Leaving Baby Milk At Room Temperature

You should not refreeze it.

Leaving baby milk at room temperature. Place it in the refrigerator or an insulated cooler with ice packs immediately. Once you warm the breast milk you can give it to your child right away or put it in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. Swirl the breast milk to mix the fat which may have separated. If you do save the milk for later use some mothers re refrigerate the milk and others leave it at room temperature no studies have been done so we don t know whether one method is preferred.

If your baby does not finish a feeding you should throw away the leftover breast milk in the bottle. Breast milk can be defrosted in the fridge normally in around 12 hours. Turning the temperature down helps keep the space cooler and comfortable. We do know that for any food refrigeration slows bacteria growth.

Freshly expressed breast milk can sit at room temperature 77 f 25 c for up to four hours. However if you make a feed and your baby leaves it untouched you can keep the milk at room temperature for a short time no more than two hours. If the room temperature is greater than 77 degrees f 25 degrees c do not let your breast milk sit out at all. It should feel warm not hot.

The best way to keep your baby s room at the right temperature is to monitor your thermostat. However it s optimal to use or properly store the breast milk within four hours especially if the room is warm. Ideally the milk should be in a covered container. If the temperature is above 90 f food should not be left out more than 1 hour the us food and drug administration.

Once you collect your breast milk in the storage container put a top or cap not a feeding nipple onto the breast milk storage bottle or seal the. That window closes quickly if the ambient temperature rises. Alternatively hold the bottle or bag of frozen milk under warm running water a maximum of 37 c or 99 f. If your baby did not finish the bottle the leftover breast milk can still be used within 2 hours after the baby is finished feeding.

Take care when defrosting breast milk to make sure it s safe for your baby. When your baby has finished a feed throw any remaining milk away. You should not leave warm breast milk out at room temperature. According to the us food and drug administration refrigerated foods including milk should never be out of the fridge at room temperature for longer than two hours.

Test the temperature of the breast milk before feeding it to your baby by putting a few drops on your wrist. Fresh milk can last up to four days in the. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in an insulated cooler with ice packs for up to one day.