So you’ve chosen to breastfeed! Many first time moms find the breastfeeding learning curve quite steep. Even though breastfeeding is natural, it’s not easy.
Whether you’re breastfeeding exclusively, pumping exclusively, mixed feeding, or going back to work, storing breast milk is often necessary. Whatever your feeding method, it’s always good to keep an emergency stash of breast milk in your freezer. And the best way to store your breast milk is in breast milk storage bags.
These convenient little bags are designed exclusively for storing breast milk. So don’t even think of using anything but breast milk storage bags. These bags are meant to store your valuable milk in a variety of ways.
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Breastmilk Storage Guidelines
As a general guide, store breast milk depending on when you’ll need it:
- up to 8 hours at room temperature.
- up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- up to 12 months in the freezer.
As you introduce solids to your baby, you can always use your oldest dated milk to mix in with food to thin it out, making it safer for your baby to swallow.
This article will introduce you to the 10 best breast milk storage bags. Moms just like you have been using storage bags for years and these handy little bags have improved significantly over time.
Top 10 Best Breast Milk Storage Bags
The Lansinoh storage bags greatly reduce the hassle of breastmilk storage. These guaranteed leak-proof bags come pre-sterilized and have a unique seal that ensures the safety of your precious milk. Not one drop will be lost.
As with most bags on the market, these bags are BPA and BPS free so your milk remains free from toxins even when frozen.
The Lansinoh company claims their bags are the strongest, biggest bags you can use for milk storage. These bags have reinforced sides for strength, have a convenient pour spout, and a large tab on the top to record your information. Each bag holds a full 6 plus ounces of milk.
For even more convenience, you can pump directly into the bags using almost any breast pump.
NUK prides itself on creating a breast milk storage bag that makes milk storage easier than ever. What makes NUK bags amazing is their ability to stand up or lay flat for storage, both in the fridge and in the freezer.
The newly designed oxygen barrier system helps keep milk fresher for longer. The upper tabs provide space to label and record the date which the milk was pumped.
NUK storage bags also contain a double zipper, leak-proof closure that is guaranteed to minimize the chance of losing any milk.
NUK breastmilk storage bags are BPA-free, pre-sterilized, and are one of the larger bags, holding up to 6 ounces of milk with easy to read markings on each bag.
The Medela Pump and Save bags pair beautifully with the Medela breast pump, one of the most popular breast pumps on the market. This simple connection partnering saves you time and breastmilk since you don’t have to bother with bottles. Two breast pump adapters come in each 50 count package of breastmilk storage bags.
Like most other top quality breast milk storage bags, the Medela bag is BPA free and has a quick close zipper top. However, these bags are smaller. They are marked to hold only five ounces of milk.
The convenient design of these bags ensures that they will not spill or leak. They stand up well in both fridge and freezer.
These impressive storage bags combine the convenience of a disposable bag with the sturdiness of a bottle. Kiinde storage bags are slightly more expensive than the typical breast milk storage bag but their unique design allows you to do more than the average bag.
As the name suggests, the Kiinde bag has a twist top that can:
- connect directly to nearly any well known breast pump;
- close securely with a leak-proof, twisting cap;
- connect directly onto a nipple to make bottle-feeding stored breastmilk easier than ever.
After using each twist pouch, the entire bag and top is recyclable. Breast milk bottles become a thing of the past when you use the unique Kiinde breast milk system.
Dr. Brown’s has made one of the must durable bags on the market. Moms rave about the sturdy, thick plastic that makes them confident their precious breast milk will not go to waste.
The leak-proof double zipper seal offers protection from the effects of long term storage as well as making the sealing process quick and easy. Each bag has a tab at the top for labeling the important details.
Each Dr. Brown’s breast milk storage bag holds 6 ounces of milk and is one of the larger bags available. You can store each bag flat in the fridge or freezer. And like other bags, they are sterilized and marked in ounces.
Lots of satisfied Moms have left five-star reviews for these breast milk storage bags.
The Ameda Store N Pour has a unique pouring spout that stands out from other breast milk storage bags. The storage bag itself has been designed to be strong so no cracking or breaking will happen when the bags are frozen.
Breast milk collection is simplified with the Ameda bags because you can pump directly into the bags. The secure zipper top is easy to close and leak-proof. If you struggle with opening other zipper tops, Ameda’s pour spout eliminates this problem.
Two downsides of the otherwise sturdy Ameda breast milk storage bag:
- does not include breast pump adapters,
- relatively small; only allows for the storage of 5 ounces or less breast milk.
All Ameda bags are sterilized and BPA-free.
The unique dual layer design of the AVENT breast milk storage bag offers double protection from freezing while giving each bag the ability to stand on it’s own. Each bag has reinforced seams which make it strong and durable whether you’re storing milk in the fridge or freezer.
A large tab above the double zipper closure gives plenty of room for recording information. And the larger 6-ounce size means you can store more precious milk than many of the other breast milk storage bags on the market.
As with all AVENT products, these breast milk storage bags are BPA free and pre-sterilized.
While these bags are not meant to replace bottles, the extra large opening and strong construction make this bag a great option for long term breast milk storage.
Able to hold 7 ounces, making it one of the biggest breast milk storage bags, Milkies does a great job of making milk storage less of a hassle.
These sturdy bags are made with the highest quality food-grade plastic and have a double zipper lock with reinforced sides which greatly reduces the chance of leaks.
Milkies storage bags are meant to stand on their own for more convenient usage but they can also lay flat to store in the fridge or freezer. Each bag has an good sized upper tab to record information as well as milk storage guidelines printed clearly on each unit.
As with all breast milk storage bags, Milkies bags are BPA-free, pre-sterilized and ready to use.
The Tommee Tippee system makes pumping, storing, and feeding breastmilk easier, faster, and more convenient.
You can purchase a breast pump adapter separately so you can attach the storage bags to nearly any breast pump. After pumping, all you need to do is close the bottle-like twist top and store the milk until needed.
While the 6 ounce size, pre-sterilized bags eliminate the need for transferring and bottles, there is no specific area to write any information you wish you record.
You would also need to separately purchase the Tommee Tippee milk pouch holder and your choice of Tommee Tippee nipples to complete the pump to feed system as it is intended. Additional cool bag for neat storage is also available.
Nurture Right is one of the milk storage providers who gives you a full 6 plus ounces of milk storage space. These thick, durable bags also freeze flat making storage simple and space effective.
As with all breast milk storage bags, Nurture Right uses strong, durable, non-toxic plastic designed to withstand the effects of freezer storage. Each bag is designed to stand on it’s own and sports a leak-proof double zipper seal with plenty of room to record all information and allow for the expansion of milk when it freezes.
What stands out about Nurture Right is it’s refund policy. They proudly offer a full refund if you are not completely satisfied. Many mothers have given these milk storage bags five-star reviews.
Check out Top 10 Best Breast Milk Storage Bags 2017Click To TweetWhich Milk Storage Bag to Choose?
In conclusion, it is important to note that all breast milk storage bags come pre-sterilized and are only intended to be used once. All the manufacturers assure their consumers that their products are BPA-free and non-toxic.
Unfortunately, nearly all the milk storage bags have one common problem. The measurements on the bag are not accurate, so don’t rely on the ounces listed on the bag if you need accurate measurements of your stored milk.
Before you decide which breast milk storage bag is best for you, you need to know what feature you want most in a breast milk storage bag. Begin with asking yourself how much milk you plan to store at one time. Are you good with the smaller 5 ounce size, or do you need something with more wiggle room?
Do you prefer zipper tops or bottle-twisting tops? Do you prefer a bag that stands up on it’s own? Do you want to pump directly into the bags? Once you decide what you want most, you will have an easier time choosing the right breast milk storage bag for your needs.
