Surplus breast milk

[rascal1979]

i am producing far more milk than my baby needs at the moment - I am expressing as she is on SCBU. I was going to donate but because I received blood products before her delivery I can't.. don't want to throw all the milk I have frozen (about 6 litres!)away but don't know what else to do with it...any ideas?!

I had the same problem, when Callum was in SCBU. You can keep it and use it later I did when Callum wasn't gaining weight and had to topup by the NGT tube.

keep it in case you need it for her one day?

it will keep for ages in the freezer - as in months. So if you want to keep it and use it to get a break when your baby comes home, then it should be ok. Well done giving special care baby breastmilk, it can't be easy. hope she is out soon.
i will go for an update, back in a minute...but the advice when i did my la leche peer counsellors course last year was that it would keep in a freezer for several months, though need to check whether it loses any of its goodness in that time. back in a bit (unless the bf gang turn up first)

does this help?
three months is the answer, and no mention in my book of it detiorating at all in that time.
Just stick dates on it and you should be fine!

I've been told that it can last for 3mths (apparently 6mths if term baby but 3mths for prem - not sure why!) in the freezer but I'm never going to get through th amount I have frozen. I'm expressing on average 110-120ml per expressing but sometimes upto 160ml. Baby is only taking 250ml per DAY at the moment.

Just seems such a waste - one of the midwifes has suggested that I donate to a cats home as they often donate surplus formulae milk to them!

Rascal I was expressing similar amounts, but when Callum came home my body adjusted to his demands and I struggled to express half off that off. I would keep it, just in case.

I had similar - filled a freezer in SCBU (I was able to donate but they actually asked me not to bring in so much!), filled my freezer, then started chucking it away. If you do start throwing it/giving it away, use the oldest milk first and keep the fresh stuff so that you will have usable milk for longer. Like sgk said, when you stop pumping and start breastfeeding 24/7, you will probably make a lot less milk and you might be very glad of a freezer full in a few months if you want to have a few hours off!

How is everything going? Is the local SCBU still being a bit crap? Hope you are looking after yourself...

Hi L&L

SCBU is getting better - - although had a run in with one of the staff last Fri and have banned her from looking after my baby She was very rude to me and although I think it's just her manner she is constantly upsetting me and I'd had enough.

I'm doing fine - tired but well. Baby is now 3lb so putting weight on at a steady pace - however they don't think that she will be home by her due date as she only has 4 wks to get to 4 and a half lb..she should be home within a week or two of that tho.

How are you?

Good for you for banning the nurse! We had one a bit like that, just seemed really careless and ds's oxygen requirement always seemed worse after nights with her but I was never brave enough to do anything about it . Great to hear the weight gain is going well, must be all your marvellous milk!