Expressed milk storage

[HeavyMetalMama]

Getting some mixed advice and was just wondering if anyone knew for sure if you can pump from both breasts into a bottle or bag or if I have to decant, wash and sterilise the pump after each breast? I’m pumping an average 3oz and storing in lansinoh bags in the freezer
Thank you

You can do both breasts at the same time. No need to wash and sterilise in between.

Yes you can swap sides and continue expressing into the same bag/bottle. That's what I was shown how to do in the SCBU when my babies were born.

I actually can't think of a reason why anyone would advise stopping, decanting, washing and sterilizing inbetween.

Wow I feel like a bit of a wally now tbh but it’s been a decade since I’ve done all this and I never made it this far EBF then. Even if baby feeds in between? I get confused about hind and fore milk, never knew about it before. I express a couple of oz before feeds if I’ve become engorged while he sleeps, otherwise it squirts him in the face and his tiny tummy can’t handle it so he brings it up. Thank you!

Yes I wouldn't be worried about swapping with baby feeding in between.

Don't worry about foremilk and hindmilk at all. You don't need to try and engineer or manage whether your baby gets x amount of fore or hind milk. Expressing off a little to reduce a powerful flow is not going to be a problem, although I wouldn't express much as this will encourage your breasts to make more milk than you actually need.

Thanks again, I find that 2-3oz expressed is enough to soften it enough for him to latch properly without taking more milk than he can handle. He’s 5 weeks old and has only gained since birth so I’ve been going by that much only my right tends to over produce though despite him always favouring the left (wouldn’t even entertain the idea of feeding from the right for a few days initially)

to clarify on milk storage. I expressed 1oz from both boobs in the same pot this morning and put it in the fridge. I expressed 3.5oz from both in the same bottle over an hour or so this evening and put it in the fridge. When they’re both cool, can I combine in a boobie freezer bag?

Yes absolutely fine to combine and then freeze together once both refrigerated.

Thank you! This site is a life saver

Also, you can just sterilise the pump once in the morning and keep in the fridge during the day, so no need to keep sterilising after every feed. That little bit of info made me deliriously happy when dd was 3 weeks old!

No way! Doesn’t it go off? My milk seems to look almost curdled once it’s gone cold, thicker white streaks in it for some reason. Some in the freezer have gone orange! I really know very little about expressing and storing milk

The thick white streaks are the fat separating out. Milk does that (I am oooollld and remember when top of the milk was a thing). I am a slattern keep the pump in the fridge all day sometimes two days and it's fine.

Oh wow this changes everything! Wish I’d known before thank you!
I don’t suppose anyone knows if the lansinoh single electric pump can go in a Tommee tippee microwave steriliser?

If the pump is suitable for microwave sterilizing then it can be sterilized in any brand.

Just shake the milk and it will remix!

I was told to not shake the milk once the fat separates but swirl it as it’s gentler and doesn’t denature the proteins present

No, you’re right and, thinking about it, I do swirl it!

The shaking is a myth! You'd have to shake as hard as a paint mixer to do any damage. I used to tell DH off a lot for shaking until I learnt that.

Do you know the 6,6,6 rule?
Milk is good for 6 hours at room temp, 6 days at the back of the fridge, 6 months in the freezer.

I find mine lasts a little longer than the 6 hours at room temp but less than 6 days in the fridge as we open the door so bloody often.

Thank you! Wasn’t sure if it fit or if it had any metal components

The 666 one is easy enough to remember