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Pumping and Storing Your Milk

  • Home
  • Breastfeeding
  • Pumping and Storing Your Milk
  • Ways To Express Your Milk by Hand or Pump
  • Storing Your Milk
  • Before and After Expressing or Handling Human Milk
  • Tips For Freezing Milk
  • Tips For Thawing and Warming Milk
  • Safely Clean Pump Equipment
Breast pump collecting milk near sleeping baby.
How you pump and store human milk depends on how soon you want to use it. If you are unable to directly breastfeed your baby, it’s important to remove milk during the times your baby normally would feed. This will help you continue to make milk.

Ways To Express Your Milk by Hand or Pump

Click below to learn more about the different ways to express milk.

Breast pump illustration with bottle and tubing.

ELECTRIC BREAST PUMP

How it works

Runs on battery or plugs into an electrical outlet.

What’s Involved

  • Can be easier for some moms.
  • Can pump one or both breasts at the same time. Double pumping may collect more milk in less time, which is helpful if you are going back to work or school.
  • Need a place to clean and store the equipment between uses.

Average Cost

$150 to more than $250 (often covered by insurance)

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HAND EXPRESSION

Breast pump illustration with bottle attachment.

MANUAL PUMP

Breast pump illustration with bottle and tubing.

ELECTRIC BREAST PUMP

Storing Your Milk

Human milk can be stored in:
Breast milk bottles stored in refrigerator shelf.
  • Clean glass bottles with tight-fitting lids
  • Hard BPA-free plastic bottles with tight-fitting lids
  • Milk storage bags, which are made for freezing human milk
*Never store human milk in disposable bottle liners or plastic bags that are not intended for storing human milk.

Storage Location and Temperatures

COUNTERTOP
77°F (25°C) or colder
(room temperature)

Freshly expressed or pumped
Up to 4 Hours

Thawed, Previously Frozen

1-2 Hours

Leftover from a feeding
(baby did not finish the bottle)

Use within 2 hours after baby is finished feeding. After two hours, leftover human milk should be discarded.

REFRIGERATOR
40°F (4°C) or colder

Freshly expressed or pumped
Up to 4 Days

Thawed, Previously Frozen
Up to 24 Hours

Leftover from a feeding
(baby did not finish the bottle)
Use within 2 hours after baby is finished feeding. After two hours, leftover human milk should be discarded.

FREEZER
0°F (-18°C) or colder

Freshly expressed or pumped
Within 6 months is best.
Up to 12 months is acceptable.

Thawed, Previously Frozen
NEVER refreeze human milk after it has been thawed.

Leftover from a feeding
(baby did not finish the bottle)
Use within 2 hours after baby is finished feeding. After two hours, leftover human milk should be discarded.

Before Expressing or Handling Human Milk
Hands washing under running water in kitchen sink.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water
  • If using a pump, make sure the pump kit and tubing are clean
Hands holding frozen milk storage bag in freezer.

AFTER EACH PUMPING

  • Label the storage container with the date
  • Refrigerate or chill milk right after it is expressed
  • Store human milk in an insulated cooler bag with an ice pack for up to 24 hours
Tips For Freezing Milk
  • Freeze human milk in small amounts of 2 to 4 ounces (or the amount that will be offered at one feeding) to avoid wasting milk that might not be finished
  • Try to leave an inch or so between the milk and the top of the container
  • Store milk in the back of the freezer

Tips For Thawing and Warming Milk

  • Use the oldest stored milk first.
  • You can thaw frozen milk in the refrigerator overnight, hold the frozen bag of milk under warm running water or set it in a container of warm water. Test the temperature by dropping a little on your wrist. It should be comfortably warm.
  • Find the right milk temperature for your baby. Human milk does not necessarily need to be warmed. Some moms prefer to take the chill off and serve at room temperature.
  • Do not put a bottle or bag of human milk directly on the stove or in the microwave. Microwaving milk creates hot spots that could burn your baby and damage the milk.
  • Swirl human milk to mix the fat. Shaking the milk is not recommended because it can break down valuable parts of the milk.
  • Use thawed human milk within 24 hours (this means from the time it is no longer frozen or completely thawed, not from the time you took it out of the freezer). Do not refreeze thawed human milk.

Safely Clean Pump Equipment

Cleaning breast pump parts in sink using sponge.
  • Take apart pump tubing and separate all parts that come in contact with your breast and milk.
  • Rinse the pump parts by holding them under running water to remove remaining milk.
  • Do not place or wash parts in the sink. Germs in the sink could contaminate items.
  • Clean pump parts in a dishwasher or by hand in a clean basin with soap and water.
  • Air dry the items on a clean dishtowel or paper towel.
  • Using clean hands, store the parts in a clean, protected area.
  • Discard and replace moldy tubing immediately.
  • If using a shared pump, clean pump dials, power switch, and countertop with a disinfectant wipe. Pump kits should not be shared.

Sanitize for added safety:

Sanitize pump parts, wash basin, and bottle brush at least once daily after they have been cleaned. Items can be sanitized using steam, boiling water, or a dishwasher with a sanitize setting.

Sanitizing is very important if your baby is less than 3 months old, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system due to illness or medical treatment.

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    Two abstract fish swimming in a circular motion.

    HAND EXPRESSION

    How it works

    Use your hand to gently massage and compress your breast to remove milk.

    What’s Involved

    • Requires practice, skill, and coordination.
    • Gets easier with practice and can be as fast as pumping.
    • Good if you are not often away from your baby or you need an option that is always with you. All moms should know how to hand express, in case they need to do it unexpectedly.

    Average Cost

    Free

    Breast pump illustration with bottle attachment.

    MANUAL PUMP

    How it works

    Use your hand and wrist to operate a hand-held device to pump the milk.

    What’s Involved

    • Requires practice, skill, and coordination. Useful for occasional pumping if you are away from your baby only once in a while.
    • May put you at higher risk of breast infection.

    Average Cost

    $30 to $50 (may be covered by insurance)

    Breast pump illustration with bottle and tubing.

    ELECTRIC BREAST PUMP

    How it works

    Runs on battery or plugs into an electrical outlet.

    What’s Involved

    • Can be easier for some moms.
    • Can pump one or both breasts at the same time. Double pumping may collect more milk in less time, which is helpful if you are going back to work or school.
    • Need a place to clean and store the equipment between uses.

    Average Cost

    $150 to more than $250 (often covered by insurance)

    Cartoon vegetables with leafy tops gather playfully together.

    Side-Lying Hold

    1. For the right breast, lie on your right side with your baby facing you.
    2. Pull your baby close. Your baby’s mouth should be level with your nipple.
    3. In this position, you can cradle your baby’s back with your left arm and support yourself with your right arm and/or pillows.
    4. Keep loose clothing and bedding away from your baby.
    5. Reverse for the left breast.

    This hold is useful when:

    • You had a C-section
    • You want to rest while baby feeds
    • You are breastfeeding in the middle of the night
    • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
    Yellow circle with abstract, jagged shapes and patterns.

    Cross-Cradle Hold

    1. For the right breast, use your left arm to hold your baby’s head at your right breast and baby’s body toward your left side. A pillow across your lap can help support your left arm.
    2. Gently place your left hand behind your baby’s ears and neck, with your thumb and index finger behind each ear and your palm between baby’s shoulder blades. Turn your baby’s body toward yours so your tummies are touching.
    3. Hold your breast as if you are squeezing a sandwich. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
    4. As your baby’s mouth opens, push gently with your left palm on baby’s head to help them latch on. Make sure you keep your fingers out of the way.
    5. Reverse for the left breast.

    This hold is useful when:

    • Your baby is premature
    • Your baby has a weak suck
    • Your baby needs help to stay latched
    • Your baby needs extra head support
    • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
    Cat playing with butterfly in a garden.

    Clutch or “Football” Hold

    1. For the right breast, hold your baby level, facing up, at your right side.
    2. Put your baby’s head near your right nipple and support their back and legs under your right arm.
    3. Hold the base of your baby’s head with your right palm. A pillow underneath your right arm can help support your baby’s weight.
    4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Bring baby to you instead.
    5. Reverse for the left breast.

    This hold is useful when:

    • You had a C-section
    • You have large breasts
    • You have flat or inverted nipples
    • You have a strong milk let-down
    • You are breastfeeding twins
    • Your baby likes to feed in an upright position
    • Your baby has reflux
    • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
    Peach circle with abstract shapes radiating outward.

    Cradle Hold

    1. For the right breast, cradle your baby with your right arm. Your baby will be on their left side across your lap, facing you at nipple level.
    2. Your baby’s head will rest on your right forearm with your baby’s back along your inner arm and palm.
    3. Turn your baby’s tummy toward your tummy. Your left hand is free to support your breast, if needed. Pillows can help support your arm and elbow.
    4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
    5. Reverse for the left breast.

    This hold is useful when:

    • Your baby needs help latching on
    • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
    Smiling peach character waving cheerful hello.

    Laid-Back Hold

    1. Lean back on a pillow with your baby’s tummy touching yours and their head at breast level. Some moms find that sitting up nearly straight works well. Others prefer to lean back and lie almost flat.
    2. You can place your baby’s cheek near your breast, or you may want to use one hand to hold your breast near your baby. It’s up to you and what you think feels best.
    3. Your baby will naturally find your nipple, latch, and begin to suckle.

    This hold is useful when:

    • Your baby is placed on your chest right after birth
    • You have a strong milk let-down
    • You have large breasts
    • You and your baby are comfortable in this position