Patient's question:
I am a first-time mother, 28 years old, and currently breastfeeding. How long can expressed breast milk be stored at room temperature?Doctor's answer:
The expressed milk can be stored at room temperature for six to ten hours. If you want to store it for a longer period, you need to have a freezer in the refrigerator. Do not store multiple breast milk samples in the same bottle.In the refrigerator at 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, expressed breast milk can be stored for 24 hours. If the freezer temperature is below 18 degrees Celsius, it can be stored for up to four months.
When warming breast milk, use lukewarm water to float it for a few minutes until it exceeds room temperature. Never heat breast milk directly over a flame or in a microwave, as this may destroy the nutrients.
To thaw frozen breast milk, place it in a floating container of cold water and gradually add hot water until it melts to room temperature.