Returning to work - advice?

johnnys june

Hi ladies,

I lurk alot and have had alot of my questions answered (thank you!).  I'm returning to work tomorrow and it will be the first time I'm away from DD for longer the 4 hours.  Could you help me determine how much breast milk to leave her and how?  I've been building a small stash and plan to use all frozen breast milk tomorrow.  I'll have 1 bottle fresh from over night pumping in the fridge just in case she doesn't take the frozen very well.  She's had frozen twice.  She can breastfeed anywhere from every hour to 2-3 hours, so it's hard to gage.  I left her with MIL this morning for a trial run and only left one 3oz bottle.  She was fed 2x and didn't finish the 3 oz.  She's a "here and there" eater during the day.  DH will be keeping her tomorrow.

-- Since she only ate 3 oz in 3-4 hours and I'll be gone for 8 hours but home for lunch to nurse, should I only thaw 6 oz overnight or just 3-4 oz and let DH thaw any additional bottles?

-- If she doesn't eat all of one bottle can it be refrigerated again and used next feeding?  I know it has to be used within 24 hours of thawing anyways.

-- any other tips?

 

TIA! 

 

DallasHorn

Serve what you pump. So if you pump today at 9 AM and get 3 oz, then tomorrow morning have those 3 oz served to her.

Yes, fresh BM can be reheated. Frozen can as well (just 1 time after the initial heating). Only frozen must be used w/in the 24 hours.

Grk_Natasha

Get a pumping bra!

blu-eyedwife

It's fantastic that your DH is going to be home with her tomorrow.  That's what we did (not on purpose, it just worked out that way) and it really helps with figuring out how much she eats, because your DH can always defrost a bottle if necessary.  (For that, I would have him pull out the frozen milk when she finishes the last thawed bottle)

I think your plan of thawing 6oz sounds good.  I'd make a 3oz bottle for the morning, and a 3 oz bottle for the afternoon.  You have the fresh milk for backup, and you'll be there at lunch to nurse and see how things are going on the milk front.

If she doesn't finish the bottle, she can be given it one more time.  Then it should be tossed so you don't have to worry about bacteria.

johnnys june

Thanks so much, ladies!!!  First day back to work...so far so good.