Room temperature
up to 77°F / 25°C
Up to4 hours
Counted from when it was pumped.
Resource
How long does breast milk last?
Published storage guidance for expressed breast milk, in one chart. Print it for the fridge door.
Refrigerator
40°F / 4°C
Up to4 days
Counted from when it was pumped.
Freezer
0°F / −18°C or colder
Best withinabout 6 months
Storage guidance limitabout 12 months
Counted from when it was first frozen.
Deep freezer
−4°F / −20°C or colder
Best withinabout 6 months
Storage guidance limitabout 12 months
Counted from when it was first frozen.
Thawed, in refrigerator
previously frozen, fully thawed
Up to24 hours
Counted from when it was thawed.
Source: CDC: Proper Storage and Preparation of Breast Milk. Our copy of this guidance is dated January 15, 2026.
Storage windows are published general guidance, not advice about your milk or your baby. Check with your own health professional for your situation.
The same page covers thawing, warming, and what to do with milk left over after a feed.
In the app
Every container, both dates.
The milk stash shows two dates on every container, “Best use by” and “Storage guidance limit”, counted from when it was pumped, frozen or thawed, and worked out from this same guidance.
- Split a pumping session into containers, each in its own place
- Move, thaw and use milk, with totals that stay right
- CuddleCue Plus: the stash in best-use order, and a heads-up before a container reaches its date
