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Just a few general questions about expressing.
If I'm expressing small amounts during the day, how do I store it untill I have enough to freeze? And do I keep expressing into the same bottle?
Is it best to freeze in a bottle? When going out do you thaw before leaving home? And what's the best way to warm when out?
If a microwave is available do you take the teat & top off to warm?
Hi Lissy - I can't help with all questions as I'm new to expressing myself, but my understanding is that breast milk shouldn't be microwaved as this destroys nutrients- you are best to sit it in warm water.
I'm planning on using breast milk freezer bags to use up less space in the freezer
When I was expressing when my two little ones where is hospital they told me that I could add the milk from one 24 hr period into one bottle.
I had the bottle in the fridge and when I finished expressing (into separate bottle) I would put it in the fridge and when it was at about the same temperature as the other bottle then add it to it. You shouldn't add warm milk (body temp) to cold milk.
Then at the end of the 24 hr period you can then freeze it for latter use.
Thawed milk will last 24 hours in the fridge and 4 hrs at room temp, so maybe take it out the night before and let it defrost overnight in the fridge to use the next day.
Hey Harriet. Makes sense to me but I've noticed most of the mothers rooms in shopping centres don't have hot water taps :(.
I might give the bags a go but I have heard they can get holes in them.
I have only tried expressing once so far, and it was straight into a bottle that was fed to DD a few hours later ... So I will be watching this thread with interest.
I used to store it in the fridge, then express to a 2nd bottle and once it was chilled pour it into the 1st bottle. Then after 2 days freeze.:
I preferred the bags as they take up a lot less room in the freezer. I found it incredibly hard to heat when out but would take a thermos and a cup. But the water was never boiling.....This was before I realised places had parenting rooms!:
I wouldnt use a microwave as has been said I think it can destroy the nutrients???:
If you are after times of keeping EBM in the fridge/ freezer heres a link (which I hope I can post???)
Australian Breastfeeding Association -
HTH :)
I used to get myself a tea from the food court and use it to warm the bottle too - bit messy though!
If you have to then take a container with you - put water in container and heat in microwave, stand bottle in water. There are usually hot taps in mother's rooms - they will just be in the loo.
You can mix EBM as long as it is the same temperature. Express into a fresh container, then chill it until it is the same temp as what you have in the fridge, then mix.
There are specific freezer bags you can get for EBM, thaw in warm water & then put it in a bottle. You can freeze in a bottle but that's one bottle you don't have available to use then...
Don't warm it in the microwave, warm in water... it doesn't really take too long.
If you were taking frozen milk out, and you needed to use it soon it might be better to thaw first (at room temerature, not in warm water).
ABA guidelines for storing breastmilk here
HTH
ETA - I used to carry a thermos with me, I used it for rinsing pump parts but you could use it for thawing & heating EBM too. Pie used to drink her EBM at room temp, although if you are breastfeeding bub might prefer warm milk :)
KMN thanks!!! what an awesome idea thinking outside the square with taking a container with. Well Ive been to Mackay & the local mothers rooms here & neither had 'working' hot water taps in them. But heating the water in a container in the microwave is a brilliant idea!! :clap:
Thanks heaps ladies I think Ive got the right idea now. I was a little puzzled about some of this.
One last thing...how long did it take your bub to accept a bottle in amongst breastfeeding?
I gave DS one at around 2months which he took no worries, but tried it again last week while out & holy cow did he throw a fit. I had to put him on the boob first & then swap him to bottle once he's had a bit.
Many mothers have mentioned not heating in the microwave. It is true that milk is de-natured when heated in the microwave. But this is the case with all milk, including formula. For a breastfed baby receiving an occasional bottle of EBM this is probably not a big deal. For For a baby whose main diet is formula heated in the microwave it is much more of a problem, yet the standard advice is "breastmilk" should not be heated in a microwave.
You can express milk, whack a piece of gladwarap over the funnel of your kit and take it out an express again. YOu can collect it over about a 24 hr period then freeze.
In the long run many mothers find it easier, with a bit of practice, to just breastfeed when out. You can breastfeed anywhere, anytime, and before you know it you don't even give it a moments thought
I added all my expressing from one day to the same bottle - if I hadn't already used it as a top up that is :lol: I'll admit, I rarely had a full feed available in a bottle for DD in the early days, just top ups.
I used to warm my EBM by sitting the bottle in a mug of boiling water for a couple of minutes. When we went out, I'd usually give EBM to DD at room temp so if you can plan ahead and defrost it early, that could work.
A friend of mine took a thermos out and about with her and poured the hot water from her thermos into the lid of the thermos (you know how the lids double as a mug) then put the bottle in the lid (mug) to warm it. It worked a treat!
As for DD taking the bottle, well she took it no problems - thankfully. We had a long list of feeding issues over the first 12 weeks or so, the first being that she has gained very little weight in her first 2 weeks (only 60g :o) so she was taking EBM at less than 3 weeks of age.
Barb thanks for the info. Im looking more at expressing a little bit so perhaps my DF or my mum can give DS a bottle, if Im elsewhere & occupied. I have horses, which is dirty work, so I'd like DF to be able to mind him & give him a bottle without me worrying about transferring something Ive touched outside etc to DS. It also gives me a little break (sounds horrible) as DS is feeding almost every 1-1 1/2hrs during the day, sometimes closer, which doesn't allow me much time to do anything.