Express a bit off- collect for a feed?

[MumToBeInJuly2012]

Hi, hope someone can help!
My son is 3wk and feeding like a horse! However I still have some over supply, which can be uncomfortable and seems a waste to catch it in pads!

If I caught it in shells or expressed a bit off and mixed it together...

A) would it be too watery as surely it'd all be fore milk and wouldn't have any creamy hind milk?

And b) how would I store it til there was a meal to freeze- keep in a sterilized bottle in fridge then tip into bag to freeze when I have enough?

Many thanks!

The milk wouldn't be too watery and will be fine to give to your LO as ebm. Try freezing it in special freezer bags like these that way you can put it straight into the freezer and get enough out for a feed when you need it.

Congratulations on your LO too .

You can collect it over a day and put it into freezer bags at the end if you want, in ounce or 2oz amounts so you can defrost it quickly when you want it. You could always express a bit at the end of a feed if you want creamier milk as well, though that won't help your oversupply at all. I doubt it would be a problem for the odd feed anyway.

So called 'Drip Milk' (milk collected from a leaking breast) isn't as high in fat as purposely expressed milk so if you do collect milk leaked during feeds then it may be worth mixing with milk you have hand expressed after a feed (hand expressing the side that was fed from first) then that should up the fat content considerably. This is an interesting article on fore/hind milk as it isn't as cut and dried as some make out!

Always discard milk that has leaked over a long period of time if the shell has been sat in your bra as it can get contaminated with bacteria (BM is anti-bacterial but milk sitting in a shell for a hours kept at body temp is an ideal breeding ground). Also, breast shells aren't rec. for long use as they can put pressure on the ducts leading to a plugged duct or mastitis - IIRC the max time is 45 mins but check the leaflet in your pack.

You can freeze small amounts in a bottle then later add pre-chilled milk to the frozen bottle until there is enough for a feed (approx 2-4oz). I have had bottles in the freeze that look like those sand pictures with layers visible!

That's great, thanks! Now waiting til I have time/energy/inclination to get on with all the sterilising- I was so smug that I didn't have all that faff with breastfeeding!!