Use all the breast milk or save some?

Naena

I have a 10 week old and am currently supplementing with 10 oz of formula a day. I will be returning back to work in a few weeks. I am thinking that my supply might dry up a little since I won't be able to nurse and pump as frequently as I am now. Is it better to freeze some of my breast milk now so I will continue to have breast milk to feed her later and give her a few more once of formula now or give her all the breast milk now while she is little and what I can later even if if is not much? Is it better for babies to get more breast milk at the start of their life or better that they get less breast milk but for a longer period?

IBackBevo

I think it is better to freeze some. I have read that even just a couple of ounces a day provides some benefit. I had a friend who just gave her daughter one bottle of BM a day for the first year after the first few months.  She had done a ton of research on the exact issue you were talking about and came to the conclusion that was what was best to do...I wish I still had links to some of the articles saved, but I don't.

I had planned to do what I said with my DS, but he ended up having an allergy so I gave away my BM to a woman who had a double mastectomy due to breast cancer.

ss+el

I sent formula and only formula to daycare. By 7 weeks old DS never developed a latch, so I exclusively pumped and didn't know how long it would last (ended up being 6 months). I figured I'd rather send something to daycare that I wouldn't mind so much wasting if I sent too much and let the breast milk last longer. I managed to save enough to get him one bottle of breastmilk per day from 6mos to 12mos.

Pips09

I believe that breastmilk is most important when they are youngest, so I would give her all the breastmilk now and let her have the formula later. I have been told this by neonatal nurses/doctors, and it makes the most sense to me.

jschmidt6

Are you sending your LO to daycare? If so, since their immune systems are almost non-existant when infants. I would want her to have some everyday to help give her anti-bodies and fight off germs. My 10 week old got a cold his first week in daycare and I'm EBF. He got over it pretty quick

Katelobster

It's been a while since I've BF, but I recall reading that freezing milk kills many of the antibodies in BM. Frozen milk retains the nutrients, fats, etc but not antibodies. You might try asking the BFing board.

Naena

Thanks for your responses ladies!