Storing Human Milk and Returning to Work/School

When you need to be away from your baby, it is important to continue to remove milk frequently and thoroughly in order to support production and have breastmilk available for feedings.

Most lactating parents will need to express milk about every 3 hours when at work or school, though this may change over time.  The “ NC Making It Work Tool Kit ” is an excellent resource to help lactating parents with this transition. Printable information provides  helpful recommendations and assistance to parents, employers, care providers and other support persons.

With clean hands and equipment, milk can be expressed and fed back to your baby immediately or stored for later use, like when you are at work or school.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines important information on best practices for how to keep your breast pump kit clean as well as details on proper storage and handling of breastmilk. Likewise, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine protocol “ Human Milk Storage Information for Home Use for Full-Term Infants ” provides additional details and evidence-based guidelines for consideration.

If expressed milk is not fed immediately to your baby, the freshly collected milk can remain at room temperature for about 4 hours, in the refrigerator for approximately 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 1 year. The container or bag of milk should be labeled with the date that it was expressed and the volume contained within. If milk is frozen, it can be defrosted in the refrigerator overnight or in warm water just before feeding. It is not recommended to heat baby’s milk directly in the microwave as it can create uneven hot spots and weaken some of the health protection properties in breastmilk. Sometimes babies don't mind if the milk is a bit chilly, and that's fine too!