How Long Does Breast Milk Last?

Question:

How long does breast milk last?

Answer:

Breast milk has a pretty short shelf life and, although thankfully it comes with no stamped expiration date :), it should be handled very carefully and kept no longer than the recommendations on the following chart. Please see the different sections of the chart below for the shelf life of breast milk on the counter, in the refrigerator, in the freezer and for todays mom on the go… expiration dates for breast milk stored in a cooler bag so that you can safely transport your fresh breast milk back home from work! All of these different storage times are helpful to know when breastfeeding and/or pumping milk.

Although we normally just deal with items that are manufactured, grown or otherwise make their way onto a shelf in stores across the nation… this information was sent to us for posting and we feel that it’s well presented and does indeed belong among the pages on this site.