How long can breastmilk last before it goes bad?

Question

My husband bottle feeds my baby on Saturday nights to give me a break. He warms up a bottle at about 1am and takes it up whether or not she is awake and wanting to eat. Then he lets it sit out until about 6am, unless she drinks it all. Is that ok?? Doesn't my milk go sour after a certain amount of time??

Answer 1

La Leche League official breastmilk storage guidelines:

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html

The short answer, though, is YES it is safe for your milk to sit out for up to 10 hours at room temp. Once baby drinks from the bottle, which introduces her saliva to the milk, the life drops down to approx. 4 hrs.

Congratulations, and enjoy those Saturday nights!

Answer 2

I would avoid letting the milk sit out without refridgeration for more than 2 hours, because just like you wouldn't drink cow's milk from a glass that's been sitting on a counter for two hours, for the same reasons your baby shouldn't drink yours that way. Temperatures over 40 degrees Fahrenheit encourage the thriving and multiplying of bacteria.

In the fridge, I would toss it after 24 hours if it isn't used. I regularily taste the milk, just a drop or two, just to make sure how it tastes still - it changes remarkably in taste rapidly after 24 hours, at least in my case.

Freezer? If you have a good freezer then I'd say 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on your breast milk components.

My milk tastes sour after 2 weeks of frozen-time, my doctor says it's the natural lactic acid in my breastmilk that encourages faster spoilage. Some women can store 2 months or even more (deep freezers up to 6 months, I've heard).

Answer 3

Breastmilk can sit at room temperature for up to 10 hours. However, I'm not sure why he's warming it up 5 hours before it gets eaten. Just let it sit in the room if he wants it there and, if your baby won't take it at room temperature, heat it just before she eats it.

Breastmilk is NOT the same as cow's milk, so you can't compare the two. It is also not the same as formula.

Answer 4

Breastmilk can safely stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours and need not be discarded if the first feeding attempt is incomplete. In contrast, formula must be refrigerated and discarded after the first feeding attempt because it contains no antibodies or infection protection factors.

Answer 5

here are the recommendations in step with l. a. Leche League Int'l (for finished-time period healthful little ones): sparkling Breast Milk: Deep freeze (below 0 tiers F)-6+months Refrig Freezer(about 0 tiers F)-3-4 months Refrig. (32-39 tiers F)-8 days Room Temp (66-seventy 2 tiers F)-10 hours Thawed Breast Milk: under no circumstances refreeze thawed milk Refrig: 24 hrs Room Temp: a million hr. wish that facilitates.

Answer 6

If you pump milk it can stay out for 10 hours.
If your baby eats the bottle but some if left you can only safe it for 30 mins.
Pumped milk can stay in the fridge for a week.
And frozen for 3-4 months.
Deep freeze for 12 months.

Answer 7

Storage guidelines -
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html

It should be FINE to let it sit out that long. Remember that breastmilk is DIFFERENT than formula. It contains antibodies which formula does not have!

Answer 8

With my experince with brest milk (my wife breast fed and i did such as your husband) it will last as long or longer as plain milk. It can set out for several hours and not go bad. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

well if breast milk is anything like cow milk, then it probably would go sour after a few hours. It's not bad for you, but it does taste bad. only take it away and *snort* make a new bottle *snort* if the baby doesn't like the taste.