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Breast milk storage chart (CDC guidelines)

Every number on this page comes from the CDC's guidance on storing and preparing breast milk — the same table Milkloft ships as its default. Pin the free printable PDF to the fridge, and the 3 AM question answers itself.

Short answer

4 hRoom temperature, up to 77 °F / 25 °C

4 daysRefrigerator, 40 °F / 4 °C or colder

6 monthsFreezer is best; up to 12 months is acceptable

Estimates per CDC · not medical advice

Milkloft does this for you Bag by bag, on your iPhone. One-time purchase, no account.

How long does breast milk last? The full chart

Condition	Estimated limit (CDC)
Room temperature (up to 77 °F / 25 °C)	Up to 4 hours
Refrigerator (up to 40 °F / 4 °C)	Up to 4 days
Freezer (0 °F / −18 °C)	6 months is best; up to 12 months is acceptable
Thawed, in the refrigerator	Use within 24 hours from fully thawed
Thawed, at room temperature	1–2 hours
Leftover from a feeding	Use within 2 hours, then discard
Previously frozen milk	Never refreeze after thawing

These are estimates from published guidelines, not medical rules — your actual fridge temperature, how often the door opens, and how the milk was handled all matter. When in doubt about a specific bag, ask your pediatrician or lactation consultant.

Download the printable chart (PDF, free — no email)

What do the storage rules mean in practice?

Back of the fridge, never the door. The door is the warmest, least stable spot in the whole appliance.
Freeze flat, in small amounts — 2–4 oz (60–120 ml) per bag. Thawed milk can't go back in the freezer, so small bags mean you only thaw what you'll use.
Date every bag, use the oldest first. Most wasted milk didn't spoil — it quietly expired at the back of the freezer because nobody remembered its date.
Thaw in the fridge overnight (good for 24 hours there), or under lukewarm running water in a hurry. Never the microwave.
Leftovers have their own clock: milk left in a bottle the baby drank from — 2 hours, then out.

Why isn't a chart on the fridge enough?

Because the chart tells you the rules, not the state of your milk: which of the 23 bags across two freezers expires first, which one has been thawing since yesterday, how long that bottle has been started. The chart is the easy half; the bookkeeping is what breaks at 3 AM.

Milkloft does the bookkeeping: every bag gets a date, a location and an estimated expiration from this exact table (CDC by default — editable, with the source shown), and your home screen gives one clear answer: "Use the Aug 16 bag first." No account, no subscription — one-time purchase.

Frequently asked questions

How long can breast milk sit out at room temperature?

Freshly expressed milk: up to 4 hours at room temperature (77 °F / 25 °C or cooler), per CDC guidelines. Thawed milk: 1–2 hours. These are estimates from published guidance — when in doubt about a bag, ask your pediatrician or lactation consultant.

How long does breast milk last in the fridge?

Up to 4 days per the CDC, with the refrigerator at 40 °F (4 °C) or below and the milk stored at the back where the temperature is most stable — not in the door.

How long does breast milk last in the freezer?

Within 6 months is best; up to 12 months is acceptable, per the CDC, at 0 °F (−18 °C). Date every bag and use the oldest first.

Can you refreeze thawed breast milk?

No. Once thawed, breast milk should never be refrozen (CDC). Thawed milk keeps up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, counted from when it finished thawing.

Is the printable chart free?

Yes — the PDF is free to download and print, no email required. It's the CDC table formatted for a fridge door.