Donor tips: How to freeze and store breastmilk

Latasha Marston shares a detailed video tutorial that includes how to remove air bubbles in the milk storage bags, how to store milk bags flat and how to keep track of your progress.

Freezing and Storing Breastmilk

Filling Breastmilk Bags

1. Fill your bag with four to six ounces of breast milk.
2. Remove air from bag by folding bag over itself.
3. Push air towards the zipper and close.

Freezing Breastmilk Bags

1. Lay breast milk bags with the same ounces together.
2. Alternate zipper direction of bags on cookie sheet.
3. Lay second cookie sheet on top of milk bags to freeze flat.

Storing Frozen Breastmilk Bags

1. Get gallon-sized Ziploc bags with slider closures and flat bottoms.
2. Place frozen milk bags in gallon Ziploc bag, alternating the directions they face.
3. Stack gallon bags in freezer with newest bag in the back and oldest in the front.
4. Write number of ounces and dates on bag or on a separate spreadsheet.

Freezing Methods

Flat Surface

• How: Place bag on flat surface and go.
• Pros: Easiest method; no large freezer space need.
• Cons: Rounded edges of bag; slight slope at the bottom of bag

Previously Frozen Bag

• How: Place a previously frozen bag and balance on top of new bag.
• Pros: No large freezer space and extra tools needed.
• Con: Oddly shaped bags; bags are thicker at bottom; previously frozen bag can slide off and make previous frozen bag oddly shaped.

Cookie Sheets

• How: Sandwich milk bags between two cookie sheets, alternating the zipper direction.
• Pros: Bags evenly flat on both sides; bags stack together well and fit into gallon bags nicely.
• Cons: Need to purchase cookie sheets; need large freezer space.