Frequently Asked Questions

The Ceres Chill Breastmilk Chiller is designed to hold breastmilk (that comes out of your body at 98.6*F) and bring the milk down to a temperature that is safe to store milk, which is 59*F according to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine -- just be adding ice! With its amazingly engineered, patented, dual chamber system, you just need to add a handful of ice cubes and a bit of water to the Chiller’s chamber to get 20+ hours of storage. Just pump directly into the Chiller or gradually add your milk into the Chiller throughout the day. As the ice melts, it transfers its cooling power to your milk!

And we can't say it enough, if you love hard evidence of awesomeness like science, charts and consumer safety reports, we have all of that for you here.

We completely understand that you want your breastmilk to be safe for your baby! You always want to make sure you have enough ice in your Chiller. There should be about 6-8 cubes (or more - as many as you can fit) and a tiny splash of water. Adding too much water can cause the ice to melt quicker than it should! However, as you add your breastmilk, it is normal for your warm breastmilk to melt the ice. The ice is transferring its cooling power to your milk.

While your Chiller can safely store up to 26.5 ounces of newly expressed breast milk for over 20 hours, we understand that conditions may vary. For this reason, we recommend adding ice to the inner chamber between hours 12 and 20 based on the amount of milk being added, ambient temperatures, and other challenging surrounding conditions.

Here’s an article with really great information on what is happening with your Chiller!

On no, my ice is melting fast!

Please remember your Chiller is a bit different than other popular insulated cups. The Chiller is designed to hold breastmilk (that comes out of your body at 98.6*F) and bring the milk down to a temperature that is safe to store milk (59*F according to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine). It’s less about how much ice is left in your Chiller after you add your milk, and more about how much milk did you add to your Chiller, and how long it has been since you added your milk. The ice in your Chiller is working to bring milk that is at 98.6*F down to a safe temperature.

As stated in the article linked above, milk can be safely stored at 59*F for up to 24 hours. Whether your milk is placed in a fridge, cooler, or Chiller, it takes time to bring the milk from 98.6*F down to 59*F.

This video below also has some fantastic information on everything you need to know about using and loving your Chiller.

All you need to know when using your chiller!

We know this is new technology. You should always do what’s best for you and your family! After looking at the data referenced above, if you still have concerns, please reach out to us at [email protected]. We want you to love your Chiller!

The FDA indicates that while it’s not possible to fully sterilize pump parts at home, dishwashing soap and warm water will do just fine:

“All breast pump parts that come in contact with breastmilk, such as bottles, valves and breast shields, should be cleaned after each use. It is not possible to completely sterilize breast pump parts at home, even if you boil them. However, sterilization is not necessary to keep these parts safe and sanitary. You can do that by thoroughly washing away germs and bacteria with liquid dishwashing soap and warm water.”

All Ceres Chill parts do fit in home sterilizers, but the high heat and intensity can be hard on the parts and affect the finish on the outer chamber. We recommend hand washing the outer chamber and tossing the inner chamber and plastic parts in the top rack of the dishwasher!

As an extra cleaning measure, you can place the inner chamber in boiling water and pour boiling water inside the outer chamber, but as with all breastfeeding gear, prolonged exposure to high heat can damage the parts. We do not recommend actively boiling the parts for sustained periods. It's best to avoid boiling the plastic parts or the outside of the outer chamber.

Check out this blog post for more the important sterilizing and disinfecting information!

*Parents should not use any products (like certain soaps or cleaning tablets) unless the products indicate that they are safe for infants and use of food grade stainless steel, BPA free plastics and platinum silicone.

Our Breastmilk Chiller does not come with a pump or pump parts, but it is compatible with all major pumps/adapters (see FAQ #1). This allows you to choose the pump that is best for you and still be able to pump directly into the Chiller, knowing that your milk is safely stored without the added risk of contamination that other storage systems have due to multiple containers and chilling mechanisms. 

Yes! A fully assembled Ceres Chill Breastmilk Chiller has all you need to double pump with a hands-free bra. With each Chiller, you get one lightweight 12-ounce Milk Chamber (it weighs less than an 8 oz capacity plastic bottle) that connects directly to your pump and another up-to-8 ounce capacity chamber which doubles as the cup so you can easily pump both sides without bringing a ton of extra plastic in a cooler with you everywhere you go. 

Recent research says yes! Knowledge is power so we want to give you all the knowledge we have. We are so excited to share the recent science and studies about the power of breastmilk and the benefits of pooling milk over the course of 24 hours on our page dedicated to this important area of research. 

We know where you're coming from with this question. There is a lot of conflicting and outdated information on the internet on this topic (and all parenting topics, really). Moms need to do what they feel is best for themselves and their babies, whether it is using a cooler with separate bottles, combining their milk in one Chiller, or using one Chiller to chill and the other to store milk as needed. 

We don't recommend keeping your milk in the Chiller past the 20-hour mark unless it's an emergency and you don't have access to a fridge. If you absolutely need to use the Chiller for longer, be sure to refill the ice frequently and monitor the temperature of your milk.

Yes! If you're a healthcare worker, essential worker, first responder, or military service member/spouse, get your Essential Worker Discount at checkout with GovX or register here to receive a well-deserved discount. We love honoring our hardworking hero families with 20% off all their orders, always.

If you don't qualify for our Essential Worker Discount, don't worry! We offer lots of other chances to save at different times throughout the year. Sign up for the “Ceres Club” at the bottom of this page and follow us on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook to get updates on exclusive discounts. We're always thinking about you, coming up with amazing deals and awesome free gifts so we can better help you get through your breastfeeding journey with less stress and more style.

Our 26.5-ounce Ceres Chill Breastmilk Chiller is designed so that you only need one to carry all the breastmilk that most moms likely produce in a 20-hour period. 

Using the inner chamber for storing up to 12 ounces is super easy and just requires a handful of ice cubes in the outer chamber while you pump directly into the inner chamber (and upper cup if you are double pumping). 

We understand some moms might think the size of our original Chiller is too big, and that is why we created the Demigoddess Mini Chiller! It is the size of most travel coffee mugs, and super compact and portable. The Demigoddess is designed to hold up to 12 ounces of milk with a more compact size. 

To expand your storage capacity with each of your Chillers, you will use the inner chamber for your ice (instead of putting ice in the bigger, outer chamber). Using this method, you can store up to 26.5 ounces! You just need to remember to keep your hands clean if you touch the inner chamber and always set your inner chamber on a clean surface (the inside of your upturned cup is perfect for this). You can pump directly into the outer chamber by reattaching the connector. Moms using the double capacity method should add ice to the inner chamber after 10 hours to ensure safe chilling over very long or very hot days.

All of the parts working together can be a little confusing but a quick look at our User Guide shows you all the easy storage methods. 

CONVENIENCE OF TWO CHILLERS and a BOTTLE WARMER!

But sometimes you could really use the convenience of two chillers. For some moms, they want one Chiller to chill the milk and the other to store it. And it is always nice to have one to grab if the other is in the dishwasher! Not to mention - your Chiller is also a bottle warmer - mind blowing, we know!

That’s why we have created the Warmer/Chiller Duo - to give you two great Chillers for much less money! As a mama, you're juggling everything at once and may not even have time to wash your Chiller. Having two Chillers gives you even more flexibility! 

We don’t recommend freezing the inner chamber. The inner chambers are designed to be as lightweight as possible for pumping and transport purposes, so the stainless steel is a bit thinner on that part. Some freezers are super epic and can cause the bottom to pop out due to expansion, or in rare situations even crack!

However, a lot of our moms do have great success freezing the inner chamber! They find that it gives them ice for a little longer, and they don’t mind the bottom bowing out. If you do decide to freeze your inner chamber, we suggest making sure you leave plenty of room at the top for ice to expand (at least an inch normally works well), storing your inner chamber in the door of the freezer and keeping it away from deep freezers.

Check out The Ceres Chill Milkstache and The Ceres Chill Milkstache Lux - a really beautiful, versatile solution without the mess, expense, trash and headache of a million plastic baggies. They are a really great answer for moms that are struggling to ensure their milk is safely stored for months without buying a second freezer and going through mountains of disposable, overpriced plastic baggies. 

Oh! That’s completely normal. That water is actually coming from your milk as it comes in contact with the cold inner ice chamber. Breastmilk is over 85% water, so it will just be mixing back into where it came from!

If you notice condensation before adding any milk, that means that there's humid air in your outer chamber. You can help prevent this by making sure that your parts are fully dried and stored in a cool place (like the fridge) before use. We have a really cool blog about this that might help!

Condensation on your inner chamber? Here's why! – Ceres Chill

Yes! Your Ceres Chill Breastmilk Chiller is incredibly versatile and can be used to warm baby bottles on the go. Just put hot tap water in the outer chamber and seal it up as usual. Then when you are out and want to warm milk or formula, just pour the cold milk/formula into the empty inner chamber by unscrewing the cup and small cap. Close it all up. Wait 4-6 minutes and then pour the warmed contents into your favorite baby bottles. Rinse out and repeat for up to 3 bottles in 10 hours.  

Yes! Absolutely! Your Chiller is an excellent way to safely transport chilled formula or warm a bottle of formula for your baby while you're on-the-go.

12–34 ounces! Ceres Chill can chill and safely store 12 ounces for over 20 hours, 26.5 ounces for more than 12 hours, and 34 ounces of already chilled milk or formula for 10 hours.

No more messy, sticky blowouts while pumping or trying to switch bottles that are too small mid-pumping. Consulting with pumping mamas and lactation consultants, 12 ounces is the ideal capacity to safely store milk for a normal workday or cross-country flight. Most moms pump 5–10 ounces in a workday so we wanted to make sure we had you covered while keeping the Chiller lean, light and easy to grab, stow in a bag, or tuck in a large cup holder.

However, if a woman has an extra-long shift, flight delay or other unforeseen emergency, the Chiller can be used to chill and store up to 26.5 ounces for over 12 hours and if you need more time, just add a bit of ice!

Our products are made out of the highest quality materials, because moms deserve the best!

Breastmilk Chiller - The inner chamber and outer chamber are made out of 304 Food Grade stainless steel that has been independently tested by Eurofins (a United States laboratory approved by the US Government/Consumer Protection Agency) to ensure that it complies with all Consumer Protection standards and FDA/EU/Prop 65 requirements for the safest, food safe infant products. The upper cup, cap and connector are made out of BPA-free plastic.

Milkstache - The Lux Milkstache chest is made with 304 Food Grade stainless steel and the Standard Milkstache chest and the sides of the trays are made out of BPA-free plastic. The bottom of the trays and the flexible tops are made out of laboratory-tested, food grade silicone.

Shield Maidens - Our nipple shields are made out of laboratory-tested, food grade silicone.

Check out our science page for all of the cool consumer tests reports and information!

Yes! We are authorized to accept FSA and HSA cards directly on our website. Ceres Chill is FSA and HSA approved because we fall under the breast pump and lactation supplies category as a medically necessary product! The Chiller, Milkstache and Shield Maidens are all examples of eligible expenses for these special medical funds.

**Please know that while we are authorized to accept these cards, the decision to approve or deny a transaction is up to the card issuers. They can still decline your purchase, even if you're buying an eligible product. Based on our experience, FSA cards tend to be a bit trickier to approve.

If your card gets declined, please reach out to us at [email protected]. We may not be able to push that payment method through, but we can provide you with an itemized receipt that you can use to request a reimbursement.

Want to learn more about FSA and HSA? Check out our blog here!

We have taken all TSA and government office protocols into consideration with this design. Using an open water chamber and a separate breastmilk reservoir that can be easily and cleanly tested without compromising your milk, Ceres Chill moms will skate through security as smoothly as any of us ever did...which is not to say that TSA is easy, just that Ceres Chill and your breastmilk won't make it harder than it needs to be.

For more information on traveling with your Chiller, check out our blog post here!

Maybe hearing how we solved other mamas' problems will get things on track: Troubleshooting.

Besides accepting returns if you're not 100% happy with your purchase, Ceres Chill offers a Lifetime Warranty on all of the products we make. We design them to last and be useful to you even after your breastfeeding days are over.