The Best Breast Milk Cooler Bags for Pumping On the Go

checked mark Fact-Checked by Erin Cavoto  | January 12, 2024
breast milk cooler bag

QUICK SUMMARY

The best breast milk cooler bag is the Sarah Wells Cold Gold Breast Milk Cooler. Testers from the What to Expect staff and user community appreciate this bag’s stylish design, spacious interior and nice-to-have features like an extra storage pocket for pump parts.

Breast Milk Cooler Bags

Whether you’re pumping at the office and bringing your expressed milk home or dropping off bottles of breast milk at your baby’s day care, a breast milk cooler bag is a must. These insulated bags keep your milk bottles or breast milk storage bags at a safe, cool temperature as you transport the liquid gold. And, many are compact enough to store in your diaper bag so you can easily take it with you.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), freshly expressed breast milk is safe at room temperature for up to four hours — but its freshness is extended up to 24 hours when stored in an insulated cooler bag with freezer packs. Although you might not need to use it all the time, a breast milk cooler bag is a great item to have on hand in case you’re pumping while traveling or even just stepping out for the day.

Storing breast milk in a cooler ensures you won’t waste a drop, and you can keep milk cool until you can either feed it to baby or place it in the fridge or freezer for safer keeping. 

How we chose the best breast milk cooler bags 

To first determine which cooler bags are safe to transport breast milk, I referenced the CDC’s guidelines on proper breast milk storage and insulation as well as those from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). From there, I utilized my own experience breastfeeding for nine months with my two sons and considered features that were most useful to me in a breast milk storage bag. Additionally, I gathered feedback from three moms on the What to Expect staff, as well as several moms in the What to Expect community, all of whom tried numerous breast milk cooler bags to find the one they deemed most effective and convenient for carrying breast milk — as well as those that held up best over time to use for multiple children.

Why Trust Us?

What to Expect is the world’s most trusted pregnancy and parenting brand for a reason. Our product recommendations are based on expert parent insight, advice from medical professionals and feedback from the millions of parents and parents-to-be in our community. Our editors adhere to the highest research and reporting standards and our team of vetted OB/GYNs, pediatricians and other health professionals ensure our recommended products are safe and effective for you and your baby.

Best Overall Breast Milk Cooler Bag

Sarah Wells Cold Gold Breast Milk Cooler

best breast milk cooler bags sarah wells
Buying Options
Pros
  • Compact size
  • Easy to hold and carry
  • Stylish patterns
  • Extra storage pocket
Cons
  • Not the most affordable cooler bag on the market

Material: Polyester and nylon

Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches

Ice pack: Included

Why We
Love it
Community
Reviews
Why We Love It

A popular choice among What to Expect community members, the Sarah Wells Cold Gold Breast Milk Cooler is a winner for its roomy size, easy-hold handle and stylish patterns. 

Just call this the Goldilocks of breast milk cooler bags: not too big and unwieldy, not too small and limiting, but just roomy enough to fit a surprising amount of pumped milk inside. Four 8-ounce bottles can comfortably fit in this bag along with the included ice pack, as can two bottles with breast milk bags or pump parts. The versatile size means many moms find it spacious enough to use to pump at work, but it’s not so large and clunky that you wouldn’t want to take it with you on shorter outings.

There’s also an extra storage pocket for your pump’s valves and membranes and a sleeve for your baby’s photo — a sweet nice-to-have feature (and it might also help you express more milk). Moms love that the bag is made of easy-to-clean nylon and available in patterns that coordinate with the line’s other bags, so you can buy a matching pump bag, too. And it has an adjustable and detachable handle, so you can attach it to your diaper bag or stroller for added convenience.

Community Reviews
  • “Sarah Wells has great cooler bags on Amazon. They are taller, so fit 8-ounce bottles too.”

  • “I like my Sara Wells Cold Gold — [it’s] slightly lower profile. I got two days worth of milk in one.”

Best Travel Breast Milk Cooler Bag

Dr. Brown's Fold & Freeze Bottle Tote

best breast milk cooler bags dr browns
Buying Options
Pros
  • Large capacity
  • Collapses when not in use
Cons
  • Silicone bottles may not fit as well as plastic

Material: Polyester

Dimensions: ‎2.87 x 0.13 x 6.22 inches

Ice packs: Included

Why We Love It

There may be situations when you need a cooler bag that offers additional storage, like when you need to take a plane ride or road trip. Enter the Dr. Brown's Fold & Freeze Bottle Tote, one of the most spacious options on the market that can hold up to six 8-ounce bottles.

The top handles and roomy interior already make this a solid travel option, but parents especially appreciate that the zippered bag collapses completely flat. As a result, it’s easy to store elsewhere when not in use, like in a suitcase; it also becomes slim enough to stash in the freezer if you’d prefer (the ice pack freezes inside the bag, so you don’t need to remove and reinsert it every time). The BPA-, PVC- and phthalate-free polyester is easy to wipe clean, and many parents love the attractive patterns, too. 

Though it works with any type of bottle, this bag was specifically designed with the Dr. Brown’s brand in mind — and some reviewers note that silicone bottles (such as Comotomo) fit a little more snugly than plastic or glass, which means that you may not be able squeeze six of those in.

Best Cooler Bag for Frozen Breast Milk

PackIt Freezable Bottle Cooler

best breast milk cooler bags packit
Buying Options
Pros
  • Ice packs are built into the walls
  • Easy to keep cold and travel with
Cons
  • Best for 5-ounce bottles

Material: Gel and gel liner

Dimensions: 7 x 8 x 5 inches

Ice packs: Built in

Why We Love It

While most cooler bags on this list maintain their cold temperature with the help of a portable ice pack, the PackIt Freezable Bottle Cooler has a unique design: Ice packs are built into the insulated walls, so you don’t need to worry about keeping track of a separate ice pack. This also means that it’s incredibly easy to take the cooler bag with you on the go — just store it in your freezer when it’s not in use, then grab it and add your breast milk.

“I love PackIt,” says What to Expect Executive Editor Melissa Bykofsky, a mother of one. “The whole thing pops in the freezer so it stays super cold. It carries bottles easily and then fits in the fridge to stay cold.” And, because it collapses when not in use, it won’t take up too much space in your fridge or freezer.

What’s more, Melissa has found that the versatile design lends itself well to transporting more than just breast milk once you’re done pumping. “We now use it to carry regular food, so it’s not a one-and-done use,” she adds.

This cooler bag can hold up to four 5-ounce bottles at a time, though it’s likely not roomy enough for larger bottles. The interior easily wipes clean, and there’s a top handle and clear front pocket for a name card. And if you’re a fan of PackIt’s design, you’ll be happy to know that the brand also has a smaller breast milk storage bag as well as a freezable snack bag.

Best Breast Milk Cooler Bag for Tall Bottles

Momojing Breast Milk Cooler Bag

best breast milk cooler bags momojing
Buying Options
Pros
  • Easy to hold and carry
  • Exterior pocket
  • Neutral patterns for long-term use
  • Easy to store in your kitchen
Cons
  • May be bigger than necessary if you use smaller bottles

Material: Not listed

Dimensions: 6.9 x 7.5 x 9.1 inches

Ice pack: Included

Why We Love It

Over 9 inches high, the Momojing Breast Milk Cooler Bag is one of the tallest cooler bags on this list. Though it may be bigger than you need if you prefer 5-ounce bottles, it’s an ideal choice for parents who use larger bottles, such as the (very popular) slim 8-ounce Dr. Brown’s.

“I use this one daily to send my son's bottles to daycare,” says Karen Sly, Finance Director at What to Expect and mother of two. “I like that it's tall enough to fit 8-ounce bottles and that they stay upright. The handle has a buckle so I can easily secure it to his diaper bag and not need to carry it separately.”

Many parents also appreciate that this Momojing cooler bag has relatively neutral-looking patterns and simple appearance. If you hope to use this as a long-term family cooler bag after you’ve stopped pumping, for example, it’s basic enough to offer other uses. 

“Even once my daughter stopped taking breast milk, I used this as her daycare lunch box because the height allowed me to fit everything with ease,” says Leah Rocketto, What to Expect’s Associate Commerce Director and mother of one.

There are other features to appreciate, too: the top handle is detachable, there's a small back pocket that fits a phone and it folds up to occupy less room in your cabinets.

Best Compact Breast Milk Cooler Bag

Skip Hop Baby Bottle Bag

best breast milk cooler bags skiphop
Pros
  • Compact
  • Easy to hold
  • Works well for sippy cups too
Cons
  • Not big enough for multiple bottles or pump accessories

Material: Polyester

Dimensions: 6.75 x 3.5 x 9 inches

Ice pack: Included

Why We Love It

I pumped for nine months with each of my sons, and this fully insulated Skip Hop bag was one of my best purchases. It’s one of the smallest breast milk cooler bags on the market, easily fitting inside a tote bag, in a stroller basket or hung on the handle. And, because it’s so small, I was able to stick the entire thing in the freezer — a tiny but useful hack that ensures freezer pack are already frozen and inside the bag, making it easier to get out the door. 

I was never super comfortable breastfeeding in public, so I often used this bag to bring one or two bottles of breast milk with me to the park, a restaurant or a friend’s house. (I found I was able to comfortably fit two slimmer bottles such as Dr. Brown’s inside, though it was tricky to squeeze more than one wider bottle like Comotomo.) Once my little ones started solids, I’d take a bottle and a small snack, like a yogurt pouch or small serving of fruit, with me inside the cooler bag. And once bottles were a thing of the past, I’d use the bag to carry sippy cups around.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that it’s not ideal for pumping at work. I pumped at the office and can attest that this little bag wouldn’t be big enough to hold a day’s worth of expressed milk along with all of those pump parts to clean. 

Best Breast Milk Cooler and Pump Bag

GoGoSo Breast Pump Bag with Cooler Pocket

best breast milk storage bags gogoso
Buying Options
Pros
  • Pump bag and cooler in one
  • Well-suited for travel
  • Compact size
Cons
  • Doesn’t fit large breast pumps
  • Doesn't include ice pack

Material: Not available

Dimensions: ‎9.44 x 6.69 x 9.84 inches

Ice pack: Not included

Why We
Love it
Community
Reviews
Why We Love It

You may feel a little like a Secret Service member carrying highly classified intel when you’re toting this breast milk cooler bag — and that’s a good thing. Frequent or exclusive pumpers will appreciate the GoGoSo Breast Pump Bag’s size, which fits a small pump and pump parts on top, and bottles or breast milk bags in the convenient cooler on the bottom. What’s more is that this bag has an easy-to-carry handle, but it can also transform into a backpack or over-the-shoulder bag with the adjustable straps for more convenient carrying. Insulated pockets in the main compartment offer more storage, and it has USB ports for charging your devices if you’re on the go.

If using a contoured ice pack, you can fit up to six 5-ounce bottles. Note, however, that this bag, because of its compact size, cannot fit tall bottles when placed upright or fit large breast pumps. And, because the cooler is attached to the pump bag, the entire bag would need to be placed in the fridge, which many people may choose to do if pumping at work.

Community Reviews
  • “I got this one off Amazon! It was cheap and I I love it for back to work.”

Most Versatile Breast Milk Cooler Bag

L.L. Bean Flip-Top Lunch Box

best breast milk cooler bags llbean
Buying Options
Pros
  • Versatile
  • Long-term family use
  • Can be monogrammed
  • Lightweight
Cons
  • Ice pack is not included

Material: Water-resistant fabric

Dimensions: 7 x 9 x 5 inches

Ice pack: Not included

Why We
Love it
Community
Reviews
Why We Love It

If you don’t want to invest in something that looks too much like a breast milk cooler bag, the L.L. Bean Flip-Top Lunch Box is another popular choice in the What to Expect community. As with any of L.L. Bean’s beloved gear, you’ll likely own this flip-top lunch box for life: The material, the same water-resistant fabric that the retailer uses to manufacture its backpacks, is highly durable and very easy to wipe clean.  

The fully insulated bag has a double-zipper top that opens to reveal ample room inside and space in the lid for an ice pack. It also comes with a handy top handle and a removable shoulder strap for easy carrying.

The downside is that this cooler isn’t specifically designed for breast milk, so it’s a little more basic and there aren’t any of the nice-to-have features for pumping moms that some of the other bags on this list offer. You’ll also need to purchase an ice pack separately.

Community Reviews
  • “The L.L. Bean flip top lunch boxes are fabulous for this! They will hold up to six of the 5-ounce bottles plus an ice pack. I use one for baby for day care and one for myself. In the morning I pack my lunch in it if I am taking it to work that day, then on the way home I pack the bottles in it.”

What to look for in a breast milk cooler bag

Based on the CDC’s guidelines as well as feedback from parents on the What to Expect editorial team and the What to Expect community, these are the factors to consider when buying a breast milk cooler bag:

  • Size: When using a breast milk cooler bag, size is definitely an important consideration — though one that’s highly personal. If you’re pumping at work and need to regularly bring home a day’s worth of pumped milk along with breast pump parts to clean, you’ll need a larger cooler bag. Parents who mainly need a cooler bag for occasional travel or to transport a few bottles to daycare or Grandma’s house can usually make do with a medium-sized cooler bag. Truly compact insulated bags that fit just one or two bottles exist, too; these are ideal for short outings, like dining at a restaurant. Since all of these situations merit slightly roomier or more compact bags, we’ve included a variety of sizes on this list.
  • Insulation: The CDC recommends using an insulated cooler bag with frozen ice packs, and all of the products on the list have room for both bottles or breast milk bags and an ice pack. We’ve noted whether or not ice packs are included with each bag — if they’re not, you’ll need to purchase them separately, and make sure they’re fully frozen before use.
  • Portability: While pumping is a wonderful thing to do for your baby, the truth is that lugging a bag of breast milk around isn’t exactly convenient. For this reason, we’ve prioritized bags with features that make transporting breast milk a little easier — think carry handles, easy-access zippers and a size that easily fits inside a larger tote bag.

FAQs

According to the CDC, breast milk can be safely kept in an insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours. (Make sure your cooler bag has frozen ice packs in it — sometimes these are sold separately — and they are fully frozen before you use them.) 

Once you arrive at your destination — home, your child’s day care center, Grandma’s house — either offer the breast milk to your little one right away or store it in the refrigerator or freezer. In the refrigerator, breast milk should be used within four days, but it can be kept in a freezer for up to six months (ideally), though up to a year is acceptable, the CDC says.

 

An insulated breast milk cooler bag keeps your breast milk at a cool, safe temperature for up to 24 hours while you’re on the go. Just make sure that it’s insulated, that you’ve placed the ice packs inside and that the ice packs are fully frozen.

The AAP notes that the colder the temperature the better when storing breast milk — so to keep yours as chilled as possible, it’s smart to keep the bag away from heat (for example, out of direct sunlight if you’re in a car) and avoid opening it unnecessarily during your travels.

 

  1. What to Expect The First Year, Heidi Murkoff.
  2. WhatToExpect.com, Breast Milk Storage Guidelines, July 2021.
  3. WhatToExpect.com, Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling While Breastfeeding, July 2022.
  4. WhatToExpect.com, Your Guide to Pumping at Work, May 2023.
  5. WhatToExpect.com, Best Breast Milk Storage Bags, July 2021.
  6. WhatToExpect.com, Pumping Breast Milk, July 2021.
  7. American Academy of Pediatrics, Tips for Freezing & Refrigerating Breast Milk, September 2016.
  8. American Academy of Pediatrics, Breastfeeding: Frequently Asked Questions, September 2021.
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Proper Storage and Preparation of Breast Milk, January 2022.