How long can breast milk be stored in the refrigerator?

When breastfeeding mothers are unable to feed their babies breast milk on schedule for various reasons, storing expressed breast milk becomes necessary to meet the infant’s nutritional needs. So, how long can breast milk be safely stored in the refrigerator? Below is a detailed explanation.

How Long Can Breast Milk Be Refrigerated?

Generally, freshly expressed breast milk can be safely refrigerated for up to 72 hours (3 days). Mothers are advised to store breast milk in high-quality, airtight breast milk storage bags to prevent spoilage. When feeding refrigerated breast milk to the baby, gently warm it using warm water before feeding. Ideally, the entire portion should be consumed in one feeding; any leftover milk should be discarded immediately to avoid bacterial growth and potential spoilage. It is important to note that fresh breast milk contains the highest concentration of nutrients. Whenever possible, direct breastfeeding is strongly recommended—not only to preserve optimal milk quality and nutrient integrity but also to eliminate risks associated with thawing and warming, such as bacterial contamination that may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in infants.

Additional Information: Key Considerations for Storing Breast Milk

1. When storing breast milk, use containers with excellent sealing properties—preferably made of food-grade plastic. Avoid metal containers, as they may degrade certain sensitive nutrients in breast milk, thereby reducing its overall nutritional value. Airtight containers also help inhibit bacterial growth.

2. Before expressing milk, thoroughly wash your hands. Each expression session should be stored separately—never mix newly expressed milk with previously expressed (older) milk. Refrigerated milk that has exceeded its safe storage time should be promptly discarded to prevent accidental feeding of spoiled milk, which could cause infant discomfort or illness.

The above outlines how long breast milk can be safely refrigerated. We hope this information is helpful to you.