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cali_girl92504 · April 2010

And I have some more questions that I can't find in my books...thanks in advance ladies!

1. I know you can keep expressed BM out for 6-8 hours, but if we reheat it, how long can it stay out? And can it be reheated again?

2. Can I take a bottle of BM out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature on its own? And how long will it be good for that way? I ask because I'd like to just have bottles if we got out to eat, doctor's appts, etc. so I don't have to use the cover which I can't stand.

3. How long did you swaddle your baby? We plan to do it until she is STTN but if that doesn't happen until she's 5+ months, is she too old for swaddling?

4. DD gets fussy when nursing sometimes which she just started this week. She'll nurse for 5-8 minutes then wail...neither boob nor bottle console her but her pacifier does (sometimes) but mostly she just cries for 10-20 minutes before she can be settled. Is it something I ate that makes the milk taste bad to her? Thoughts on what it could be? We burp her, we check her diaper, we try to rock her but she just cries. It only happens 1-2 times a day but when it does we feel terrible that we can't console her until it passes. The books say Colic is three hours of continuous crying so I don't think it's colic....is it?

That's all I can think of so far but I'm sure I'll have plenty more soon!!!

readyforbaby · April 2010

cali_girl92504:

And I have some more questions that I can't find in my books...thanks in advance ladies!

1. I know you can keep expressed BM out for 6-8 hours, but if we reheat it, how long can it stay out? And can it be reheated again? Not sure about this but I don't think I would heat and reheat a bottle.

2. Can I take a bottle of BM out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature on its own? And how long will it be good for that way? I ask because I'd like to just have bottles if we got out to eat, doctor's appts, etc. so I don't have to use the cover which I can't stand. Yes, I did this. Not sure how long it is good for but sometimes I would bring a cooler pack with me and then take it out a little while before I would need it to come to room temp. DS wasn't too picky about the temp of it though.

3. How long did you swaddle your baby? We plan to do it until she is STTN but if that doesn't happen until she's 5+ months, is she too old for swaddling? I don't remember exactly but I want to say it was less than 12 weeks. He would try to bust out his arms so we did a half body swaddle for a little while and then dropped it all together. The sawddle did work for us but he did fine without it too.

4. DD gets fussy when nursing sometimes which she just started this week. She'll nurse for 5-8 minutes then wail...neither boob nor bottle console her but her pacifier does (sometimes) but mostly she just cries for 10-20 minutes before she can be settled. Is it something I ate that makes the milk taste bad to her? Thoughts on what it could be? We burp her, we check her diaper, we try to rock her but she just cries. It only happens 1-2 times a day but when it does we feel terrible that we can't console her until it passes. The books say Colic is three hours of continuous crying so I don't think it's colic....is it? I think I remeber DS going through a phase of this too. The only thing that really comes to mind is that it could be gas. Have you tried giving gas drops when that happens?

That's all I can think of so far but I'm sure I'll have plenty more soon!!!

kat.in.the.hat · April 2010

the only thing I can really help with is #3 and I think if the swaddle is helping her sleep, don't worry about weaning her from it. JMO, but she'll wean herself when she can start breaking out of it.

PAGAS · April 2010

cali_girl92504:

And I have some more questions that I can't find in my books...thanks in advance ladies!

1. I know you can keep expressed BM out for 6-8 hours, but if we reheat it, how long can it stay out? And can it be reheated again? I am not sure, but I would doubt it. kellymom would be a good resource for this question.

2. Can I take a bottle of BM out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature on its own? And how long will it be good for that way? I ask because I'd like to just have bottles if we got out to eat, doctor's appts, etc. so I don't have to use the cover which I can't stand. I used the Skip Hop bottle bag (link) which keeps bottles cold for 4 hours. I would then warm them with hot water, most restaurants are good about that. I have been known to drive through a Chic-fil-a drive through and get a cup of hot water.

3. How long did you swaddle your baby? We plan to do it until she is STTN but if that doesn't happen until she's 5+ months, is she too old for swaddling? I think we stopped swaddling around 6 months or so. I know we bumped up to the large sized SwaddleMe.

4. DD gets fussy when nursing sometimes which she just started this week. She'll nurse for 5-8 minutes then wail...neither boob nor bottle console her but her pacifier does (sometimes) but mostly she just cries for 10-20 minutes before she can be settled. Is it something I ate that makes the milk taste bad to her? Thoughts on what it could be? We burp her, we check her diaper, we try to rock her but she just cries. It only happens 1-2 times a day but when it does we feel terrible that we can't console her until it passes. The books say Colic is three hours of continuous crying so I don't think it's colic....is it? No clue on this one

That's all I can think of so far but I'm sure I'll have plenty more soon!!!

mom2ll · April 2010

I'm about 99% sure you can only heat it once...

I did this all the time. I pulled it out cold and let it warm on it's own in a little cooler... We were fine for up to 8 hours.

Swaddled until 6 months with Luca.. He needed it... Lila never liked it... We didn't wean. He just started breaking free and we let it go....

Do you think she may have some kind of reflux. maybe try elevating her head a little while she eats and holding her upright for a bit.

Nanner · April 2010

I can only answer 3, but we just swaddled both of them until they didn't want to be swaddled anymore. For Sam, that was around 3 months. For Hannah, she never wanted to be swaddled because she liked sleeping on her tummy and sucking her thumb. She even broke out of those blankets that are designed specifically for swaddling.

princessmah · April 2010

Not that I'm a pro at this mommy stuff or anything, but I'll try to answer using my experiences.

1) I never heated expressed BM if it was just sitting out...just served it room temp. If I was serving a bottle that had been previously refrigerated and I heated it up and she didn't finish it, I'd put it back in the fridge and use it for the next feeding and ONLY the next feeding. I read this somewhere...maybe Kellymom or in the Baby 411 book.

2) I usually put my refrigerated bottles in a little bag with a cool pack and then just warm it up when it is time to feed or serve it cool (Allie doesn't mind colder milk).

3) Allie HATED the swaddle but it helped her sleep the first few months because she had "crazy arms" and they have that startle reflex. At a little over 3 months, we switched her to the SleepSack and she likes it much better. She can easily roll on her side which is the way that she likes to sleep. She pretty much has been sleeping through the night since around 2 and a half months but recently has started waking once in the night for a brief period.

4) Allie did something similar and it was due to my underproduction of milk (she'd nurse for 40 minutes and only get about 3 oz) and possibly some reflux, but this may not be the case for your little one since she is not happy with the bottle either. Sounds like it could be reflux. Is she exhibiting any other reflux signs (arching back, coughing a lot, etc)?

Suzi-G- · April 2010

1. It can still sit out for 6-8 hours after a feeding (i.e. it's been heated) and it can be reheated. Kellymom says if you reheat it more than once it starts to diminish the immunological properties but it doesn't make it magically go bad or anything. (Freezing it diminishes the immunological properties too.)

2. Yep. If it's freshly pumped it's good for 8-10 hours at room temp, so you can let it sit out to warm up.

3. We never swaddled so I'm no help.

4. That sounds like gas to me, but then gas is usually the answer w/ my kid. Try rubbing and jiggling her tummy sort of firmly--that works for Cooper. He toots then he's all better.

darva · April 2010

Suzi-G-:
1. It can still sit out for 6-8 hours after a feeding (i.e. it's been heated) and it can be reheated. Kellymom says if you reheat it more than once it starts to diminish the immunological properties but it doesn't make it magically go bad or anything. (Freezing it diminishes the immunological properties too.)
2. Yep. If it's freshly pumped it's good for 8-10 hours at room temp, so you can let it sit out to warm up.
3. We never swaddled so I'm no help.
4. That sounds like gas to me, but then gas is usually the answer w/ my kid. Try rubbing and jiggling her tummy sort of firmly--that works for Cooper. He toots then he's all better.

Always nice to know we aren't the only ones. hehe

Ditto everything else Suzi said too.

FinallyKrisB · April 2010

kat.in.the.hat:
the only thing I can really help with is #3 and I think if the swaddle is helping her sleep, don't worry about weaning her from it. JMO, but she'll wean herself when she can start breaking out of it.

This.

We swaddled Tori until she was at least 5 months old.

nvp05 · April 2010

Not sure about the first two, but #3- we swaddled until she could break out of it on her own (around 5.5 to 6 months I think). And I agree with the others, #4 sounds like it might be gas or reflux.

smittendorff · April 2010

I'm not sure about the BM questions, as I never left it out on the counter at all. It was either in the fridge, freezer, or in warm water.

Swaddle - we use Halo swaddles, and the package says to stop when LO shows signs of rolling over, breaking loose, or not wanting it. And I think this usually happens by about 6 months.

Sometimes my LO will get fussy while eating and prefer the pacifier. I take this as a sign that he just wants to suck and is no longer hungry because the pacifier will immediately calm him. Maybe your LO is gassy? I have trouble knowing if my LO reacts to different things I eat, so I'm not sure about that.

kreeper611 · April 2010

1. I know you can keep expressed BM out for 6-8 hours, but if we reheat it, how long can it stay out? And can it be reheated again? I only keep mine at room temp for 4ish hours. You can put it back in the fridge and warm it up one more time, but that's it.

2. Can I take a bottle of BM out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature on its own? And how long will it be good for that way? I ask because I'd like to just have bottles if we got out to eat, doctor's appts, etc. so I don't have to use the cover which I can't stand. Yes, I do this all the time. I still go with 4-5 hours total. I have a really small bottle cooler that only holds 1 bottle so this will keep it cooler for a longer period of time without taking the big cooler. For example, if I know he'll need 2 bottles I put 1 in the diaper bag to warm up right away and then pull the other one out of the cooler pack when he finishes. If I know we'll be home in another 3-4 hours then I can always put it back when I get home.

3. How long did you swaddle your baby? We plan to do it until she is STTN but if that doesn't happen until she's 5+ months, is she too old for swaddling? Um...we're still using the swaddle and I plan on it for a while. Probably until he's better at rolling over. I DREAD taking him out because it's a surefire way to get him to STTN. He sleeps from about 9-6a.

4. DD gets fussy when nursing sometimes which she just started this week. She'll nurse for 5-8 minutes then wail...neither boob nor bottle console her but her pacifier does (sometimes) but mostly she just cries for 10-20 minutes before she can be settled. Is it something I ate that makes the milk taste bad to her? Thoughts on what it could be? We burp her, we check her diaper, we try to rock her but she just cries. It only happens 1-2 times a day but when it does we feel terrible that we can't console her until it passes. The books say Colic is three hours of continuous crying so I don't think it's colic....is it? It's possible that something doesn't taste right. Think about what you ate and try to eliminate it. Unless she's doing this at every feeding. Also try the Little Tummy's or Mylacon. It was pretty obvious to us when C had a stomach ache - he'd wiggle while eating, move one leg up and down, and do the suck-suck-pull away and cry-suck-suck thing. In the beginning, broccoli bothered him. And one spicy batch of Chuy's dip. But not much else.

Karey08 · April 2010

cali_girl92504:
And I have some more questions that I can't find in my books...thanks in advance ladies!

1. I know you can keep expressed BM out for 6-8 hours, but if we reheat it, how long can it stay out? And can it be reheated again? You can heat it a second time, though I don't - I'll leave it out until the next feeding and try to use it up even if it means I'll need to pump that feeding myself.

2. Can I take a bottle of BM out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature on its own? yes And how long will it be good for that way? I go by 6 hours because that is the lowest time I read to be safe, I have read 8 to even 10 though. You can always give it the look and sniff test, since it's milk it will curdle if really old and smell off it is getting that way; I'm just too afraid to give him bad milk so I'm probably overly cautious with it.

3. How long did you swaddle your baby? We plan to do it until she is STTN but if that doesn't happen until she's 5+ months, is she too old for swaddling? Aidan was swaddled for months - like pp's said, he weaned himself when he was able to bust out of it. I think it was around 3-4 months that I started swaddling him with one arm out because he was trying to bust out then would get mad when he was free and woke up in the early morning unable to go back to sleep. For some reason having that one arm out kept him from trying to bust all the way free.

4. DD gets fussy when nursing sometimes which she just started this week. She'll nurse for 5-8 minutes then wail...neither boob nor bottle console her but her pacifier does (sometimes) but mostly she just cries for 10-20 minutes before she can be settled. Is it something I ate that makes the milk taste bad to her? Thoughts on what it could be? We burp her, we check her diaper, we try to rock her but she just cries. It only happens 1-2 times a day but when it does we feel terrible that we can't console her until it passes. The books say Colic is three hours of continuous crying so I don't think it's colic....is it? How often is she nursing? I ask because if it is pretty close to the previous session then there is the possibility that she isn't hungry but is trying to nurse a tummy ache. Sometimes they don't know the difference between a hunger pain and a tummy ache, they just know the instinct is to suck and the pacifier is fulfilling that. Is it happening at the same times every day?

That's all I can think of so far but I'm sure I'll have plenty more soon!!!

Quartzcpw · April 2010

Starting with #2:2. I did this ALL THE TIME. I never BFed in public because the mechanics of it were overwhelming and I am super modest. definitely get a cooler contraption (mine was just the size of a single bottle and had a frozen insert). If it is in that state it stays cold enough to last you for a long time. If you just have to throw it in the bag and you are not outside for extended periods of time, just treat it like you would a bottle you had on your counter.3. DS was in the swaddle until about 5 months. He was just naturally "done" at some point. I had a mantra I said at the beginning stage: if it was unrealistic if he would be going to college with a certain behavior, I would just let him naturally phase out of it. For example, he started STTN in a moving swing for from month 3-4 or so, and i knew I would transition him at some point, but I wouldn't overly stress because "it's not like his college dorm room will need a swing" or "his college girlfriend will not have to call for instructions on how to velcro him into a swaddleme." Plus, ANY hours with a sleeping baby are like gold and any amount of rationalizing to get you through this point is good in my opinion4. DS started doing this at 6 weeks. Like SCREAMING at the boob-which went from one or two feedings to virtually all of the feedings. He ended up having pretty bad reflux so definitely talk to your doctor about it or look online for pointers how to time feedings/position in case it is more of a mild case that doesn't warrant meds.

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