13 top tips for storing breast milk

Published August 10, 2023

There’s a reason breast milk is often referred to as liquid gold by breastfeeding mothers. Not only does it take time and commitment to breastfeed, but it also has significant nutritional value for baby.

“Just one drop of breast milk contains about 1 million white blood cells to protect baby from infections,” says Kristin McCracken, BSN, RN, IBCLC, Nebraska Medicine lactation consultant.

Breast milk also contains over 1,000 unique proteins, stem cells, fatty acids, more than 200 oligosaccharides, and dozens of hormones, growth factors and enzymes. These breast milk elements all work together to help develop and strengthen your baby’s nervous system, brain, digestive system and eyes.

To give baby the best start, The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend breastfeeding for two years and beyond or as long as it is mutually desired, says McCracken.

Many breastfeeding mothers pump their breast milk to keep a steady supply available when they cannot breastfeed.

If you are pumping your breast milk, it’s important to store your milk properly to maintain its nutritional value, says McCracken. McCracken offers these tips for proper storage.

Breastfeeding offers a wealth of benefits for your baby – like a lower risk of infections and well-balanced nutrition for starters. But mothers benefit from breastfeeding as well.

Nebraska Medicine offers educational resources and support for women throughout their breastfeeding journey. Latch and Learn is a free drop-in breastfeeding group that meets weekly. You don’t need an appointment or to be a Nebraska Medicine patient.

We all know that eating right is a good thing. During the postpartum period, your body needs time and energy to heal. Nutrition helps the healing process.