Freezer stash

rubirubi89

How big is your freezer stash? I think I'm obsessing a little too much with keeping up with my son's demands and gone a tad crazy.   I've literally had nightmares where I run out of milk. I currently have about 300oz

GoogleMD

My stash is probably about 250oz

MargaretC5

300 oz is a very healthy freezer stash.  Assuming a baby needs 1 to 1.5 oz an hour you have enough milk for 8 to 12 days.  Unless you are planning to go away for a week you can probably cut back pumping.
That being said I have about 250 oz in my freezer.  I know it is more that I need, but I like the security of having a little extra every day.  I am planning to donate the extra to a milk bank.  With DS I donated to a friend directly to another mom thru Human Milk for Human Babies.

mrsaragon

This post makes jealous. I'm lucky if I can go a full hour without nursing so after almost 3 months I only have 23 ounces lol 

kdoak2015

I have 3oz lol. Struggling with supply and have been supplementing since day 1.

MercyC1130

I have none. Zero. I'm working and in class 5 days a week so I'm constantly pumping for when I'm not home, but it's always just enough. I'm home by myself with him most of the day as well, and it's been hard finding time to pump. 
Kudos to those ep!!
I'm just working as a server right now, and it's stupidly difficult to find time to pump at work.. Something I'm working on.
I hate pumping, probably cause it's so stressful always pumping just to keep up while I'm away. But this week I'm really gonna dedicate myself to making time. It's there!

bellie1223

Yeah, super jealous. I have 20oz extra in my freezer right now, I rarely pump enough for the next day though it's getting better. @MercyC1130  I feel you on how difficult it is to pump while working in the service industry. I was doing that until recently--5 minutes here, 5 minutes there, it's nearly impossible, so kudos to you!

Escheffler34

Wow I don't know if it's just from reading this or what but as I'm reading thinking about feeding lo and pumping I start leaking like crazy all over my bed. Haha oh boy #bfprobs

cdepperschmidt

I have about 50 oz. it's been hard to build my stash and send 15oz the daycare everyday.

ShianeNicole

I've got just over 300 oz. I EP and it's getting too stressful. Elliot has been having pretty bad stomach problems and we can't seems to figure it out. After talking to the Dr about switching to formula we've done half and half for a few days and Elliot has not had tummy issues since. Feeling very relived that it worked out that way. She still gets the benefits of breast milk, I don't pump as much, and her tummy is a happy camper. Win win! If I decide to stop pumping, or lose supply from pumping less, I've got lots of backup so mixing half and half will last her a little while. 

Ceridwen77

I've got about 100oz and its growing now that I'm back at work. I pump more than she eats during the day!

AmoLovesAud

mrsaragon said:

This post makes jealous. I'm lucky if I can go a full hour without nursing so after almost 3 months I only have 23 ounces lol 

Lol same here.  Kiddo is on the every 90 minutes meal plan here.  I pump enough for her 1 weekly bottle when I go to tai chi class, and sometimes 1 more for stashing.  But I have no plans to be away from her for a long period of time, and we have emergency formula, so I'm not too worried.

chelseaepley

I have 5 ounces. Just 5! That's for an "emergency bottle" if something was to happen where id be away from lo for a couple hours. I just can't pump, nothing comes out.

Pontot31

I've got about 150oz. I go back to work in a week and a half so I'm sure it'll start growing. 
I'm hoping to donate again. I donated more than a thousand ounces last time. I'd like to keep building my stash bigger so I can donate again. 

natalknitter15

I've got about 350oz built up, mostly from middle-of-the-night pumping. My body's cruel trick is to make me produce the most milk during the very early AM hours... I'm grateful though, as DH and I are going to Spain for a little over a week in a few months and won't be able to bring LO with us. I'd like to have 500oz built up by then, just in case there's an airline strike or a weather event or something that prevents us from getting home.

MercyC1130

natalknitter15 said:

I've got about 350oz built up, mostly from middle-of-the-night pumping. My body's cruel trick is to make me produce the most milk during the very early AM hours... I'm grateful though, as DH and I are going to Spain for a little over a week in a few months and won't be able to bring LO with us. I'd like to have 500oz built up by then, just in case there's an airline strike or a weather event or something that prevents us from getting home.

That's when I have the most milk as well. 
I really need to take advantage of that while lo is sleeping!
I wake up and think about it, then fall asleep! 

rachswi

MercyC1130 said:

natalknitter15 said:

I've got about 350oz built up, mostly from middle-of-the-night pumping. My body's cruel trick is to make me produce the most milk during the very early AM hours... I'm grateful though, as DH and I are going to Spain for a little over a week in a few months and won't be able to bring LO with us. I'd like to have 500oz built up by then, just in case there's an airline strike or a weather event or something that prevents us from getting home.

That's when I have the most milk as well. 
I really need to take advantage of that while lo is sleeping!
I wake up and think about it, then fall asleep! 

Ditto! I'll even have been up to feed LO and still feel full one one side once he's done eating (since he usually only eats one side during the night) but once I put him back down all I can think about is going back to sleep. 

that being said I have maybe 20 oz in the freezer. My boobs have been on strike the last few days and I can barely get any milk out and for whatever reason my milk I had pumped back in December and had in the freezer all went bad (most likely because I had it too close to the door), so I had to start all over. 

natalknitter15

rachswi said:

That's when I have the most milk as well. 

Ditto! I'll even have been up to feed LO and still feel full one one side once he's done eating (since he usually only eats one side during the night) but once I put him back down all I can think about is going back to sleep.

I wonder why it is that many women seem to make the most milk very early in the morning? It doesn't seem to make sense, biologically speaking. I've tried to tell my body that, but it won't listen.

Pontot31

I'm not sure the reason women make the most milk then. But it's why the middle of the night feedings are important for breast feeders. 

Pontot31

For those looking to add to their stash but don't have time to pump- if you leak when you're nursing your LO get a Milk Saver! It's amazing. You wear it on the side you're not feeding on and it catches the leaking milk. I've been able to put 3 to 4 ounces of milk into my freezer stash a day since I started using it. Most of my stash comes from the milk saver as opposed to pumping. I got mine on Amazon but BRU has it too. 

FilmFreak933

Prolactin levels are highest in the middle of the night because they follow a circadian rhythm. Wouldn't it be easier if they didn't though?

rubirubi89

MargaretC5 said:

300 oz is a very healthy freezer stash.  Assuming a baby needs 1 to 1.5 oz an hour you have enough milk for 8 to 12 days.  Unless you are planning to go away for a week you can probably cut back pumping.
That being said I have about 250 oz in my freezer.  I know it is more that I need, but I like the security of having a little extra every day.  I am planning to donate the extra to a milk bank.  With DS I donated to a friend directly to another mom thru Human Milk for Human Babies.

I probably could cut back, but I don't really want to. I also may or may not have bought a bigger fridge to store more milk. 

nycmommy13

I'm jealous! I can only pump once at work and maybe once at home after I pick up the baby if he happens to have just eaten. So I can only pump 1 or 2 of the 3 bottles he needs at daycare everyday. I could wake up in the middle of the night to pump since I leak and the baby has started sleeping for longer, but I cherish the sleep too much! We also don't have a dishwasher and washing all of these bottles and pump parts by hand is exhausting. I'm sure I'm being selfish, but supplementing 1-2 bottles of formula on weekdays has helped me keep my sanity! Other than that, I feed him from me the rest of the time even if we're in public. I just use a wrap. No freezer stash, but good for you all!

smnewby

FilmFreak933 said:

Prolactin levels are highest in the middle of the night because they follow a circadian rhythm. Wouldn't it be easier if they didn't though?

I think i read somewhere its 1-5am...natures cruel joke. 

helsbels222

Wow I only have about 60oz. Better get a move on!

Jeenyus

I have about 40 oz.  I had quite a bit more but had to spend a week of days away from baby when my father unexpectedly had heart problems. I've been trying to build it back up, but am worried that I may start overproducing again (I used to be able to feed baby and still pump enough to fill a 6 oz bottle off the same side ... meaning I could easily fill two bottles within 30 minutes of pumping).  Now I'm down to about 4 oz in 15 minutes and that is much more manageable ... and less painful!

Ceridwen77

Pontot31 said:

I've got about 150oz. I go back to work in a week and a half so I'm sure it'll start growing. 
I'm hoping to donate again. I donated more than a thousand ounces last time. I'd like to keep building my stash bigger so I can donate again. 

How did you find a place to donate your milk to? I'd love to do this!

MargaretC5

Ceridwen77 said:

Pontot31 said:

I've got about 150oz. I go back to work in a week and a half so I'm sure it'll start growing. 
I'm hoping to donate again. I donated more than a thousand ounces last time. I'd like to keep building my stash bigger so I can donate again. 

How did you find a place to donate your milk to? I'd love to do this!

------GBF-----

You can donate to another mom directly or to a milk bank.  
To donate to another mom try searching Human Milk for Human Babies on FB, there are a number of different pages for different areas.  Moms post when they have extra milk to donate or when they need milk.  
For a milk bank google milk bank to find a list.  There are both non profit and for profit milk banks, so if you really want to donate it I would look for a non profit one.  Milk banks have a screening process before you can donate, including blood work and usually some paperwork work from your dr and/or pedi.  Also a lot of milk banks will send you a shipping container so you can FedEx them your milk.

Pontot31

Ceridwen77 said:

Pontot31 said:

I've got about 150oz. I go back to work in a week and a half so I'm sure it'll start growing. 
I'm hoping to donate again. I donated more than a thousand ounces last time. I'd like to keep building my stash bigger so I can donate again. 

How did you find a place to donate your milk to? I'd love to do this!

I used human milk for human babies on Facebook. They have groups fro each region. Just search on Facebook and their website for the one closest to you. 
We have a milk bank in town but they do lots of testing and only allow milk from babies under a year old. I didn't start donating until about 10 months. They also charge for the milk- you have to have an Rx from your doctor for it.  It's mostly used in the nicu- which is why they are so stringent. 

queenwog

I have somewhere between 30-40 oz in the freezer. I stay home with him and don't plan to go anywhere for long without him, but I've been pumping here and there when I can. My sister recommended using it later when he's taking a sippy, or mixing it into cereal when we start him on solids. 

jdal1206

I've got about 70oz in the freezer...I only have that much because for the 1st 6 weeks I was EPing (latch issues). Now that BFing is working I don't pump at all...I'm currently job hunting so once I find a job I'll get back to pumping but for now I'm not worried about it!

ewhitledge

My husband comes to my work to get what I pump every three hours to avoid supplementing. Id kill for even 100oz.

nycmommy13

I had a breakthrough! I've never been able to produce enough for all 3 of LO's bottles he needs at daycare. I could pump enough for 1 1/2 to 2, but definitely not for the third. He's had to have 1 bottle of formula on weekdays because of it and definitely doesn't like the formula. Daycare says it takes a long time for him to start eating it. Since he's been sleeping about 7-9 hours through the night, though, I've been waking up to pump before he gets up and get a lot out from this pump. Between that, pumping once at work, and pumping occasionally after I pick him up if he'd only just eaten, I can feed him only breast milk like I've wanted! I even have nearly 30 oz in the freezer now!

dramaphile

DH is a SAHD and I pump at work.  I get up in the morning and feed her on one side and then pump the other side and get about 4 oz and leave it out for her first bottle of the day.  I am gone 9.5 hours and she has been eating 11-15 oz while I am gone.  At work, I pump twice and get about 6-7 oz first pump and about 4-5 oz second pump. I sometimes also pump before I go to bed if i'm uncomfortable (she STTN).  My freezer stash is slowly building, I have around 40 oz right now.  I only had a few frozen bags before starting back two weeks ago.

smnewby

I had a scare with my supply early on and ended up have an irrational fear of my breastmilk drying up.

DH calls me a milk hoarder because our deep freezer is entirely full of milk. I decided to donate some to a local lady via human milk for human babies on facebook which was a very rewarding experience, being able to help out a mom in need!  Going to keep about 200oz in reserve for now to keep my anxiety level down and just donate another batch if my stash gets out of control again. 

Pontot31

smnewby said:

I had a scare with my supply early on and ended up have an irrational fear of my breastmilk drying up.

DH calls me a milk hoarder because our deep freezer is entirely full of milk. I decided to donate some to a local lady via human milk for human babies on facebook which was a very rewarding experience, being able to help out a mom in need!  Going to keep about 200oz in reserve for now to keep my anxiety level down and just donate another batch if my stash gets out of control again. 

I hoarded in the beginning with my daughter too. Finally once she was about 8 months old I realized that I had way too much and started donating.  
I'm being more laid back this time but still have that what if fear in the back of my head. Donating does feel amazing!

vomitrosa

I wish I had hoarded my milk supply, I have about 30 oz. in the freezer ATM, but recently found out my MIL who watches our son twice a week while I work has been wasting Milk, DUMPING IT DOWN THE DRAIN FOR NO REASON. I wanted to cry.

natalknitter15

vomitrosa said:

I wish I had hoarded my milk supply, I have about 30 oz. in the freezer ATM, but recently found out my MIL who watches our son twice a week while I work has been wasting Milk, DUMPING IT DOWN THE DRAIN FOR NO REASON. I wanted to cry.

I'd be so upset. Why was she doing that?

MercyC1130

natalknitter15 said:

vomitrosa said:

I wish I had hoarded my milk supply, I have about 30 oz. in the freezer ATM, but recently found out my MIL who watches our son twice a week while I work has been wasting Milk, DUMPING IT DOWN THE DRAIN FOR NO REASON. I wanted to cry.

I'd be so upset. Why was she doing that? 


---QBF---

Ugh, in a similar situation.. So much milk gets wasted!!
I come home from school or work and there is at least one bottle with an unused oz (no biggie usually), but many more times there are multiple bottles with at least an oz, sometimes more..
It's so discouraging, and hard to build a stash when ish gets tossed all the time.
Any time my babe makes a peep, my mom is giving him a bottle. 
There have been a few times where she'll warm up 4 or 5 oz to use only 2oz.. 

It really is liquid gold!!

rubirubi89

@MercyC1130 I keep some bags frozen with only 2oz for the times my mom thinks he wants a little more, that way she doesnt waste a 4 or 5 oz bag is she's wrong. 

poupoule

rubirubi89 said:

@MercyC1130 I keep some bags frozen with only 2oz for the times my mom thinks he wants a little more, that way she doesnt waste a 4 or 5 oz bag is she's wrong. 

i haven been very specific with the nanny to cut my 5oz oz bags in two bottles. So there will be less waste. There is often 1oz or less at the end of the day that need throwing out anyways.

i was wondering when does the freezer stash gets useful ? Is it when we lose our supply? Or when there is an emergency ? We dont need it daily when pumping at work.