Pumping & Storing

Hi S.,

My daughter is in a similar situation and she has been pumping for a month now..feeding from one side and pumping from the other..and freezing the milk either in bags OR bottles....good luck!!

There are really good instructions about storing breastmilk on the LaLeche League website

www.lalecheleague.net

I pumped and worked for my son's first year. I would pump at work and store it in the breastmilk storage bags (personally I like the gerber ones), and that would be his milk for the next day. If I happened to be home with him the next day, then I would freeze it. Breastmilk lasts awhile in the freezer.

The one big No-No with breastmilk is re-freezing.

Hi S.,

Tonya's response is very good. Yes, it's better to feed the fresh/refrigerated milk rather than frozen. I've been working and pumping since the end of August and I keep the bottles in the fridge up to eight days. If something happens where I'm feeding him and the milk has been in the fridge for 8 days (if we're on vacation or I'm working from home), then I freeze what is beyond the 8 day threshold. We have rarely had to use any frozen milk. It's a lot easier for the caretakers to do the fresh milk (just set it in a pot or bowl of very hot water until it's warm) than the dethawing, although it's not to bad to dethaw. The milk will stay good in the freezer for 3-4 months and in a deep freezer chest for 6 months, so definitely label the milk in the freezer with the date. I used the milk storage bags, but they seem to have a tendency to tear and the ice cube trays or ice cube like trays seem to work better but do require the extra step of putting the milk in a larger ziploc after it's frozen.

Remember not to ever refreeze thawed milk and I believe that the thawed milk is supposed to be drunk that day, so it's best to package it in small (2-4 oz) packages so you only thaw out what you need and don't waste anything.

Also, be aware that sometimes it takes time for them to adjust with the bottle. You should probably have your husband do a few trial runs between now and when you go back to work. It was tough for me for a few weeks (a couple of days when he actually wouldn't eat anything at all), but we got through it.

Good luck!!

Hi S.,

my principle is quite simple, if I am planning to use the milk within the next 24 hours it goes in the fridge otherwise it goes in the freezer. I liked to freeze smaller portions (3 oz at a time) since my daughter was a nibbler and liked smaller portions more frequently - and once warmed frozen breastmilk should be consumed or discarded.
Good luck!

Hi S., I haven't read the other responses so hopefully I'm not repeating too much. I pumped for my daughter for a little over a year so it is totally doable and GOOD FOR YOU for not giving up!!! I went back to work after three months and continued to pump about three times while I was at work (and usually three times during the evening and night) in order to keep up my milk supply. In answer to your question, part of it depends on how much your baby typically eats during the day (or the hours that you are going to be gone at work). This is how much you should store up in the fridge for use the next day when you are at work. Typically whatever I pumped during the day, I brought home and stored in the fridge for use the next day when I was gone. Any extra went into the freezer for when I had to pump and dump, didn't get home in time etc. The milk in the fridge can last for several days so there is no rush to freeze it unless you know for sure it is extra. So I recommend, if you aren't already tracking how much your little one is intaking each day to do so for a few days and get an estimate of his needs while you are at work. Then you'll know how much he'll need. I also highly recommend you obtain (if you haven't already a hands free corset or other device so you can still work while you pump. Also I found that the best horns for pumping are by a company called pumpin' pal. They are one of the reasons why I could continue to pump for so long because they are WAY more comfortable than most horns. If you have any other questions don't hesitate to contact me directly. Good luck!

Lots of good advice here! I had to pump and bottlefeed due to bad reflux issues...it's hard to do and to keep up...make sure you eat right and drink LOTS of water.

So, I would keep in the fridge whatever I thought he would eat in a 24 hour period. Which, when pumping for all meals, meant that I hardly froze anything.

Every morning, I would assess how much milk I had in the fridge. Usually if I had enough to cover 2+ meals, I would freeze any extra knowing that my pumping during the day would match the rest of the meals for the day. That was the only way to build up any kind of extra supply!

Some products I love: Lasinoh breast bags and a bottle warmer!! Bottle warmers have instructions...but most moms don't follow them...myself included. I just set my timer for 4 min 20 sec for 4 oz in a 6 oz bottle. Then I would shake it, test it, and let it warm for another 20 seconds...perfect temp!

Good luck!

If he'll eat it in 3 days or less, stick it in the fridge. If it'll be more than three days or you're not sure, freeze it. If he's only breastfed, then there should be a 1:1 ratio of pumping to feedings.

I've also found that breastmilk defrosts VERY quickly. I never microwaved it, but just set it on the counter or in the fridge a little while before she would need it.

Hi S.,

I pumped at work for more than 9 months with both my kids so I can relate. I was fortunate to have a really good milk supply. I was able to build up a little supply (which is good to have anyway in case you get sick or there is some other kind of emergency). I kept all the extra in the freezer. When I pumped at work, the milk went directly into the freezer. Each day, I'd bring what my son needed to child care (plus she had several extras in her freezer in case I forgot). She'd take them out in the morning and they'd be thawed by the time she needed them. If they aren't thawed, you can set them in hot water to thaw.

I strongly advocate freezing any extra because it lasts so much longer. And it is not that hard to thaw when you need it.

I LOVED the Lansinoh breastmilk bags. They have a double ziploc and a place to write the date and how many ounces are in the bag.

The hardest part is knowing how much to pump and put in each bag. With my 2nd, his consumption changed a lot in the first month in care (he went back a month earlier than my first). I'd pump 6 but then he'd want 8. The child care provider was really good at improvising until he got on a more regular schedule.

Good luck! It's tough at first, but you'll figure it out and it will become second nature. Build up some supply in your freezer and it will be a lot easier.

C.

When I had my son ( 9 years ago) I did as you are with pumping and putting the milk in a bottle.When I pumped, I would put in the storage bags, then put in the freezer. If we were short on milk, I would put in a bottle for his next feeding. You can always take the milk out of the freezer and thaw to give for the next feeding. This seemed to work out well. Be sure to date the bags as they are only good for so long.

I'm pregnant with baby #2, she is due in April. My children will be almost 9.5 years apart, I see what you had your kids 9 years apart as well. How did that go???

I was told freezing destroys some of the immune properties in human milk, so it's best if your baby is given fresh milk(milk that has been expressed and then refrigerated). When I was pumping I pumped into the pump bottles to place in the fridge. Stored milk can stay in the fridge 8 days. I only had 10 storage bottles, so I use to keep 8-4oz. bottles in the fridge at all times, on the 9th I would start freezing it. To do this I poured it into a bag, labled the date and ounces, and froze it flat to save space.

I asked a similar question to this back in june, you can look at my profile to see the responses that I got.

I used to feed the fresh and freeze excess in an evenflow bag in the freezer. I would only keep frozen for up to 2 weeks. Seemed to work fine, but he did notice the difference when he had to drink the thawed milk. He still would drink it for the sitter, but preferred to have it fresh. Hope that helps.

I nursed my kids (Kaitlen for 7 months and Alixe for 6 months) and worked full time after each of the kids was about two months old. I know it will be tough to have to lug around your equipment all the time, but it's so worth it. That said...If it wasn't for his NEXT feeding, I've always put it in the freezer. It takes just as long (IMO)to thaw and warm up frozen milk as it does just refridgerated milk. And if it's frozen, there are less bacteria, etc. that could get into the milk. Good luck with everything!

When I was working, what I pumped during the day at work was used the next day at home by my husband (we worked opposite shifts). I kept in in disposable bottles that actually had a lid to them. (17 yrs ago... don't know now).
I pumped out, meaning I had more than enough milk for the next day, so what wasn't used that day, we froze that night. I pumped after each feeding at home in the evening just to make sure that we had plenty, so if more was required it was available, or if I had to travel, plenty was on hand. Your body adjusts to the need, so it's important to pump out as your baby is growing and will require more than 3 oz a feeding when he's 4 mo old in comparison to right now. Hopefully your place of employment has a 'safe' place for Moms to pump. If not, as an HR you could help establish such a program/place.

Hi S.,
Good for you in choosing to breastfeed and pump this time! There is a lot of information on kellymom.com. Basically, although breastmilk is "good" for about 7 days in the fridge, the active nutrients apparently weaken considerably after 3 days, so I tried to just keep milk no longer than 3 days in the fridge. If I had more than that, I froze it right away. Basically what you pump one day, you generally use the next day, once you're on a regular schedule. We bought a bottle warmer which warms with steam and doesn't cook out the enzymes, it was a lifesaver, much faster and easier than warming with hot water. For frozen milk, we thawed in a bowl of warm water (don't use hot, due to the plastics and the nutrient value).

I would also recommend choosing the bags (that you're freezing in) carefully, as the quality of the plastic varies, and you probably want to be careful of the types of plastic that leach. (You want to choose the bottles carefully too, use ones that don't have bisphenolA). If I remember correctly, the Medela are good, and I think the Lansinoh. For sure you want to make sure they are thick walls. If you have a deep freeze, that is the best place to store, but for the regular freezer in your fridge, just don't put them in the door, as the temperature is more variable. I used to keep the small bags grouped in a larger freezer ziploc bag, and the amount in the bag about the same as one feeding.

Hang in there, sometimes pumping can be tiring. Also just want to check if you've worked with a lactation consultant on the latching? I know a few moms who were able to resolve latching issues this way.
best wishes!

HI S.! You're doing such a great job with your son!

You've gotten great suggestions so far and I wanted to make a pitch for an online breastfeeding resource Kellymom (http://www.kellymom.com.) There's great information on pumping/storage. And on the forums lots of moms there who are exclusively pumping for their babies. Here's the link to the forum on pumping: http://forum.kellymom.net/forumdisplay.php?f=21

You may also consider (as another suggested) your local La Leche League. They can help you with these questions as well as possibly help you work on your baby's latch, if that's something that interests you.

Good luck with your return to work. And congratulations on giving your baby such a great start!

Hi! I am also a working/pumping mom =)

After the first feeding, it depends on how long until he will feed again. Breast milk heats up pretty fast. freshly expressed milk can last in the fridge up to 8 days. I also freeze my milk and it will last in the freezer for up to 4/6 months. If you have a frequent feeder, which being a newborn im' sure eats alot, then i would put some in the fridge. If you get the chance to pump more ...i'd surely feeze it for use later. I don't think it matters if it's in a bag or bottle when stored in the fridge.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Congrats on the new baby!