Label each bag with the date. Store at the back of the fridge, not the door. Thaw in the fridge or in warm water — never in a microwave — and never refreeze thawed milk. For premature or sick babies, hospitals use shorter times.
| Where | How long | Use by |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature (up to 25 °C) | up to 4 hours | — |
| Fridge (4 °C) | up to 4 days | Thu, 15 Oct 2026 |
| Freezer (−18 °C) | best within 6 months, up to 12 months | Sun, 11 Apr 2027 |
| Thawed in the fridge | use within 24 hours | — |
| Left over after a feed | use within 2 hours, then discard | — |
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Freshly pumped breast milk keeps for up to 4 hours at room temperature, 4 days in the fridge (CDC; NHS says up to 8 days at 4 °C or colder) and about 6 months in the freezer. Enter the date you expressed it to get the use-by dates.
Thawed milk should be used within 24 hours (CDC) and never refrozen, and milk left in a bottle after a feed should be used within 2 hours.
| Date Expressed | 11 Oct 2026 |
| Guideline | CDC (US, India, most countries) |
| Use from the fridge by | Thu, 15 Oct 2026 |
| Use from the freezer by | Sun, 11 Apr 2027 (best) or Mon, 11 Oct 2027 at the latest |
| Guideline | US — CDC (also used by most Indian hospitals) |
| Expressed on | Sun, 11 Oct 2026 |
Fridge Thu, 15 Oct 2026; freezer Sun, 11 Apr 2027 (best) or Mon, 11 Oct 2027 at the latest.
Try this example →Up to 4 days (CDC) — the NHS allows up to 8 days if the fridge is 4 °C or colder.
Up to 4 hours at room temperature (up to 25 °C); less in hot weather.
No — use thawed milk within 24 hours.