Breast Milk & Formula — Preparation and Storage

Room temperature (up to 77°F / 25°C) — Up to 4 hours

Refrigerator (40°F / 4°C) — Up to 4 days

Freezer — Best within 6 months; acceptable up to 12 months

Thawed (previously frozen), in fridge — Up to 24 hours — never refreeze

Left over after a feeding began — Use within 2 hours, then discard

FORMULA RULES

Prepared formula sits at room temperature no more than 2 hours; once a feeding begins, finish within 1 hour or discard. Prepared formula keeps in the fridge up to 24 hours. Never microwave a bottle (uneven hot spots) — warm in warm water and swab-test on your wrist. Never reuse formula a baby has partly drunk.