Expressed milk

[mumfeelingguilty]

DS is now 4 weeks old and has only been breastfeeding so far. I've got abut if a stash of expressed milk in the freezer from using my Hakka to collect on the opposite side while feeding.

I'd like to start using some of this stash when we're out of the house but I've got some questions.

• how do people store / transport their expressed milk? Should I defrost at home and put it in a bottle, or leave it frozen in the bag to keep colder?

• how about reheating when out? Are most cafes happy to provide a jug of hot water to stand the bottle in, or should I take a flask or something?

• how much is he likely to take for a feed? I've got milk stored in bags with approx 3 - 4 oz in each.

Any hints / tips welcome; in a total beginner when it comes to bottles and haven't got a clue what I'm doing.

At his current age he’ll probably only take 2 or 3 ounces straight away. If you look at the back of a formula packet the age bands and amount on there will give you a guide of the likely amount of breastmilk needed. Unfortunately I don’t know about cafes in this Covid environment or freezing/defrosting as I’ve only ever done fridge cooled.

At 4 weeks your supply is still settling. Are you able to feed out and about rather than offering bottles? If you skip a feed you may end up full and uncomfortable quite quickly.

1oz per hour is a good amount to "budget" for. You may need to make time to express during that window to keep yourself comfortable.

Thanks @dannydyerismydad I ended up leaking in the supermarket today so I suspect you're right and I'm not ready to miss feeds just yet. I'll wait a while longer to avoid any more damp t-shirts. 🙈