Infant Nutrition Lab

The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford Infant Nutrition Lab (INL) is a central location where we prepare and store human milk for our patients. The INL is managed by Clinical Food Services and operated by infant feeding technicians (IFTs).

Where and when can I store my breast milk in the hospital?

You can bring milk for your infant to our Infant Nutrition Lab, and we will store it for you. The lab is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 pm.

If caregivers are not able to leave their patient’s bedside, or if they have breast milk to store when the INL is closed, they can hand off the milk to their bedside nurse for proper storing. Caregivers can also pick up any of their remaining stored breast milk from the INL upon discharge from the hospital.

Where do I get the labels and bottles?

You can get labels and bottles from the Infant Nutrition Lab, the unit secretary, or your baby’s nurse. 

Breast milk storage and labeling instructions:

• Always wash your hands before pumping and labeling milk.
• Make sure each bottle has a label.
• Check that your child’s name and medical record number are on the label.
• Include the following information on the label:
  • If the milk is fresh, include the date and time it was pumped.
  • If the milk is frozen, include the date it was frozen.
  • If the milk was frozen, then thawed, include the date and time it was thawed.

If you need help labeling your bottles, ask your nurse to help you.

How much milk can I store at the hospital?

We can store a total of 100 2-ounce bottles of human milk in our Lab for each baby. If you have more than 100 2-ounce bottles in our refrigerators or freezers, we will ask you to store any amount over that at home.

How will I know how much milk I have at the hospital?

Please ask your nurse or the IFT in the Lab if you want to know how much milk you have stored at the hospital.

Can I take my milk home after my baby leaves the hospital?

Yes, we strongly encourage you to take your breast milk home when your baby leaves the hospital. You can pick up any remaining stored human milk at the Infant Nutrition Lab before the end of your baby’s stay. If you want it shipped to your home, please note that you are responsible for coordinating and paying for the shipping.  

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