Pampers

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: BREASTMILK STORAGE TIPS

Posted by on Aug 10, 2010 in Personal | 8 comments

So many times my readers ask me questions, but I never give y’all a chance to help me out. (Uh oh, I have enlisted y’all into a bottomless pit.) As a community we need to stick together. There are plenty of topics and subjects that I know next-to-nothing about. I have decided that I would start asking you, my beautiful readers, for tips and advice on some of the parenting and life questions that I have no idea about.

So for the first round:

This is my first time breastfeeding while working full time. I’ll be taking a breast pump to work and everything.

What are some tips and/or advice that you can give me on storing breast milk?

Post to Twitter Post to Digg Post to Facebook Send Gmail Post to StumbleUpon

8 Comments

  1. K.O. / August 10, 2010

    I worked full time while my baby was still nursing. I know everybody does things a little differently, but here’s what worked for me…

    I pumped while I was at work and stored my pumped milk in a little cooler bag, so that way the milk would stay good until I got home. I made sure to have enough milk storage bottles with me at work. When I got home, I would pour the milk into ice cube trays and freeze milk cubes. Once frozen, I would put the cubes into a ziplock baggy for my daycare lady. She actually preferred the cubes over the bags because it’s so much easier to plunk a couple of cubes into a bottle and set the bottle in a cup of warm water to unthaw that it is to battle with the bags and potentially spill your hard pumped milk. So that’s what I did.

    If you have any specific questions you’re looking for answers to, let me know. That’s just kind of a general idea.

    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Jen Spends / August 10, 2010

      I wasn’t able to breastfeed, but I hope to next time. I really like the cube idea! I made all of my son’s baby food that way, and it was so convenient. For some reason I never thought to freeze milk that way too.

      Reply
  2. Abi / August 10, 2010

    I currently pump at work a few times a day. At first I pumpped 3 times a day plus before my son got up. It’s hard to think you’ll have enough milk.

    I use the Playtex drop-in system with the one-step attachments. So I pump directly into the liners and can be stored in the frig or freezer. Each morning I would take 4 3-4oz full bottles to childcare for my son in a cooler. They would return the playtex caps to me. if i didn’t have any clean storage caps then I’ll pump into the medela bags. i love those b/c they attach directly to the pump. no need to pump into a bottle and transport it to another container. each time you move the milk it looses some of the good stuff.

    last week for World Breastfeeding week, I make a post on how I’ve made my life easier in regards to being a pumping mom. You should check it out. It might help. http://abiandandy.blogspot.com/2010/08/works-for-me-breastfeeding-wednesday.html

    Reply
  3. Wes / August 11, 2010

    I pumped at work until my son was fourteen months old. While I was on maternity leave I would pump a little after each feeding to get as much milk out as possible. At the time he was eating about 3-4 ounces each feeding, so I would put that amount of milk in each bag. I also froze a few 1 oz bags for the times he would not be totally satisfied.

    When I went back to work I pumped 3 times a day. I was quickly able move to twice a day. I would feed him right before I got up in the morning and I would be very full so as soon as I got to work I would shut my door and pump. I also pumped in the afternoon. As long as I was keeping up with his demand, I was content.

    A few thing that made my life easier were a hands free pumpimp bra (you can still type and work), a picture of my baby (to make me relax and I would let down faster) and a breastmilk storage container (it compresses the milk into a flat patty so you can have it in a nice compact sheet that doesn’t take up much room).

    I hope this helps. Please let me know if you need anymore tips. Breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do.

    PS Don’t turn the pump on max just to get more milk out. This often inhibits your letdown more. Get it to a comfortable speed to maximize your milk production and drink alot of water.

    Reply
  4. Claire / August 12, 2010

    I pumped at work for a year – while working full time. I had the Medela Pump In Style Advanced (PISA) and it worked great. I didn’t buy the fancy pumping bras I used the rubberband trick where you put two rubberbands through each other and pull them to connect them. Then you put one of the connected rubberbands around your pumping horn and the other rubberband gets clipped into your nursing bra clasp (where your bra pannel was clipped. Then the horn will stay in place and your hands are free to do other things while pumping. I did all my coupon clipping and organizing. It was wonderful. I struggle to find the time to do this now. If you don’t get my rubberband description I’m sure you can google it or ask on other BF boards. I think I got more milk too because I wasn’t concentrating on pumping. There were times when I would have to change bottles because I filled them and was still going.
    I also made sure to block my calendar for my pumping times so nobody would schedule me for meetings.
    The PISA has a cooler bag with a re-freezable insert. I didn’t have to use any fridges this way.
    I sent my daughter to daycare with bm in bottles already made up.
    I would nurse in the AM right before work and then in the PM right after work.
    After I got home I’d put my milk in bm freezer bags and mark them with the oz and the date. I made sure to put the new milk in the back and keep the older milk in the front. At first I was feeding fresh milk, but after 3 months I started to put all my daily milk in the freezer and pull out older milk for daycare the next day.
    Sorry if I ramble, but thought I’d offer my $0.02

    Reply
  5. Jenny / August 13, 2010

    I pumped after I had my first child (9 years ago!), At first I used the breast milk bags at Walmartm but that got expensive real fast, so I just started using the little snack ziploc bags(Great Value brand). They have a small size that worked perfect. I never had them leak, but I always kept them upright in a plastic container in the freezer. I also made the mistake of microwaving it….don’t even try….ewwwwww :) Congrats on your baby and great job on BFing (esp going back to work!). I am currently BFing my little one. He is 2 mths, but I am blessed to be a stay at home mom. God Bless you and thanks for your great page. I enjoy reading it everyday
    :)

    Reply
    • Chrissy / August 20, 2010

      Yep the zip-lock bags are great and less expensive than the storeage bags that cost a million dollars per 10 bags. Be sure to use the DOUBLE zipper bags you can lay them flat w/o leaking. I’ve got half the deep freeze full of milk and they lay flat on top of each other. The Ziplock brand works best for me, I usually get a good deal on them with coupons.

      Stay encouraged!

      Reply

Leave a Comment