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Great Tips for Storing Breast Milk During a Power Outage

“Heeeelp! Power outage and losing months of my ‘Liquid Gold’ stock!!”  These screams for help from breastfeeding moms are all too familiar to me during bad weather.  When my daughter was 5 months old and in the middle of getting back to work, I lost my freezer stash due to a power outage from tropical storm Jeanne in 2004.  This was months of effort with all the logistics surrounding building a breast milk stock and feeding an always hungry baby girl.

Don’t panic! Start planning today to try to save or prolong the life of your frozen breast milk during a power outage.

Preparing in advance:

• Keep the pumping alive! Remember that the more you pump or breast feed the more you will produce; but also if you reduce, the production will reduce.  If you plan to keep pumping, learn ahead of time how to operate your pump without electricity.  Some pumps can also be converted to manual use.  Consider getting a car adapter and/or a battery pack for your electric pump.
• Start filling the empty spaces in the freezer with bottles, bags of water, or ice packs. This will help hold its temperature longer in the case of a power outage.  If the threat is imminent (in a case of a storm/hurricane) ramp down freezer temperature to -4°F.
• Identify and ask a neighbor with a generator if you can store your milk in their freezer until power is restored.
• Consider getting a refrigerator/freezer temperature monitor or temperature identifier. A 2-pack can be found for $7 to $15 or $15 to $85 for a digital one with an alarm.
• Store milk towards the back of the main body of the fridge, where the temperature is most constant.
• Identify where in your community you can buy dry ice. Some Publix stores and other supermarkets carry little cabinets at the front of the store.  It is usually between $1-$2/pound.  Also, identify a small cooler (depending on size of stock) that will be used to store your frozen milk along with ice, dry ice, ice packs and any thermometer device.
• Save as PDF and hard copy, this article and any digital information you may need in case your internet goes down.

During Power Outage:

• During the power outage, open the freezer door as little as possible. According to the USDA, a full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 24 to 48 hours if full and the door remains closed.
• For prolonged power outages, at some point you will need to transfer stock to a cooler. Remember the Rule of 4’s: 4 hours at room temperature and 4 days in the refrigerator. Follow CDC and AAP temperature requirements below as a guide:
  • Room Temperature (up to 77°F) – Use milk within 4 hours
  • Refrigerator (39°F or colder) – Up to 4 days is best
  • Freezer ( 0°F or colder) – Up to 9 months
  • Deep Freezer (-4°F or colder) – Up to 12 months
• Cover the cooler with a towel or blanket to keep it as insulated as possible.
• Milk that has been frozen and thawed may have a “soapy” smell, and/or change in color due to its fat content, but this isn’t the same as a spoiled milk smell, and doesn’t mean the milk is unsafe. Trying to decide if the milk is bad or good is challenging.  In general, if it smells bad, just like cow’s milk that has been left out too long, you will be safer disposing it.  Follow the temperature chart as a tool to determine if your milk is good or bad.

Avoid the panic and start planning today!

Remember, it is important to:

• Be sure to wash hands before handling breast milk and to use clean storage containers. Avoid using ordinary plastic storage bags or formula bottle bags (unless it’s specified they can be used to store and freeze liquids), as these could easily leak or spill.  Review the FDA’s Cleaning Breast Pump guidelines for breast pump parts.
• Always manage your inventory using “FIFO” (First In/First Out). This means that the oldest milk in stock is always the one you will use next to feed your child.  This stresses the importance of labeling your stock individually and always placing towards the back any new addition to your stock to simplify the process. Label with pumped date (PD) and hour.  If milk will be administered by a child care provider, don’t forget to clearly label your child’s name.
• Don’t mix milk from different batches for storage, especially if one is frozen.
• Store breast milk in small batches of 2-4 ounces to prevent waste.

by  Lizaida Medina Candelaria, MD FAAP

Lizaida Medina, MD FAAP

Dr. Medina is a Board Certified Pediatrician and an active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Palm Beach Pediatric Society.  Her office, SuperKids Pediatrics, is located in Palm Beach Gardens.

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