Freezer stash expiration

[anotherdreamer]

I've looked online but it seems there is a bit of variation for how long to keep it in your freezer; most places say max 6 months, but some say 3-6 or 6-12. Mine is in the freezer refrigerator portion (separate compartments), not a deep freezer. Some of it has been in for 6.5m now, and I'm not sure if I can use it.

How long do you all keep BM in your freezer? What do you consider safe for use?

[nursefrizz]

From what I've understood, deep freeze for 6 months and refrigerator freezer for 3. I could be wrong though...LO is just now 3 months old, and none of the milk I have frozen is more than a month or two old, so I haven't tested it.

[melody330]

I would start to rotate your stash. You can always give the milk a sniff - it will smell sour if it's bad. That being said, 6.5 months is a long time.

[ruemorgan]

I don't quite understand how long you should keep milk either, but I would start rotating your stash as well.

[bantyrooster]

With ds, nursed for 19 months, we did 6m in fridge freezer or up to 12 in deep freeze. Always give a sniff test, start rotating.

[casey]

Jan 27, 2015 21:07:53 GMT -5 melody330 said:

I would start to rotate your stash. You can always give the milk a sniff - it will smell sour if it's bad. That being said, 6.5 months is a long time.

This. Sniff and Rotate more quickly. 

[anotherdreamer]

Okay. I will sniff and check. I don't plan on pumping more, I just had extra the first couple months. I don't make much extra with how much the twins nurse, and they won't take bottles. I was originally going to rotate, but it wasn't working out.

[lauranicole91]

I never had a stash but I thought I remember 6m for a fridge freezer and 12m for a deep freeze.

Another thing to keep in mind with a stash is that your milk is constantly changing to match your child's age and needs. So definitely try to rotate it more often.

[melody330]

Jan 27, 2015 23:45:10 GMT -5 anotherdreamer said:

Okay. I will sniff and check. I don't plan on pumping more, I just had extra the first couple months. I don't make much extra with how much the twins nurse, and they won't take bottles. I was originally going to rotate, but it wasn't working out.

Not sure how old babies are - but you can try a cup instead of a bottle. I would gather they are around 7 months, so it would be appropriate.

[anotherdreamer]

They'll be 7m Friday. We just started letting them try solids and sippy cups, so I was hoping to use it for that if it was still good. I just really hate the idea of tossing it, but I know I probably missed the window for some of it.

[robinbird]

I would try to start using it/rotating it, but from what I've read, once it is outside of the recommended window, it doesn't necessarily start going bad until much later. It just may start losing some of its nutritional/beneficial properties. I'd just do a smell/taste test. If it doesn't smell really bad or taste sour, then it's probably fine.

eta: words

[noname]

Jan 27, 2015 23:45:19 GMT -5 lauranicole91 said:

I never had a stash but I thought I remember 6m for a fridge freezer and 12m for a deep freeze.

Another thing to keep in mind with a stash is that your milk is constantly changing to match your child's age and needs. So definitely try to rotate it more often.

This is what I went by, per Kelly Mom. At one point I realized I had a lot of milk coming close to the 6 month mark and had to cycle through more quickly. There may have been some bags that were slightly past 6 months and I just smelled it first. Otherwise I believe 3 months is "preferred", as in, if your baby will be getting large amounts of frozen milk it should be fresher because of the changes in composition. If they only get frozen milk on occasion but are still primarily receiving fresh milk (if you BF most of the feedings of the day but baby gets a bottle or 2 at DC) then it's ok if it's a little older.

[theresat858]

My milk went bad after 4-5 months in the freezer with my first. I knew from the smell test.

[bantyrooster]

If it still smells good make some baby food with it! I used it to thin out our sweet potatoes and carrots a lot that I made.

[Unknown]

A lot of I depends on the temp of your freezer and where in the freezer it was. If it is on the door versus in he very back will make a difference. I agree w/ the PPs give it a sniff and rotate out the oldest.

Is it just an extra stash or are you working and pumping? I work full-time, and when I was pumping I would always use froze on Monday, fresh the rest of the week and freeze Friday to keep my stash rotated.

ETA: 3-6 is regular freezer and 6-12 is for deep freezers

[babycaps]

We deep freeze so I'm still using milk from about 6-7mo ago! LO hasn't puked up anything yet!