XP Nov 12: How to rotate freezer stash-

milesc

I never built up much of a stash with DD, but this time around Im getting ahead of the game, and I have quite a stash building. What is the correct way to go about rotating it? In a few months should I start using the oldest BM and then freezing what I pump? Or can I wait until DS starts solids/cereals and use the oldest BM in that?  What worked best for you ladies? 

Bonus: How much did you keep in your stash? 

ann_jeremiah

It didn't really matter what order you use it... And I literally had a chest freezer full of milk, which would have made "rotating" the milk a nightmare.

JavaVino910

I didn't have a huge stash, maybe 75- 100 oz? I worked four days a week (pumped while at work) and left DD here and there on the weekends and always had plenty of milk stashed away.

My mom and sister both brought us food after the baby was born in rectangular ziploc type disposable containers. I found that milk bags fit in there vertically really well!

I kept the containers in the back of the freezer and always put the newest milk bags on the right and pulling out the oldest milk from the left.

It was easy and worked well for me! I liked using the oldest milk first to make sure that nothing went bad. I would freeze the new milk that I recently pumped.

magnoliablossom00

I just always dated them, froze them immediately, and then used them as needed. I had several hundred ounces saved, and used them when I quit BFing at 6 months (which lasted LO another 1.5 - 2 months).

I guess you can use your saved milk in whichever order you want, as long as it's within the time limits. I just preferred to save as much as possible in the beginning so that I could quit sooner (it made me too emotional/hormonal).

My doc told me that there is a "5" rule for BM- 5 hours out of the fridge, 5 days in the fridge, and 5 months in the freezer. 

mamarazzi528

Fresh is the best and frozen loses some of the nutrients.

So, I would keep giving him fresh and only dip into your freezer stash if you need to (not pumping enough and need to supplement, some of your stash getting close to expiration, etc.)  I'd only freeze if you can pump more than his daily bottles.

 

smurf605

I never had more than about 50 oz of a stash.Are you building the stash to go back to work? I always used fresh on Tues. - Friday and only supplemented with frozen if I didn't have enough. I always read that fresh was best too. On Monday I would send frozen - always using the oldest stuff first. This worked for me, but if you have an extensive stash, it may be more troublesome. 

The time you have before you need to worry about using up the older milk is dependent on your type of freezer. You get more time if you have a deep/chest freezer.

milesc

Mamarazzi- Yes, Im freezing only because Im pumping about 6oz and right now he's only eating about 3oz at a time... 

Smurf605- I guess thats where Im running into a problem... No, Im not going back to work. I mean I do work for a photographer- but nothing 9-5, 7days a week...

I know fresh is best so thats what I've been giving him, I guess Im just at a loss as to what to do with the extra. Im not sure how to go about donating, and Im not sure I'll be able to keep up with making extra for long (Im just glad I can right now!).  

nic5606

Fresh is best, but frozen is better than formula. So, I would not want to waste it. Either donate it or, give 1-2 frozen bottles a day and freeze 1-2 fresh for them. Rotate it that way.

I use Dr. Sears BM guidelines. I have had fresh milk out for 8hrs and have never had it spoil.

Scroll down and check out the chart.

https://www.askdrsears.com/?q=topics/breastfeeding/while-working/storing-transporting-breast-milk

MammaBear81

ann_jeremiah:

It didn't really matter what order you use it... And I literally had a chest freezer full of milk, which would have made "rotating" the milk a nightmare.

 

I could be wrong, but I was told even frozen milk goes "bad" after a while (I think 6 months if you have a deep freezer).  

To the OP if I'm wrong then it doesn't matter- I would just use fresh as much as possible and use the frozen when you have to. What I did (because I thought BM eventually went sour) was this: In the beginning I nursed and then pumped to get my milk up, which ended up being my "stash", then I used fresh milk when possible and only froze new milk when I had extra or when the oldest bottles in the fridge were hitting the "expire date".  There were big gaps in my milk because I would use fresh milk for 3+ months and then only start to freeze again when I had to use some frozen, when I ran out of the "old frozen" I would go to fresh again (I hope that made sense)

Below is the LLL guidelines for storing milk, which is what I went by:

https://www.llli.org/faq/milkstorage.html

 

ETA: I eventually went through my entire stash because I had to supplement in the end.  Personally I wouldn't donate until I'm "done" BFing, I had a great supply in the beginning, but I would have never made it a year with only BM if I hadn't kept my stash.  Of course you can donate (and it's a great thing to do) I would have just kicked myself in the pants if I gave my BM away and then didn't have enough for my own baby.

 and congrats!

milesc

MammaBear81:

ann_jeremiah:

It didn't really matter what order you use it... And I literally had a chest freezer full of milk, which would have made "rotating" the milk a nightmare.

 

I could be wrong, but I was told even frozen milk goes "bad" after a while (I think 6 months if you have a deep freezer).  

To the OP if I'm wrong then it doesn't matter- I would just use fresh as much as possible and use the frozen when you have to. What I did (because I thought BM eventually went sour) was this: In the beginning I nursed and then pumped to get my milk up, which ended up being my "stash", then I used fresh milk when possible and only froze new milk when I had extra or when the oldest bottles in the fridge were hitting the "expire date".  There were big gaps in my milk because I would use fresh milk for 3+ months and then only start to freeze again when I had to use some frozen, when I ran out of the "old frozen" I would go to fresh again (I hope that made sense)

Below is the LLL guidelines for storing milk, which is what I went by:

https://www.llli.org/faq/milkstorage.html

 

ETA: I eventually went through my entire stash because I had to supplement in the end.  Personally I wouldn't donate until I'm "done" BFing, I had a great supply in the beginning, but I would have never made it a year with only BM if I hadn't kept my stash.  Of course you can donate (and it's a great thing to do) I would have just kicked myself in the pants if I gave my BM away and then didn't have enough for my own baby.

 and congrats!

This is what im afraid of. I didnt have a great supply with DD, and im just trying to get ahead of the game now. We are only (almost) 3weeks in and I know its still early in the game.

Thanks for the links ladies, I'll check them out 

mesr

i just wait until my freezer is full and then donate the oldest 3/4 of it. 

SarahE22nd

For storage, I cut off the top portion of gift bags and then put the milk bags in there vertically.  I work FT, so I froze Friday's milk and used it on Monday.  If you aren't working FT, It's probably harder.  You can definitly use in cereal, etc - made me feel better about giving it to her (since the nutritional value isn't the best).  I also ended up using the rest of my stash when we stopped BFing at 12 months.  She had BM (at school) until about 14 months.   

You could always donate....

mamarazzi528

SarahE22nd:

For storage, I cut off the top portion of gift bags and then put the milk bags in there vertically.  I work FT, so I froze Friday's milk and used it on Monday.  If you aren't working FT, It's probably harder.  You can definitly use in cereal, etc - made me feel better about giving it to her (since the nutritional value isn't the best).  I also ended up using the rest of my stash when we stopped BFing at 12 months.  She had BM (at school) until about 14 months.   

You could always donate....

Just wanted to say that you don't have to freeze Friday's milk.  Fresh milk that is refrigerated is good for up to 8 days.  So, working PT isn't any more difficult either.  I work PT and just always kept what I pumped in the fridge to use for whatever the next daycare day was.