As a new mom, if you’re pumping breastmilk and storing it in your fridge you might notice it can get a bit unorganized and you might get worried about contamination. Mini fridges are affordable, compact, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit your needs. Maybe you would like to have one in your bedroom or baby’s nursery for easy access after pumping, especially at night, making life easier. Some busy moms want to use portable mini fridges in their office space or even car. We want to help you find the best mini fridge for breast milk for your family.
When it comes to storing fresh breast milk, the most important thing is the perfect temperature. Breast milk should be stored at a cool temperature (between 39 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit). Keeping your breastmilk cold is essential to preserve its nutritive properties and prevent microorganisms from growing in it. For best results, look for mini fridges for breast milk with adjustable temperature settings. A good mini fridge with freezer parts are also great to keep breast milk fresh, especially for long term storage.
Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days and you can store frozen breast milk in the freezer for up to six months.
Cooluli 20L Mini Fridge
11.25″ W x 13.75″ D x 16.25″ H
Weight: 13 lbs
There is a 1-year limited warranty!
This Cooluli mini fridge is the one I overall found best and used myself to keep breast milk stored and later for skin care products. It has a digital temperature control so you can easily adjust the temperature as you want and need.
Cools down to 40°F below room temperature and warms up to 149°F so it really gives you options if you choose to use it as a warmer at any point as well.
This reliable mini fridge has a sleek and convenient design and can hold a good amount of breast milk! There are also shelves in the main compartment and on the door for soda cans or bottles. It is also quiet for a mini fridge.
BLACK+DECKER 48L Compact Mini Fridge
17.52″ W x 18.5″ D x 19.72″ H
Weight: 33.1 lbs
This great mini fridge is a great option, it has a lot of storage capacity and has a small freezer compartment perfect to freeze ice cubes or small items. There is adjustable temperature control, 33.8F at the lowest setting. There is a shelf plus door storage space for storing milk.
It has a reversible door making it convenient and an ideal mini fridge wherever you plan to put it. It is very quiet, perfect for any room.
Cooluli 10L Mini Fridge
9.4″ W x 11.4″ D x 13.4″ H
WeighT: 7.9 lbs
If you’re looking for a small, portable mini fridge, this one might be it. It’s also a more affordable mini fridge to store breast milk. It cools down to 35°– 40°F below room temperature and warms up to 149°F to get your ideal temperature. There are 2 removable shelves and door storage for breast milk bottles.
It’s quiet and can easily fit in a lot of smaller corners so you can store freshly pumped breast milk. The convenient design is sleek so it also won’t be an eye-sore.
COSTWAY 90L Compact Refrigerator
19.5″W x 19″D x 34″H
Weight: 44 lbs
In case you’re looking for something bigger to store breast milk as well as other essentials for you in the baby room or your bedroom, check out this 2-door mini fridge with freezer. It’s an excellent choice for more storage. The glass shelf can be removed or adjusted depending on your needs.
You can set the temperature to 32℉to 50℉. It’s still fairly quiet for a fridge.
With this breast milk mini fridge you can store ice packs, breast milk, ice cream as well as storing frozen foods in the separate freezer compartment close to you, while the separate fridge can hold additional milk and essentials.
These were our favorite and best mini fridges for storing breast milk. We also wanted to tell you a few things about storing breastmilk in an organized manner to make sure it’s convenient and safe.
Tips for freezing and storing freshly expressed breast milk:
- Label the Milk Containers: Label each container with the date it was pumped to keep track of the freshness of the milk.
- Store in Small Containers: Store the milk in small containers or plastic bags, so you can thaw only the amount you need at a time.
- Leave Room for Expansion: Leave some space in the milk container, as baby’s milk expands as it freezes.
- Store in the Back of the Freezer: Store the frozen milk towards the back of the freezer, where the temperature is most consistent.
Other things you may need for breast milk storage:
Milk storage bags: When storing breast milk, you will need storage bags to keep them in the fridge. They are typically pre-sterilized and have a double-sealed zipper to prevent leaks. You’ll want to be able to label and stack them.
Breast milk labeling stickers: These stickers can be used to label your milk containers with the date and time of pumping, helping you keep track of when the milk was pumped and how long it has been in storage.
Baby bottles: A breast milk bottle can also be used to store milk even though storage bags usually seal better and you need to make sure to only use sterilized bottles. We love the Nanobebe bottles if you want to read our review.
Cooler bag for transporting breast milk: Many parents want to transport breast milk when going out for a walk, play date, picnic or to a friend’s house. You want your milk to stay cool when taken out and taken on the go.
Breast pump backpack or tote: This is a convenient way to transport your breast pump, milk containers, and other accessories when you’re on the go.
Portable milk warmers: These are small and compact devices that can be used to warm up breast milk when you’re on the go. They typically work by warming up the milk through a USB port or a wall adapter.
For a nursery, there are also other practical things you can add for added convenience and security, like nursery book shelves and a non wifi baby monitor. And while your nursing we also looked for the best nursing bras for larger breasts as they can be difficult to find.
