Note: You are making the right choice for your family, whether that is breast milk, formula or a combination of both. This is simply meant to inform, never to pass judgment.

What the female body is capable of is truly a miracle. From conception to birth to breastfeeding, it is amazing that one woman’s body can endure so much. If you have made the choice to breastfeed your baby, congratulations, it is a beautiful journey. A journey, however, that can be overwhelming. There are also a variety of rules and guidelines that must be followed when it comes to breast milk, so let’s break it down.

Breast Milk Storage Guidelines

The following chart comes directly from the CDC, and conveniently explains how long breast milk is good for, depending on the type and temperature.

Freezer Storage Tips

When it comes to bagging and freezing your breast milk, the following are a few helpful organization tips:

• Label the bag with the date and time milk was expressed (if possible)
• Freeze the bags flat, so they take up less space in the freezer
• Once frozen, organize bags into larger ziploc bags or small containers based on date (older milk in the front)

As warmer weather begins to make its way across the country, it may be a good idea to freeze some breast milk into ice pops for your little one! A system similar to either of these would work nicely:

As you review the CDC chart, you will notice that after a period of time breast milk is no longer safe to use. This could be freshly expressed milk, milk baby has drank from a bottle, frozen milk or even thawed breast milk. Understandably so, breast milk is often referred to as “liquid gold” so it would be heartbreaking to simply dump this golden milk down the drain. Breast milk, though unsafe to drink, can be repurposed for a variety of things.

What Should I Do With Breast Milk That Is No Longer Safe For Baby To Drink?

• Milk Bath: Add some milk to baby’s bath, to help soothe baby’s skin, rashes, eczema or cradle cap. The benefits of breast milk go beyond just ingesting it!
• Breast Milk Soap: Similar to adding the milk to baby’s bath, you can turn that milk into a bar of soap – now the whole family can benefit! A tutorial link can be found below.
• Breast Milk Lotion: Along the same line as everything mentioned above, you can turn your breast milk into a nourishing lotion and help keep your skin hydrated.
• Breast Milk Jewlry: Another option is to turn some of that unused breast milk into a beautiful piece of jewelry. A piece of jewelry like this will not only be a statement piece, but it will also hold a beautiful story. There are a few companies that do this, I have linked two of them here:

Breast Milk Soap & Lotion Tutorial:

Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, but it is not for everybody. It is my hope that if breastfeeding is the right choice for your family, and you find yourself overwhelmed or simply wanting to learn more, that you found this blog informative.