Expressed breast milk

[harverina]

I have been bf my dd for over 7 months and although I have expressed many times, I have never been in a situation where I have had to freeze my breastmilk. Now though I would like to start expressing and freezing so that I have some reserves in the house so that:

• I can go with friends overnight in december.
• I can say yes to invites at short notice.
• because I get less and less when I express so it would be easier if I can store spare milk.

I have a few queries...

1. If I express do I have to freeze my breast milk immediately? I have 5oz in the fridge that I pumped on sunday night...am I too late to freeze it now?
2. If I need to thaw the milk quickly what is the best way to do this without ruining the milk?
3. Is it unwise to express too far in advance? I'm sure I once read that you shouldn't use old expressed milk as it will no longer meet the nutritional needs of the baby as milk is made to suit the needs of your baby now.

Hope this makes sense...sorry for the lack of paragraphs I am on my mobile phone. Thanks very much in advance

Just bumping for you haverina as I'm not sure either. Never did get on with expressing too well.

Hopefully someone will be alone soon who knows

OK, I've just dug out my book on expressing by Stephanie Casemore, and she recommends the following:

• freeze within 48 hours of expressing if kept in the fridge (so Sunday may be pushing it)
• the best way to thaw milk is in the fridge; if you need to do it faster, put the container in warm water - but if you use heat to defrost, use it straight away. In general its best to use defrosted milk asap anyway, as it deteriorates faster than in its pre-frozen state
• can't find anything on the changes in breastmilk over time, though I have heard this too. I think by 9 months things shouldn't change so much?

HTH

Oops, meant 7 months

My friend donated milk to a milk bank as she wasn't going to use it in time. Ideally used within 3 months. Don't think the nutritional needs of baby matter too much at this stage esp if for occasional use.

I used to freeze it right away but add to the pot on another day. A bottle might be 3 different batches.

When ds3 was in SCBU we were told that milk could be frozen within 48 hours of being expressed and it could be kept for 3 months but that was for tiny prem babies. Kellymom has good info usually. Hang on.....

this was linked to from the Kellymom site. If you scroll down there is good infor there
here

Thanks everyone for advice.

Thanks ApuskiDusky for taking the time to look out the book for me.
Thanks Ineedsomesleep for bumping, really appreciate it.
Thanks chipmonkey for the link

Now...I am off to pump in my bed. Find that lying back with my book and relaxing while expressing really helps rather than sitting watching and listening to the tiny drip, drip drip

No problem, Harv - I am attached to my double pump as I MN!

Just in case the info in the link was a bet hard to decipher

(1) I normally aim to freeze withing 48 hrs, but milk in fine for up to 8 days in the fridge (normally aim for 5). The great thing is (as with cows milk) if it's off, it smells rank. So just use the sniff test after defrosting.

(2) run under or place in warm/hot water. Use withing 4 hrs. If defrosted by placing in the fridge, then allow 12hrs to defrost and use within 24 hrs. (but 4 hours once out of fridge)

(3) milk is OK for 6 months in a suitable freezer. Again if unsure use the sniff test. A lot of the goodness is damaged by freezing (antibodies etc.) but still better formula. I think by 7 months there will not be that much of a change in milk content. I'm assuming that once I defrost some of my earlier stuff, I will just need to allow a larger quantity to adjust that it is less calorific than fresh stuff. i.e. 4oz vs 3oz.

Formula doesn't change with age, so I don't see that as reason not to give older milk, just bear in mind they may act differently to it (e.g. hungrier)

Thanks for that climberchick. Have just put my first 3oz in the freezer and I was very chuffed with myself! Aiming for a minimum of 3oz per day, 6oz if I can find the time to express twice.

I have a night away on 18 December but I will be away all day and all night then away for most of the following day too so need lots. Plus I have my work xmas night out the week before. I wouldnt normally worry too much about going but havent seen people for ages and want to keep in touch for when I go back to work. I will need about 100oz!

P.s cant believe you wrote that post at 4am - I can barely find the energy to stumble out of bed and give my DD a feed, let alone be so helpful on MN!

Agree with everyone else 48hrs in the fridge and it does smell when off!

I think it depends on your freezer whether it's 3 or 6 months.

I just put in a jug of hot water for quick defrosting and don't worry about about the make up of the milk for the odd feed, even if it isn't quite right for her age it will fill her up while your out and she can make up for it when you're home!

I have to admit that I do add fresh milk to already frozen milk, although you are not supposed to! I've never had any problems with it. I use the sterile bags for storage, used lansinoh bags with ds1 but tesco now do them for the same price with twice the bags per pack! Ooh... just found this

i think you can add fresh to frozen provided it's not more than the frozen amount, but can't remember where I got that from, prob kellymom

I live in the states now, so it was only 10pm for me :)

sorry 8pm