Storing And Thawing Breast Milk; Storage; Freezing; Thawing - Medela Swing Flex Mode D'emploi

9. Storing and thawing breast milk

9.1 Storage

28 28 28
Storage guidelines for freshly expressed breast milk (for healthy term babies)
Room temperature
16 to 25 °C
(60 to 77 °F)
Up to 4 hours is best
*Up to 6 hours for
milk expressed under
very clean conditions
*Guidelines for expressing milk under very clean conditions:
Before expressing breast milk, mothers should wash their hands with soap and water
or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. The pump parts, bottles and pumping area must
be clean. Breasts and nipples do not need to be washed before pumping.
l These guidelines for storage and thawing of breast milk are a recommendation.
Contact your lactation consultant or breastfeeding specialist for further information.
l Store breast milk in the coldest spot of the refrigerator (at the back of the glass
shelf above the vegetable compartment).

9.2 Freezing

l Freeze expressed breast milk in plastic bottles or milk storage bags. Do not fill the
bottles or bags more than 3/4 full to allow space for possible expansion.
l Label the bottles or bags with the date and volume of expression.
l Plastic bottles and component parts become brittle when frozen and may
break when dropped.
l Do not use the breast milk if bottles or components become damaged.

9.3 Thawing

Caution
Do not thaw or warm breast milk in a microwave or a pan of boiling water. This
helps preserve important components and prevents burns.
l To preserve breast milk components, thaw the milk overnight in the refrigerator.
Alternatively, hold the bottle or bag under warm water (max. 37 °C / 98.6 °F).
l Gently swirl the bottle or bag to mix any fat that has separated. Avoid shaking or
stirring the milk.
Refrigerator
4 °C (39 °F)
or colder
Up to 3 days is best
*Up to 5 days for milk
expressed under
very clean conditions
Freezer
–18 °C (0 °F )
or colder
Up to 6 months is
best
*Up to 9 months for
milk expressed under
very clean conditions
Breast milk thawed
in the refrigerator
At room temperature:
Up to 2 hours
Refrigerator:
Up to 24 hours
Do not refreeze!