Can you freeze breast milk after 4 days in the fridge?

Can You Freeze Breast Milk After 4 Days in the Fridge?
When it comes to storing breast milk, understanding the guidelines is crucial for ensuring the safety and quality of the milk for your baby. If you find yourself with breast milk that has been in the refrigerator for four days, you may wonder whether it is still safe to freeze it.
Storage Guidelines for Breast Milk
According to established guidelines, breast milk can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. After this period, the milk may begin to lose its freshness and nutritional quality, but it does not necessarily become unsafe immediately after the four-day mark. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that while breast milk can be refrigerated for this duration, it is best to use or freeze it as soon as possible to maintain its quality.
Freezing After Refrigeration
If you have breast milk that has been stored in the fridge for four days, it is generally recommended not to freeze it. The CDC suggests that while freezing can extend the shelf life of breast milk (up to six months is ideal, and up to twelve months is acceptable), the milk should ideally be frozen before it reaches the four-day limit in the refrigerator. Freezing milk that has been stored for longer than recommended may compromise its safety and quality.
Best Practices for Storing Breast Milk
To ensure the best practices for storing breast milk, consider the following tips:
– Freeze Fresh Milk Promptly: If you know you won’t use the milk within a few days, it’s best to freeze it right after pumping.
– Use Appropriate Containers: Always store breast milk in containers specifically designed for freezing, such as breast milk storage bags or glass containers.
– Label and Date: Clearly label your containers with the date of pumping to keep track of how long the milk has been stored.
In summary, while breast milk can be refrigerated for up to four days, it is advisable to freeze it before reaching that limit to ensure its safety and nutritional value. If your milk has already been in the fridge for four days, it is best to discard it rather than freeze it.

How long can breast milk sit out after being refrigerated?

And remember, freshly pumped milk that has been left unrefrigerated for longer than four hours should be thrown away, regardless of whether it’s been used in a feeding or not. Previously frozen milk should be used within 24 hours once thawed and refrigerated. If left on the counter, throw out after 2 hours.

How long can breastmilk be refrigerated before freezing?

After 4 days of refrigeration, your breast milk should be used or thrown away. Breast milk properties slow the growth of bad bacteria. These properties begin to decline after a few days of refrigeration. If you think you won’t use breast milk within a few days, freeze it as quickly as possible.

Does milk go bad in 4 days?

Although this makes the milk safer to consume, it does not mean that it is safe to leave milk out of the refrigerator for an extended time, particularly after opening it. Some evidence suggests that pasteurized milk should remain fresh for 2–5 days after its sell-by date and 10–21 days in total.

Is breast milk good after 4 days in the fridge?

According to the AAP, once your milk is in the refrigerator, you have up to four days to use it. After the four days are up, you’ll need to discard it. Once your milk is taken out of the fridge, feed it to your baby within 4 to 8 hours.

Can you freeze milk on the 4th day?

In general the rule is 4-4-4. Breastmilk is good 4 hours at room temp, 4 days in refrigerator, and 4 months frozen. You should be fine as long as you feed within the 4 days. Freeze if you are not going to be able to use within that time.

Can I freeze 4 day old breastmilk?

Breastmilk can be stored in a deep freezer (not the freezer on your fridge) for up to 6 months (at 0F). It can be stored in a standard fridge/freezer freezer compartment for 3 months, and if it’s an ‘apartment sized’ aka mini fridge with a freezer compartment in it, just 2 weeks.

What happens if a baby drinks spoiled breast milk?

They may throw up, or have an upset stomach, diarrhea or fever.

How to know if breastmilk is spoiled?

It will also smell bad, much like spoiled cow’s milk. And, like spoiled cow’s milk, breast milk that’s old will taste sour. (It’s fine to taste your breast milk to check!) Always label your pumped milk with a time and date so you can tell how old it is.

Can you freeze breastmilk after it’s been in the refrigerator?

After 4 days of refrigeration, your breast milk should be used or thrown away. Breast milk properties slow the growth of bad bacteria. These properties begin to decline after a few days of refrigeration. If you think you won’t use breast milk within a few days, freeze it as quickly as possible.

Can I freeze breast milk from different days?

If you combine breast milk from different days, be sure to cool your fresh breast milk before adding it to the previously refrigerated milk. Make sure the container of combined milk is labeled with the date the older milk was pumped. Store it in the freezer if the oldest milk was pumped more than four days ago.