Parents have been sending me lots of questions about how to properly store and prepare breast milk and infant formula.

Let me thaw out some answers that will answer those questions.

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Storing expressed or pumped breast milk

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Ideally, breast milk should be stored in batches of two to four ounces in sterilized bottles or breast milk storage bags to prevent waste.

Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored for up to four hours at room temperature, and in the refrigerator for up to four days.

If you are not planning to use fresh breast milk within the recommended storage period, it can be frozen. Note that it can last for up to nine months in a refrigerator freezer and up to 12 months in a deep freezer.

Best practices for

thawing breast milk

¯ When ready to use, if thawing on a counter, breast milk must be used within two hours of being at room temperature.

¯ If thawing in the fridge from the freezer, it can extend its use to an additional 24 hours from the time when the breast milk is fully thawed in the fridge — thawed breast milk should never be refrozen.

¯ Thawing with a microwave is not recommended because it can destroy nutrients and create hot spots which can burn a baby’s mouth.

¯ Be sure to label the date breast milk was expressed on each container and leave at least one inch of space at the top of the storage container because breast milk expands as it freezes.

¯ Always thaw the oldest breast milk first.

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Infant formula guidelines

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Prepared infant formula is also usable for up to two hours after preparing if left on a counter or one hour if your baby has already fed on some of that formula.

If placed in the refrigerator, it can last up to 24 hours once prepared and should never be frozen.

If your formula is in a powder or concentrate, the can or bottle label will tell you how long it can stay out on the counter at room temperature before being used.

If the concentrate is opened, and excess placed in the refrigerator, then it should also be used within 24 hours of opening and putting into the fridge.

Hopefully tips like these will not be ones that leave you or your baby’s breast milk or formula out in the cold when it comes to safely storing and then feeding your baby these nutritious products.

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Lewis First, MD, is Chief of Pediatrics at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. You can also catch “First with Kids” weekly on WOKO 98.9FM and MyNBC 5.