Breast milk--keep or throw out

[grayskies]

Breast milk question--in the morning I put a frozen ice pack in my pump cooler bag. While at work I keep the bag in the fridge. I left work at 2 yesterday cause I had to take my mom to the doctor. I opened my cooler bag at 7pm and realized I forgot to give my mom the milk for the next day. So it's had been in there for 5 hours. The bags still felt cool so I put them in the fridge right away. However now I'm wondering if I should have just thrown them away. So what do you guys think--keep or throw away?

[katfco]

Keep it! Milk is good at room temperature for 6-8 hours.

Here's the CDC's chart on how long it's good for at different temperature levels:
www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/handling_breastmilk.htm

[jssymom14]

How hot was it where you lived?

I am always inclined to keep breast milk rather than throw away especially if it was in a cooler with an icepack. Only if it was super hot outside and sitting in your car baking would I get worried.

[soozy87]

Keep!

[Jalapeñomel]

Keep unless it smells off.

[grayskies]

Thanks ladies! I'll keep it then.

jssymom14 it was 83 yesterday, but the bag was only in the car while I was driving and I had the AC on.

[thebuddhagouda]

Yeah, when I was pumping I didn't have access to a fridge, so my milk from the morning pump would sit in my bag with the ice pack for almost 8 hours by the time I got home to put it in the fridge. It was always still really cold to the touch, so no worries.

[grayskies]

May 13, 2014 8:31:12 GMT -5 thebuddhagouda said:

Yeah, when I was pumping I didn't have access to a fridge, so my milk from the morning pump would sit in my bag with the ice pack for almost 8 hours by the time I got home to put it in the fridge. It was always still really cold to the touch, so no worries.

This makes me feel better. Thanks!

[hymen]

May 13, 2014 8:31:12 GMT -5 thebuddhagouda said:

Yeah, when I was pumping I didn't have access to a fridge, so my milk from the morning pump would sit in my bag with the ice pack for almost 8 hours by the time I got home to put it in the fridge. It was always still really cold to the touch, so no worries.

Ditto. I had fridge access but just preferred to keep it in my room with me. 

If in doubt, you can always do the sniff test but I'm sure it's find. And if it's not, baby won't eat it.