How to start a freezer stash?

Re: How to start a freezer stash?

• jbettles member

  September 2015

  1. When i pumped at work, it was in the fridge til I went home and froze it, so I'm pretty sure this is ok!
  
  2. I only ever used the breast milk bags, but I did buy the cheapest brand of the brand on sale. I didn't just use Medela bags bc that's what brand pump I had, for example. No idea if zip locks would be ok or not - less practical since they don't stand up, though, for sure.
  
  3. I would keep one feeding's worth in the fridge and freeze everything else you pump. I had quite the stockpile, but went through it fast, bc by the time my first went to daycare, she was eating more. So "one feeding" now translated to only half a feeding by then, if that makes sense.
  
  Despite my best efforts, I was only able to provide breast milk for about two months after I went back. I'm a teacher so I couldn't pump as often as I needed to at work, and my milk dried up. I beat myself up for awhile, but my daughter ended up healthy and happy, and I can't imagine she could be any better if I had been able to breastfeed longer!! So do your best, mama!!

  

  Report1 Reply
• Loading the player...
• bumptink member

  September 2015

  @jbettles
  
  Thanks so much! I'm also a teacher, so I'm worried about the same thing!! I know formula is a possibility, but I'm holding my supply stays up and I can figure out how to pump within my teaching schedule. LO was a giant 11-pounder so he needed supplemental formula at first and he did not tolerate it well.
  
  Which bags did you prefer?

  Report0 Reply
• blondehairblueeyeditalianbaby member

  September 2015

  I used babies r us bags and they worked fine. They were less expensive than the Medela brand.

  Report1 Reply
• jferring member

  September 2015

  I'm curious about this too. When we made DDs baby food we used ice cube trays that were an ounce per cube to freeze and store in a gallon ziplock. Would this be feasible for the breast milk in order to make it more simple to store? Would it be too hard to label when it was pumped? I have no idea as we ended up on nitramigin for DD1 and we didn't get far enough into breast milk before that for me to really need to figure it out.

  

  
  

  

  
  
  

  Report0 Reply
• seamonkey4 member

  September 2015

  DD is 13 days old. Currently I have 4 bags in the freezer- they contain 3-4 oz each, plus I have 3 oz in the fridge, which I will add to my evening pump and then store in the freezer. It isn't much, but it's a start and I just plan to keep throwing a bag in the freezer each day. It's getting hard right now bc DD seems to be going through a growth spurt, and constantly nursing, so I can't get in as much pumping as I would like right now. Currently I'm using evenflo bags bc I found them on clearance at target. After these are gone I'll just buy target brand

  Report1 Reply
• Cristin123 member

  September 2015

  I just wanted to add that today I read ziplock or other type bags would not be ok. According to Medela.

  Report1 Reply
• meggipi5 member

  September 2015

  This might be redundant from your other answers, but I will share what I did with DD1. I am a teacher, too, and ended up with a large enough stash I didn't have to pump for the last 6 weeks of breast feeding.

  
  

  1. Can I refrigerate milk first and then freeze it? Or does it need to go straight in the freezer?
  Yes, you can refrigerate milk first. I tossed the bottles in the fridge, then made 6 oz bags to maximize their use (you may only make 3-4 oz bottles at first, but if your LO takes 3 bottles while you're at work, you can just defrost 2 bags). 

  
  

  My LC said it's a good idea to start building your stash a few weeks before heading back to work. 
  

  
  2. Do I need to use those bags specifically for breastmilk or is there a cheaper option?
  Yes. I personally like the Lanisoh kind. If you get really cheap-o ones, defrost them in a tupperware in case some leaks out, then you can just pour it from the tupperware into the bottle. You want to label with a Sharpee the date and amount, then freeze them flat. Once frozen, stick the freezer milk bags in a ziplock bag to make them last longer and label the bags by month, so first in is first out.  (Use the horns from your pump to pour defrosted milk into bottles to avoid spilling and help deal with frozen milk chunks.)

  
  3. When do I decide to begin freezing milk rather than just storing it in the fridge until LO uses it?

  Keep what you need for tomorrow in the fridge, freeze the rest. When you are working, use your pumped milk from Monday for Tuesday, etc., then freeze Friday's (and any extra). Defrost the oldest milk Sunday night for Monday's bottles.

  
  

  If you are lucky enough to have a lot extra, you can apply to be a milk bank donor. They will actually send you freezer bags to use. I did that, then everything left over I brought to the milk bank drop off. 

  
  

  Some tips to make pumping at work easier...

  1) Get a hands free pumping bra. They are like tube top bras with holes for the horns. Then you can work while you pump and it's fairly impossible to hold onto everything and turn the pump on and off when double pumping.

  2) Put your pump parts in a gallon ziplock and store in the fridge between pumps so you don't have to clean them each time. Wash them at the end of the day, then sterilize in a steamer bag each week.

  3) Use the letdown button on your pump mid pump to maximize your production. 

  4) You don't have to pump at the same time your baby eats, but you should pump at the same times everyday. Check your employer's policy, but you should be guaranteed a private, clean room to pump, and time to do so outside of your lunch and preps. We are allowed 30 minutes every 4 hours. I will probably pump at AM recess, lunch, and after school. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Report3 Reply
• slp213psu member

  September 2015

  My tips, sorry for any duplicates.
  I used storage bags last time, and they were fine. But on discharge this time I was told they're not recommended anymore. I haven't looked into it yet. My preferred brand over lanisoh was Target Up and Up. They were thicker and had less leakage and breaking.
  
  I'd recommend storing in 2 oz or 4 oz increments or a mixture of both. Once you thaw you have to use so it's better to thaw a few bags than a bag of 8 oz and throw half away!
  
  Pump into bottles for the day, keep them in he fridge. Then transfer to the bags for the 2 or 4 oz increments. Lay the bag flat, get all of the air out, and seal. Lay flat in the freezer until frozen solid. Then stand them in a storage bin standing up, newest in the back. (I didn't buy a bin, I bought a regular old ice cube bin from Walmart for a few bucks.
  
  Another way to store, get a gift bag (I'm sure you have many now!), cut a small slit in one of the shorter sides at the bottom, and lay the frozen bags flat in the bag so you can pull from the bottom.
  
  Hope some of this helps!

  Report1 Reply
• Cerisrichard member

  September 2015

  I have stored in storage bags in the past but found the most useful method was to freeze in ice cube trays and then store in a Ziploc. I would use 1 bag for a week and label it so i knew which was the oldest bag. This meant it was easy to take out different amounts for different feeds and was particularly useful at 6 months when I might want just 1 or 2 cubes for baby rice or making his baby pureed.

  Report1 Reply
• bumptink member

  September 2015

  @slp213psu Thank you!! How long must it be used before

  Cerisrichard said:

  I have stored in storage bags in the past but found the most useful method was to freeze in ice cube trays and then store in a Ziploc. I would use 1 bag for a week and label it so i knew which was the oldest bag. This meant it was easy to take out different amounts for different feeds and was particularly useful at 6 months when I might want just 1 or 2 cubes for baby rice or making his baby pureed.

  Where did you find cheap trays? That seems like the cost would add up so quickly, but it does seem very convient!

  Report0 Reply
• Cerisrichard member

  September 2015

  I just bought a couple of silicon trays and emptied the cubes into the ziplock bag when they were frozen, then washed/ sterilized the trays. I only needed a couple of trays! I did find silicon one's easier to empty out though. I think they were just ordinary supermarket ones, though I can't reaĺy remember.

  Report0 Reply