5 Best Breast Milk Storage Bags

Best breast milk storage bags for pumping moms.

Choosing the Best Breast Milk storage bags is a big decision when you consider that breast milk is like liquid gold to a nursing mother. When you need to store breastmilk due to overproduction, because your baby is in the NICU or because you are preparing to return to work, it is important to think about the safest and simplest way to store it. 

Not only will you want quality milk storage bags that don’t contain harmful chemicals, you’ll also want bags that don’t leak and are easy to store. 

Research will be low on your priority list when you have a new baby and are battling sleepless nights and the difficulties that can come with nursing and pumping.  We want to take that burden off of your shoulders by recommending the top 5 best Breast Milk Storage bags that will help you store your breast milk safely, and thaw and transfer it to your baby’s bottle easily. 

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The Top 5 Best Breast Milk Storage Bags

Kiinde Twist

The Kiinde Twist Breast Milk Storage bags are BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free. They can be recycled, are pre-sterilized so you can pump directly into them, and have measurements directly on the pouch so you know how much milk your baby is getting. They come in 6 and 8 ounce options and in 20, 40 or 80 count packages. 

One drawback of this brand of breast milk storage bags is that because of their design they are bulkier and don’t lie as flat as other brands for storage. Many users have reported that the measurements are incorrect, making it necessary to weigh the pumped milk to accurately know how much their baby is drinking. Several reviewers have mentioned finding debris in some shipments of the Kiinde bags so if you try them, you will want to look carefully at each bag before use. 

Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags

In comparison to other breast milk storage bags, the Lansinoh brands are less expensive. Some reviewers mention the quality of the bags is inferior and that the bags leak when defrosting or heating. 

Dr Brown’s Breast Milk Storage Bags

The thicker design makes these easier to pour into bottles, resulting in less wasted milk. These bags have sporadic complaints by reviewers about occasional leaking but overall they seem to be well liked. 

Mommy’s Precious

Mommy’s Precious bags are a great option for moms with a high pumping output. They come in packs of 110, so you won’t run out soon. According to reviewers, these bags don’t leak and you can even sneak more milk in than the advertised 8 ounces!

Nuk Breast Milk Storage Bags

Most reviewers report that Nuk bags don’t leak and are easy to use, but some say recent shipments of bags are inferior quality. 

Nanobebe Breast Milk Storage Bags

The design might help them stack more easily, but they do not stand up on their own which can make milk transfer from a pump more difficult. Some reviewers report that the unique shape makes them more harder to store than traditional breast milk bags. The storage container (purchased separately) only holds about 8 storage bags of milk. 

Why You Need Breast Milk Storage Bags

Breast milk storage bags make the process of storing breastmilk safer for your baby and easier for you. Some breast milk storage bags are made to attach directly to your breast pump. If they don’t attach, you pour the milk from the breast pump bottles into the bags, seal them with the zipper (or lid) and store them in your fridge or freezer. 

If you need to store breast milk because you are pumping for a baby in the NICU, exclusively pumping,overproduce breast milk or are breastfeeding and plan on going back to work, breast milk storage bags are a wonderful way to make the difficult job of pumping breast milk easier. 

Using a product designed for the safe storage of breast milk will give you peace of mind as you pump for your baby, and make it easier for you to store your breast milk.  

How to Choose a Breast Milk Storage Bag

There are many different brands of breast milk storage bags. As you try to choose which breast milk storage bag will work  best for you, consider the following product features: 

• Ease of use – Not only does pumping take time, it also is often done in the middle of the night or in tricky locations. It is important to consider how simple the breast milk storage bags are to use. Breast milk storage bags that stand on their own will make it easier to transfer breastmilk from a pump bottle and then back again into your baby’s bottle. A breast milk storage bag that can attach directly to your breast pump (Kiinde Twist, Lansinoh) would also eliminate a step of the pumping process. 
• Size of breast milk storage bags – Most brands store up to 6 ounces of breast milk. If you produce much more than that regularly, you may want to consider a brand with a larger capacity like the Kiinde Twist or Mommy’s Precious. However, experts recommend storing between 1-4 ounces per bag for easier and safer thawing of breast milk.
• Number of bags per package – The different brands of Breast Milk Storage Bags have different quantities available per package. If you are planning to exclusively pump or are returning to work you will need a larger supply of breast milk storage bags.  The convenience (and lower cost) of buying in bulk could influence your decision about which brand to use. The Nuk brand had the largest quantity of breast milk storage bags available (a package with 200).
• Price – The price differences between brands may be pennies, but if you are purchasing breast milk storage bags regularly that cost can add up quickly. Of these five best breast milk storage bags, Lansinoh and Nuk were the least expensive, and the Kiinde Twist was the most expensive per bag. 
• Durability – After all of the hard work you’ve done to pump breast milk for your baby, the last think you want is to lose your liquid gold to a leak while thawing the bag. Nanobebe, Dr. Brown‘s and Kiinde Twist had the least amount of leaking problems as reported by reviewers on Amazon. 

How to Use Breast Milk Storage Bags

Breast milk storage bags are designed to make the pumping process easier.

1. Begin by thoroughly washing your hands.  All of these top five breast milk storage bags come pre-sterilized. This means you can either pump directly into them, or transfer your pumped  milk directly into them without having to worry about proper sterilization.
2. It is important to label your bags with the date before filling them so you know how long you can store your breast milk.
3. Pump as usual and fill the bags with milk.
4. Once the bags are filled with milk, squeeze out the air at the top before sealing. It is recommended that you leave space (about an inch) for the milk to expand when frozen.
5. After sealing, your breast milk storage bags should be placed directly in your refrigerator or freezer. Try to organize your breast milk in a way that makes it simple to use oldest milk first. 

When you are ready to use the pumped breast milk, you can thaw it in the refrigerator (this takes around 12 hours) or bring it to room temperature by placing the bag under running warm water. Another option is to use a breast milk pouch warmer. Once milk is thawed DO NOT REFREEZE. 

Be sure to manipulate the bag after warming it to ensure that the milk is warmed evenly and doesn’t have any hot spots. 

FAQ

Can you reuse breast milk storage bags?

You should not reuse breast milk storage bags unless they are specifically designed for reuse. The biggest risk of storing breast milk is the possibility of contamination. Disposable breast milk storage bags lessen the risk of contaminating your baby’s milk. 

Can you just use Glad/Ziploc bags to store breast milk?

While grabbing a normal plastic baggie might seem appealing and cost effective, they are not recommended for storing breast milk. The La Leche League states that the use of such bags increases the risk of milk contamination and lessens milk quality.

“Bags are less durable and tend to leak, and some types of plastic may destroy nutrients in milk.”

How long can you keep breast milk in the freezer? 

If you store breast milk in a self-contained freezer or deep freeze, the maximum ideal time for storage is 6 months. Breast milk can be stored in a separate deep freeze unit for up to 12 months. 

How many breast milk storage bags will I need?

The amount of breast milk storage bags that you need will vary based on how much milk you are producing and why you are storing breast milk. 

An easy way to determine the amount of bags you will need is to decide how much milk you want to store in each bag (let’s say 4 ounces) then divide the amount of milk you are producing by the number of storage ounces. 

For example, if you are exclusively pumping and your baby is one month old, you will be pumping approximately 3-4 ounces at each feeding for a total of 24-32 ounces a day. Dividing 32 by 4 ounces would mean you would need approximately 8 bags per day, 56 breast milk storage bags per week and 224 for the month. 

It is hard to estimate exactly how much milk you will produce!. A good practice would be to purchase more breast milk storage bags than your estimate, just in case. 

The Final Word 

Breast milk storage bags are the best option to make storing your baby’s milk safe and easy. They are superior to using Glad or Ziploc bags because they are more durable, use materials that won’t leach into your breast milk, and make breast milk storage more efficient. 

The Kiinde Twist breast milk storage bags provide a safe storage bag that can be used as a bottle. This option makes for less products to clean and a much simpler way to go from pumping to feeding. However, this convenience comes with a higher price tag. 

Of the less expensive options, the Dr. Brown’s breast milk storage bags are better quality and leak less often, making them a great choice.