Breast Milk Storage Safety for Emergency Situations
- Sep 4, 2023
With the recent wildfires in California and hurricane season, we wanted to share some advice to make sure that your milk supply is safe if the power goes out.
1) Know what is considered safe for your milk: According to the Mayo Clinic and CDC, freshly expressed breast milk can be kept at room temperature for up to four to six hours depending on the temperature of the room (when in doubt, go with four). Breast milk can be stored in a properly insulated cooler with ice packs for up to one day.
2) Be prepared: If you live in an area that you think might lose power unexpectedly, it might be best to purchase a manual pump or familiarize yourself with hand expression to avoid engorgement. You might also want to consider getting a car adaptor or battery pack for your electric breast pump. And don’t forget to stock up on batteries.
3) Get the word out: If you have a generator or other back up system and are part of a mommy group or have friends that might be pumping and storing milk and can help out in an emergency, let them know.