Freezer stash??

bem168 · April 2014

I'm EBF. Headed back to work for a week in mid may, then full time in late July. I pump 1x a day to build up my freezer stash. I'm probably freezing 4-5 oz per day. Our freezer is getting super full. Just curious about how much I should try to have saved up. What are others doing??

C12H22O11 · April 2014

If I remember correctly, milk stored in a regular freezer (not a deep freeze) must be used within three to six months. So theoretically, the milk you've been pumping may not be good come July depending on how cold your freezer is.

Unless you won't be able to pump to replace each nursing session, I don't see the point of a huge stash. I've got enough milk in the freezer for about 10 bottles. All you really *have* to have is enough milk on hand for the first day's bottles.

karich · April 2014

This may be a UO, but I like having a decent sized freezer stash. It allows me and DH to have date nights...and me some "me time" without stressing over how much milk I have, and how long I can be gone. My job can be unpredictable and I don't always pump what LO eats. A larger freezer stash takes some pressure off me to make sure I bring home a specific amount each day.
I probably have between 80-100oz in the freezer right now. I've never had to throw milk away because it's "expired" while in the freezer. I sort it by date, oldest in front, so we don't lose any by mistake.
You may be surprised how fast it goes once you return to work.

Magnolia+Mama · April 2014

@karich great advice! Thanks for posting!

ale_nicu_rn · April 2014

We bought another freezer after I had my first. I only pump once a day, (before I go to bed) and get anywhere from 4-9 oz. I work twice a week and pump twice a shift totaling 16-20oz. Combine that with a child who just recently decided that the bottle is a torture device, and I have over 400oz in the freezer just from the last 2 months. I have it frozen bags of 3-5 oz each. The bags are sorted by date into canvas bins in the freezer. I will start to donate it if my baby doesn't start taking a bottle.

versed · April 2014

I'm not a fan of the big stash. I want to have enough in the freezer for an emergency (say 75 oz, which would cover a 3-day hospital stay), but other than that, a stash can be too much of a crutch. If you're not pumping enough at work, that should be addressed because it will just keep happening unless you do something about it.

I pump each work day for the next day's bottles. I freeze Friday's pump and thaw my oldest milk for Monday's bottles. It works very well.

I was a big-stasher with DS1. I ended up donating 600 oz and throwing away about 800oz. I don't want my pumping to go to waste (not that donating is waste - I will happily do that again). I just hated that I was such a slave to the pump when so much of it wasn't even used.

C12H22O11 · April 2014

NextVerseUnknown said:
I was a big-stasher with DS1. I ended up donating 600 oz and throwing away about 800oz. I don't want my pumping to go to waste (not that donating is waste - I will happily do that again). I just hated that I was such a slave to the pump when so much of it wasn't even used.

This was me exactly. I swore off the pump as much as possible this time around. Not being a slave to the pump = more play time for me and the kids and more room in the freezer for ice cream!

Soap1 · April 2014

I'm interested in these responses, and also fascinated that it seems everyone has such a different answer!

LO goes to work with me for now, but will start part-time childcare in the summer. I hope to have enough in the freezer for two weeks worth of feedings. I'm sure I won't pump enough to completely keep up, but I'm not really sure how long I want to nurse anyway.

SuzyQq02 · April 2014

Ive ended up with a decent freezer stash sort of accidentally. I started pumping to help build up low supply, and kept up with once a day, so I've got a decent stock pile for now, almost 200oz. I have no idea how pumping is going to go at work given my pretty wacky schedule, so I'm grateful for a bit of a "cushion" while my body hopefully gets used to more pumping vs baby feeding.

boogerbearoriginal · April 2014

Having some on hand isn't bad idea, it's all a matter of opinion what's the "right" amount. Bare minimum you need first days bottles worth on hand, and 1-2 extra bottles in case of spillage/etc. Sometimes women get weird about having huge amounts on hand, but you don't want to cause yourself the problems with an oversupply by pumping a ton. Best bet is to pump in the morning when your supply is the highest and aim for a few days worth of bottles and go from there.

Right now I have ~80oz in my freezer but it's all extra that I pump since returning to work. I am tandem nursing though, so my body is making milk for two kids but I'm not giving the older kid pumped milk yet. If I continue to have such an excess I may offer him some to help use it up.

I agree with PP that if you're constantly dipping into your freezer stash, that is something that needs to be addressed. Either pumping issues or overfeeding issues are likely culprits.

Regardless, you should be sure to cycle through your milk and use the oldest stuff first. I take my milk storage bags and put them into big freezer bags which I label with date range and keep in my chest freezer. It stores longer since you're not opening it as frequently, and it's a good way to keep space open for other food.

nebraska84 · April 2014

I freeze a lot but I am doing it for the 'incase' something happens. We ended up getting a deep freeze for our garage w/ after DS1 to store it all. In the deep freeze it lasts a year so I used it when I am finished nursing (at 13 months) until DS1 started whole milk at 15 months. Then you can donate whatever you don't use.

Flyingtoast · April 2014

I have donated already. I pump once a day in the morning and get up to 10 ozs. I keep 150oz rotating for LO, and donate once I have 100oz to ship out. I keep all the BM frozen in a chest freezer.

sprashley · April 2014

Right now, I only have about 70 ozs frozen for storage. I was happy with that until I remembered I will be gone in June for 3 days for a work trip. So, I will be upping the pumping to be sure I have enough to cover those days. If I weren't traveling then, it would be fine.

You really only need enough to cover the first day at daycare and some extra for DC to have on-hand in case LO has a 'hungry' day or to cover you if you go out one night or something. Depending on who LO is with, I don't send extra frozen milk though, beyond what I've pumped in advance. For instance, my mom always seems think LO is hungry and overfeeds her when really she just needs a nap!

MrsL32 · April 2014

I have about 150-200 oz in the freezer, and I pump and send the previous day's milk in to daycare. The extra freezer stash is really for my own peace of mind, so I don't stress myself out about if I'm short a few oz one day, or need to skip a pump session for some reason. It also relaxes me to know that if I need to go out, there's milk ready for whoever is watching him. During maternity leave I was pumping once per day, about 4 days a week. Now that I'm at work, I'm pumping 3x/day.

TessyMessy · April 2014

I have a decent freezer stash, probably around 100 ounces. I try to defrost 1 bag per day while I'm at work. After work I freeze any extra milk that I bring home. That we rotate through my freezer stash and nothing goes to waste. I plan to mix the stashed milk with cereal when LO starts eating food.

JackieP1023 · April 2014

I work 4-6 hours per day, typically with only one chance to pump. I am barely pumping enough to replace what she is eating, but I pump once a day, and always freeze that. She ate 15oz today; i have pumped about 11oz. But, I'm home with her tomorrow, so I'll pump 4-6oz just to freeze. It ends up working out okay. I don't have a TON frozen, but enough.

sdlaura · April 2014

I don't respond well to the pump and barely get an extra 1-2 oz a day to freeze. So I have 2 days worth in the freezer but that's it. I would definitely try to build up more of a stash if I could, but it's not worth it to me to add in a bunch more pumping sessions because of the time lost doing other things like hanging with my kids, sleeping, or working. So hopefully I will continue to get enough each day for the next day, but if not I won't mind supplementing a bit with formula.

Freezer stash??

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