really quick question re expressing

[shelley72]

hi just a quick question - i think i may have known the answer once but i cant remember. how long will BM keep in the freezer? am back to work next week and DD has never bothered with anything other than me so wanted to try EBM in a sippy cup for her when i am away. have some lurking in the freezer from who knows when and wondered how long it would keep?
tia

also, do i need to sterilise the pump and bottles in between expressing when i am at work? she is nearly 1

Hi,

You can keep EBM in the freezer for 6 months x

I didn't sterilise pump and bottles at work (or even at all); just washed with hot water and washing up liquid and rinsed with very hot water and air dried. Also took extra bottles for work so I had a clean set for each expressing session.

thank you both. just tried to express and nothing came out . am sure that she has been getting milk but nothing. any tips for successful expressing? with DS he went to cows milk at 1 but DD is dairy intolerant so i really need to give her something during the day. its all such a worry.

Try some breast massage first, and make sure you?re relaxed. Try doing it while reading or watching telly, not staring at the pump! Also try and do it at the same time each day so your body will think it?s just another feed. Or if you can, express from one side while feeding from the other.

How near is she to 1, and how often does she feed at the moment? If she is feeding morning and evening could she just drink water in the day and get through the day on solids? I went back to work at 4 months with both of mine and stopped expressing when they were around 1.

she is 1 in 3 weeks time and still feeds A LOT - during the day prob once mid morning, once mid afternoon at least. i dont want to force her to drop feeds if i can help it as i will still be with her 4 days of the week but water may be the only way -only can express 1 oz . she eats really well but am just worried about her milk/fluid intake. thnk i am over worrying things and it will be ok. its all a bit scary at the moment.
thank you all

You may be surprised, DS just isn?t interested in milk if I or his dad are not there. He happily takes a bottle from DH, so it?s not a bottle refusing thing. I think he just associates milk with home and not with the CM. He just eats loads with her and drinks water.

I think maybe you are worrying about it because it?s a big change, and this is a focus to worry about iyswim?

I wasn?t looking forward to coming back to work at all, I was desperate to be an sahm, but actually I am really enjoying it ? which is something I never thought I would say.

meant to say as well, he feeds durning the day for the days I'm with him, just not the days I'm not.

thank you cosmosis that is reassuring to know both about the feeding and the work thing. i am worrying a lot i know as its goign to be hard for both of us.