store of breast milk

If you are expressing because you are going back to work the best advice is to plan ahead and start building up your own bank of milk by expressing once or twice a day and storing the milk in the freezer.
By expressing at the same time every day, maybe first thing in the morning when you are at your fullest, you will increase your milk supply, so that you can feed your baby and express some to be stored.
Try to express to match your baby’s feeding pattern and try to avoid getting too full.
Ensure that your milk is stored in sterile containers inside a cool bag, and put it in the fridge or freeze it when you get home. Remember breastfeeding mothers have special rights at work, including a time and place to express.

Storing your breastmilk

You can store milk either in the fridge or freezer. In both cases, be sure to use a sterilised airtight container. Always remember:

  1. Refrigerate expressed milk immediately. If you express more than once a day, you can add the amounts so long as the new milk and the pre-stored milk are at the same temperature e.g. both are chilled or at room temperature. Place back in the fridge each time.
  2. Store milk in the fridge for up to 5 days at 4°C, or in the freezer for 6 months at -18°C or lower. Label the container with date and time before storing.
  3. You will notice that stored milk separates out into layers. Shake to remix thoroughly before feeding.
  4. When freezing milk, allow space at the top of the bottle for expansion. It is easiest to freeze milk in individual feed quantities of 60-125ml (2-4ozs)
  5. Thaw frozen milk in the fridge or by standing the bottle in lukewarm water until it has reached body temperature. Do not microwave it!
  6. If the milk has been defrosted in the refrigerator but not warmed, it can be stored in the fridge (but not re-frozen) for another 12 hours.
  7. If it has been thawed outside the fridge, it can be kept in the fridge (but again not re-frozen) for another 4 hours.
  8. If you want to take expressed milk with you when you are out, make sure it stays cold or frozen until needed.
  9. Throw away any leftover milk after a feed.

Method of storing REMEMBER
In Fridge at 4°C or lower
  • Use within 24 hours
  • Throw away any left over milk after feed
In Freezer at -18°C or lower
  • Freeze within 24 hours
  • Use within 6 months of freezing
  • Once defrosted, in fridge, use within 12 hours
  • NEVER refreeze
  • Throw away any left over milk after feed