Can I store pumped breast milk in the fridge in bottles with teats and lids?

[Lalarosex]

First time mum 9 days PP
Can I express milk, pour into a bottle with the teat and lid on and store ready to just use straight from the fridge?
is there a limit how long it can be in there?

thank you!!

Yes. Often you get bottles with screw caps in breastpump kits so you don’t need to use a teat if you don’t have many/don’t want to. Breastmilk keeps for 4-6 days in the fridge, depending on what source you look at. It does separate though - the cream rises to the top - but it will rehomogenize if you warm it up and shake or swirlt it a little bit before feeding it to your baby.
You can also freeze breastmilk and it will keep for 4-6months depending on who yoo ask.

Often with a pump you express straight into a bottle that can then be detached from the pump and have a teat attached to it.

@Bananapancakemaker thank you! I saw some mixed info saying the teats allow bacteria in so should be stored with screw tops. But I thought surely the bottle lid keeps it safe from bacteria entering the teat

I probably wouldn’t leave a teat on for days in the fridge though. It is kind of just more surface area where bacteria could grow with no benefit. If you have a pump you’ve probably got a screw top to go with the storage bottles.
The other thing is that the amount that you pump in one session and the amount you want to put in a bottle to feed your baby might not match. And you don’t want to be adding warm milk to fridge temperature milk. If you’re going to pump regularly then I’d probably get some freeze bags and freeze it with the date on etc. If you’re just pumping once a day or so just to get your baby used to a bottle then it’ll be fine in the fridge in a bottle for a few hours or a couple of days.

Teats are also harder to clean than screw caps. So the likelihood of introducing bacteria via a tear might be higher. And then your baby will be drinking through the holes in the teat, so if it’s been sitting in the fridge for 5 days anything that’s grown in that time will be consumed.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/expressing-breast-milk/
Here’s the current NHS recommendations

I was taught the 6/6/6 rule. milk will be fine for 6 hours room temp, 6 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer. All has to be fresh and not be drank from to limit bacterial growth. So the 6 hours at room temp goes out the door as soon as baby has drank any.

I kept mine in the fridge and just added to the bottle every time I pumped, starting the 6 day clock from the first milk added. Then normally froze it day 4/5 if baby didn’t drink it.

I wouldn't store a half drunk bottle of juice in the fridge without a lid. I wouldn't want to drink bacteria.

So I really don't think you can leave a teat on. As a previous poster says, anything in it will fester and your baby will drink it.

Just put a lid on it and add the teat later. I wouldn't keep milk for as long as six days either. Any kind of milk.

I have a three day rule on anything that's fresh (that's been opened or home made).