Expressing and storage of breast milk

[hbmummy]

I have been exclusively breast feeding DD for the past 6 months, and am now starting to introduce her to solids.

I reckon that her milk intake will start to reduce as her solid intake increases. I have never been successful in expressing - using hand or pump. Each time, at most I will get about 5 ml or so. So it takes few expressing throughout the day to build up the amount.

Is it ok for me to express into a bottle, store in the fridge, and as to the goes on continue to express into the same bottle (i.e take bottle out of fridge for 5-10mins, express, and pop back into the fridge)?

I read that it is ok to keep expressed milk in the fridge for 48 hours. I am thinking of about 12 hours - by then I should have had enough to mix into baby rice or puree or whatever that I am giving to her.

Advice please. Thanks.

you shouldn't express fresh warm milk straight into cooled stuff - decant it out of the pump into a different container in the fridge and add the new stuff once it's cooled.

you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days though

(NB you do know you can use cows' milk for cooking, mixing rice etc after 6m, don't you?)

MrsBadger - Thank you for your reply. Did not know about not adding it directly to cooled milk. Yes, I do know about the cows' milk but thought it is a bit of a shame to throw the breast milk away. Have to express a milk to ensure the breast is not engorged.

Just a thought - the fridge will be quite full with containers of 5ml or so of breast milk and we have limited small size containers/bottles with lid. Dont think i will be doing the expressing for long - just until the milk supply adjusted itself.

golly, expressing to relieve engorgement is normally only necessary as a temporary measure - is everything ok?

no, once they're cool you can mix them

so put the pump in the fridge for 10min till the milk's cool, then tip it into the old stuff

Had a fever yesterday afternoon, coupled with hard lump and sore/tender breast. Extremely worried as I has mastitis once when DD was about 1.5 months.

Took paracetamol for the fever and started to express as often as possible, and of course feeding from that breast as often as possible.

Had just started DD on solid but we were taking it really slow, so was surprised with the fever and sore breast.

Much better now, but still expressing to make sure it is fully cleared. Not sure blocked duct or mastitis, but as long as it is cleared, I am happy.

aha right - sounds a sensible plan