I need to ask basic questions about breast feeding

[barrelwithoutthelaughs]

So if I expressed a bottle, what do I store it in to freeze it? How do I defrost it? Can I leave bottles in the fridge all day? Can I sometimes express and sometimes use formula or does baby know?

Sorry, first time mum

you need [www.kellymom.com]

it is the bible of brewastfeeding
there is an excellent section on expressing 'rules'

link didnt work

www.kellymom.com

express yourself

Hello barrel, don't worry, I knew none of this stuff when ds was born! You can buy bottles for EBM that attach directly to the pump and can be frozen as well, but I use special freezer bags designed for EBM eg here. Lots of guidance on storage times on kellymom, as bc says. Not sure about the formula question, but others more knowledgable than me will be along soon

ps this is a really good place to ask questions (basic and otherwise) about bf, so keep 'em coming!

boots stock great EBM freezer bags as well.

you can buy freezer bags for couple pound from mothercare, smaller to put in freezer.
You can just put them in cup of boliling water to defrost and warm up.
Bottles can be in the fridge for 24 hours.
i think you can use both as sure baby wouldn't know but i never done that. Hopefully someone else can answer that ques better.

I liked the boots bags - they are quite expensive but I've only ever needed to buy one pack and DS is 9 months.
I think there was a thread here recently where people were saying the lanisoh bags weren't very good.
I don't know your situation, but you don't have to worry about expressing to begin with - take a few weeks at least to get your supply sorted out. Unless you're lucky you won't want to spean time expressing in between feeds

I bought a load of 125ml containers from Asda for 25p each and use them.
As long as you can sterilise them they are fine.

Oh good so I can pretty much put it in anything as long as it's sterile and freezable. Freezer bags sound like a good plan too.

It's good to know that baby can't tell the difference between expressed and formula milk! I assumed they'd just know.

All the links are very helpful, thank you.

I'm sure it will come together when i have him, but I just can't really understand everything about breast feeding and expressing and everything at the moment and don't have access to a bf counsellor.

nb the baby will know there's a difference between formula and ebm (they are clever buggers) - but they may not mind, which I suspect is what you mean .

I had no probs with the lanisol(sp?) bags.
I got them from NCT.
I filled them, sealed them and froze them flat. I have a small freezer so it was easier to store them this way. Then I defrosted them in a casserole dish of boiling water. Worked well for me.

You haven't had you LO yet? Oh good luck Sure you will be fine. We all fumble our way through it.
Can't wait until I can do it all again

Um, my baby could very much tell the difference between breast milk and formula.

I was never very good at expressing (it just doesn't happen for some folks) so when I decided to go back to work pt, I had to give dd formula for 2 feeds. It took a long time to get her used to using the bottle and then a while to get her into formula. I still don't like her getting formula as I heard it's not very healthy to mix feed but I don't have much choice.

Kellymom is amazing for info.

Oh and Good Luck (I'm slightly jealous, I'd love another one).