Life
Whoever coined the phrase 'no use crying over spilled milk' clearly never breastfed or pumped. The best breast milk storage bags can help safely and securely stow hard-earned breast milk for future feedings for baby. But, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing bags.
Size & Labels
Most storage bags hold about 6 ounces of breast milk, but if your baby regularly downs full bottles, you may prefer larger 8-ounce breast milk storage bags. Either size is typically a pre-sterilized, single-use bag with measurement marks and a perforated tear-away seal.
Breast milk can be safely refrigerated for three to eight days and frozen for up to six months, so a space on the bag for easy dating and labeling is preferred. It’s also recommended to offer your baby older milk first, so I’ve added a storage bag container that makes this effortless to do.
Leak-Proof Features
To avoid losing breast milk (aka liquid gold), it’s worthwhile to choose a storage bag with features that help avoid spills or leaks. Look for a double-zipper seal to prevent leaks from the top of the bag. A self-standing bag remains upright as you pour milk into it, making transfers from a bottle easier. Bonus points go to storage bags with sturdy pour spouts that ensure you don’t lose a drop.
Storage Needs
The best breast milk storage bags lay flat when stacked, taking up less room in your fridge or freezer. Pumping moms will appreciate bags you can pump directly into; just keep in mind you may need an adapter (usually a separate purchase) to match your pump to your storage bag.
Certain features are more of a priority for different parents, and you're sure to find one below that suits your needs. Keep reading for the best breast milk storage bags, including some highly-rated picks with thousands of reviews on Amazon.
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1
The Overall Best Breast Milk Storage Bag
Lansinoh's breast milk storage bags are a longtime favorite of many new nursing moms. They have a 4.5-star rating with more than 11,000 reviews. The 6-ounce pre-sterilized bags have a lot of features parents love, including: a double-zipper seal, reinforced double-sealed side seams, and a pour spout on the self-standing bag.
Each bag also has clear measurement markings in ounces and milliliters, plus a labeling area for name, date, and time — and volume, too, which actually is helpful since these bags can lay flat for storage, which naturally spreads out the milk. Noting the amount is helpful so that you'll know later on how much milk you're actually thawing.
You can pump directly into these bags with most standard neck pumps using Lansinoh's pump adapter. The bags are free of BPA and BPS, and they're recyclable.
A helpful review: “I have been pumping for my daughter for eight months now, and by far, Lansinoh makes the best storage bags I've tried. [...]I have yet to ever have one of these bags split on me, which I can't say about the others I've listed. These also tend to lay the most flat of any of the brands I've tried, a really useful trait when you need to save on freezer space! They have a wide mouth, so it's easy to pour the pump bottles into these, and they take up little room in the pumping bag, so they're easy to store for the trip home, way easier than using reusable bottles. [...]”
2
The Best Large-Capacity Bag
If a bigger bag is a priority, this set of 8-ounce breast milk storage bags from Mommy's Precious is a great choice. These pre-sterilized bags are self-standing with a double-zipper seal, plus they lay flat for storage.
The measurement markings are listed in both ounces and milliliters. Like the pick above, this bag's labeling area includes lines for name, date, time, and volume, and these bags are BPA- and BPS-free. Reviewers commented they really like the thick material of these bags and the fact that they come with more bags than most. These bags are recyclable after use too.
A helpful review: “I really like these bags. The best thing about them is that they are a larger size than I was able to find in my local Target. I produce a lot of milk, so being able to store 8oz instead of 6oz means less bags to store in the freezer.”
3
The Most Convenient: A Bag For Pumping Directly In
Right away, the screw cap closure on these breast milk storage bags tells you they're not like other bags. By purchasing a separate (and affordable) pump adapter, you can attach this bag directly to most major brands of breast pumps. Though pricier than other options, this extremely-convenient pick cuts down on transferring of milk and dirty bottles to wash. Plus, you can also use Kiinde accessories to turn the same bag into a bottle for baby.
The pre-sterilized pouches can also be used as homemade squeeze pouches when baby starts solids. Plus, the extra-secure cap closing makes them especially leakproof for traveling.
Each bag holds 6 ounces and has measurement markings in ounces and milliliters. Though it doesn't have the friendly category labels of other bags, you can purchase write-on labels that fit perfectly on the bag's cap. Each bag is free of BPA, BPS, PVC, and phthalates. These bags lay flat for storage, but keep in mind the bulkier caps will take up more room. This pick is highly rated with more than 5,000 reviews, and parents commented they love the entire Kiinde breast milk storage system. Both the caps and pouches are recyclable.
If you prefer to store more milk at one time, these bags also come in 8 ounces.
A helpful review: “I wish I had known about these when my oldest was a baby! This system is very convenient. The bags can screw directly on to any pump using an adapter meant for your specific pump. This prevents you from having to risk spilling your breast milk while transferring it from the bottle to a storage container. The fact that it screws on unlike another direct pump system I previously used makes it more secure and you do not have to worry about the bags falling off of the pump. These bags will also save you time if you decide to use them as the bottle. [...]”
4
The Most High-Tech: A Thermal Storage Bag That Tells You When The Milk Is At The Right Temperature
These 7-ounce, pre-sterilized breast milk storage bags can help you serve milk to your baby at the right temperature. A thermal sensor on each bag changes color to indicate when milk is frozen, ready to drink, or too hot to safely serve.
It’s worth noting that the thermal sensor is placed toward the top of the bag, so you may need to play around with placement to get an accurate reading. The bags are self-standing and designed to be stored that way rather than laid flat and stacked. Unlike the other picks on this list, which have double zipper closures, this bag has a single zip-top closure, and some reviewers point out it is not always leakproof.
Measurement markings are clearly visible on the front of the bag in ounces and milliliters with labeling space for name, date, and time, but no volume section. These bags are BPA-free, though it's not clear if they're recyclable.
A helpful review: “This is such a cool bag! [...] you can see from the outside if the milk is cool enough to hold. Pumping on the go, and only being able to refrigerate at a later time, I can clearly see if the milk was kept at a decent temperature that I am comfortable enough to put it away in the fridge or freezer for later use! No more stressing about the freshness of stored milk :) [...]”
5
Nice To Have: A Smartly Designed Container For Storing The Bags
The right breast milk storage container helps you easily use up older milk first so that you never waste a drop, thanks to its first in, first out organization system. The compact design of this pick also uses up vertical space in the fridge or freezer to store lots of breast milk storage bags laid flat.
A metal tray on the top allows for quick freezing of breast milk in very flat bags for maximizing storage space. This container holds up to 60 ounces of milk and accommodates most breast milk storage bags.
A helpful review: “I love this ... It keeps my milk in an organized confined space. No more searching the freezer for a bag or accidentally opening a bag getting something else out of the freezer. I like it so much [I’m] buying a second one. I also really like the fast freeze tray on top.”
