3 questions (pumping/storing)

doggylovr

so my questions are:

1. how many feedings should I be ahead in the fridge?right now I am ahead about 5

2.  when should i start freezing milk, I dont plan on going back to work until may and I know its only good for 3 months in the freezer but would like to leave him with my parents occasionally?

3.  how many ounces do I freeze together?  Right now he eats 2 oz per feeding but who knows what he will eat by the time I thaw out...

 

Thanks ladies:-) 

Osgirl

1. I think it's up to you. It depends on how often you will be away from him. If it's not too often, then you wouldn't need much.

2. You can freeze a little here and there and use it as you need. If you want a stash before you go back to work, I'd start within a couple months and then just make sure you write the date so you cycle through it in time.

3. I froze my milk in different increments. I did 2,3, and 4 oz. bags. That way I didn't have to freeze too much in one bag and risk throwing some of it out. That way if he was eating 3 oz, I had 3 oz bags. If he was eating 4 oz. I could thaw two 2 oz bags or a 4 oz bag, etc...It may take more bags, but I'd rather go through more bags than risk wasting my milk!

 Good luck!

GypsyEsq

Remember you can only keep pumped milk in the fridge for 7 days or so.  And if freeze milk you had in the fridge you need to label it with the day you pumped it.  We froze in 3 oz increments until DD began taking more in a bottle.  Now I just fill the bags. 

jrnewhook

Don't forget that you can leave breast milk out at room temp for at least 6 hours. I've gone up to ten without it spoiling and don't refrigerate it until the time limit is up. Then it goes to the fridge until I either have too much or before it goes bad. That's when I freeze.

You should rotate your stash if you plan to use it within a short period of time (i.e. back to work or to stop BF early). The make-up of BM changes as your baby grows. I freeze about 5-10 ozs/ day and make sure to thaw 5 ozs/ day.