Using frozen milk stash

stepper1725

As a follow-up question for those who are planning to use frozen breastmilk, how/when are you planning to use it?

My thought was to use one bottle of frozen per day, and the other bottles fresh pumped from the previous day. The extra ozs I pump at work would then go into the freezer. This way, the oldest of the frozen stash is worked into the rotation from the start and the freezer stash should theoretically stay at the same amount.

What are you all planning to do? STMs, what worked best for you? Did you start rotating the frozen in, or did you just use fresh and keep the frozen as long as possible for a back-up?

Also, can you combine thawed milk and fresh in the same bottle?

chouli77

I have about 30 servings stored up in the freezer and will have another 8 before going back to work. My boy will get 2 breastmilk bottles and 3 formula bottles a day while I'm at work (he always wants more than I make ) So I will use the oldest frozen milk first and so on. I should get 3 pumping sessions per day at work. At that rate of use, I shouldn't run out and should keep a surplus going for "emergencies".

mountainkimi

When I did this for DS, I always used the oldest frozen milk first and made how many bottles I needed for the next day, and then froze everything I pumped that day. He would still nurse from me from 5pm-7am that day and I also have the luxury of nursing at lunchtime. So the frozen milk was only really 2 bottles a day when he was away from me since I visited him at lunchtime. I think by doing this my frozen milk was never more than 2 months old or even fresher depending on how much stash you have built up. Right now the oldest milk in my freezer is from mid June and I will start using that when I go back to work in mid August.

I hope to do this same thing for DD.

snicksnack

With DD I used Frozen when I was short or going on a business trip.  This time I am freezing a lot more because last time my supply dipped once my period came back at 12 weeks and while she had BM for a year and no formula it was not easy.  This time I plan to use a bag of frozen a day and freeze a bag a day as long as I can keep up and she will have frozen when I go on trips.  Right now I have around 120 ounces frozen and I have 6 weeks until I go back. I try to freeze at least four ounces a day while I am on leave. 

SugarhillHnA

I'll use frozen my first day back at work and fresh the other days. Then, I freeze what I pump on Fridays and use frozen on Mondays.  I'll do the same this time. I also never pump on weekends or when home. I nurse directly unless I'm separated from LO. 

jillane513

mountainkimi:

When I did this for DS, I always used the oldest frozen milk first and made how many bottles I needed for the next day, and then froze everything I pumped that day. He would still nurse from me from 5pm-7am that day and I also have the luxury of nursing at lunchtime. So the frozen milk was only really 2 bottles a day when he was away from me since I visited him at lunchtime. I think by doing this my frozen milk was never more than 2 months old or even fresher depending on how much stash you have built up. Right now the oldest milk in my freezer is from mid June and I will start using that when I go back to work in mid August.

I hope to do this same thing for DD.

This is my plan except I will not have the luxury of nursing at lunch. Currently I only have a 2 day stash in my freezer so looks like baby will never get milk that is older than 2-3 days anyway.