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Bottle Feeding 101: Everything You Need to Know

by Erin Dower

bottle feeding a baby

In This Article:

What's the shelf life of a prepared bottle?

Bottles of formula and breast milk have a shelf life. Refrigerated breast milk is good for up to eight days if collected and stored properly, according to La Leche League International. Frozen breast milk that has been thawed should be used within 24 hours. Room temperature breast milk should be used or refrigerated/frozen within four to six hours or else discarded (oh no!). Frozen breast milk is good for six to 12 months. Watch this short video on storing and thawing breast milk.

Bottles made with powdered formula and kept at room temperature should be used within one hour of being mixed. You can prepare bottles of formula in advance and chill them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. After that, they should be discarded. Do not keep the leftovers from a bottle of formula that your baby didn't finish. Also, check the expiration date on your formula container, and use the container within a month of opening it.



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