AIBU to think it is crazy that I am having to throw away breast milk?

[Geepers]

I am so annoyed. My babies were born at 23 weeks, nearly four weeks ago. Everyone stressed how important it was to express often to establish a good milk supply and they all said breast milk is best for such tiny babies.

But it seems I have done too good a job as the hospital have now told me they have no more room to store my breast milk so I am having to express and throw it away. The result of this has been that my milk is now drying up as I have no real incentive to express as frequently and feel ill each time I throw a bottle of milk away.

I am currently staying at the hospital as I live 60 miles away so have no other options for freezing it myself. It's so frustrating to hear all the other mums saying how little they are getting and I am there with the exact opposite problem with all my milk going to waste.

There is no point to this thread really, as there isn't a solution (that I can see anyway) I just wanted to moan about how ironic it is.

Oh poor you. Well done on establishing your bm supply in less than ideal circumstances - big round of applause from me . Hope your DCs are doing well.

Could you find out if the hospital has a breatmilk bank so you can donate your excess to that for other babies? That way it wouldn't be going to waste, even if your babies aren't having it, so might feel more purposeful to keep going iyswim.

noooooooooooooo
any MNers nearby?
is bm ok to freeze for prem babies?

oh and yes congratulations on your twins
& WELL DONE for expressing for them - you star!

I am surprised they haven't suggested a BM bank to you - so for you.

I do know how you feel in a very minor way - I had to express a lot when DS had an op at 7 weeks and he couldn't have anything to eat prior to the op - then he didn't want it afterwards for ages (he had a sore throat from the ventilation tube) so I had to ditch two cupfuls and I was really upset by that, so I can just imagine how much worse it is for you.

I can't donate to milk banks unfortunately as I have had blood transfusions.

SPB, I am (was) expressing around a litre a day which is why I have filled my space in the hospital's freezer so quickly.

I hate expressing at the best of times. It's uncomfortable, messy, time-consuming etc etc and to have to do it and bin it is sickening.

can you not freeze it at home and save it?

it keeps for up to 6 months iirc (certainly 3 months)

yep - up to 6 months

Your milk would be fine to travel back to your house in a freezer bag - then you could store it there. You could remove the already frozen stuff and have someone take it home for you.

I can understand the hospital's POV, even though it is sad for you. It could be many weeks before you are able to take your twins home - and that's a lot of milk, if you are expressing many times a day.

The point of expressing at this stage is not just to produce milk for the babies - it's to preserve your milk supply for when they can feed direct. Continuing to express is the only way you can do this. It's the act of milk removal not the act of filling containers that's important Mothers of pre-terms always produce more than their babies need when they have been doing it for a while.

Would it help to think of it as, I dunno, air or blood....necessary for life, but a totally renewable resource?

A milk bank may well be delighted with your donations of course.

And have the hospital explored other ways to freeze your milk outside the SCBU?

Good luck in getting this sorted.

Geepers - cant' they throw some of the older stuff out to make room for your new milk - that way you don't have to throw away freshly-expressed milk and you don't have to do it yourself - they can throw it out for you without you seeing. That will help to keep your supply going, won't it?

ruby I'm not at home. I've been staying at the hospital and only going home once or twice a week for clean clothes.

I think I have decided that I will move back home, buy a bigger freezer and drive to the hospital every day. It seems like a small price to pay to ensure the babies have plenty of milk for when they are bigger. They are currently only taking 4.5ml between them per hour but hopefully in a couple of months we will be using up the frozen stuff.

btw, bloody ridiculous that transfusions mean you can't donate - I assume that's all down to the vCJD bollocks as most other things can be tested for.

twinsjoeandharry.blogspot.com/2010/02/harry_24.html

ps here are some pics of one of the babies. I never miss an opportunity to show them off

Go through the donation hoop quick fast and donate it for other babies! Hope your babies are doing well.

ahhh
[broody]
how are they doing?

geepers, just read your message about your transfusions- are you sure it won't be ok? They do blood tests for a few things, and it's not like blood donations afaik.

Geepers, it is bloody hard work travelling back and forth to hospital and also trying to express. I have been there and found my supply dropped when I did that. I agree with whoever said to throw the old milk out and make way for the new. Or can you just give them fresh milk which is better than frozen anyway.
Also, even if you have to throw it away, think of it as working towards your supply when they leave hospital and can ( hopefully!) latch on for themselves. Although I had a massive stash in my freezer for months after ds3 came home!

Why not keep on doing it, but ask them to throw away the oldest stuff, so they will have the freshest and you can keep up your milk supply.

I thought also that some hospitals have milk banks for prem babies.

Good luck with the expressing, my boobs gave up after a few weeks of expressing only.

Haven't read the entire thread so apols if I'm repeating others.

could you take some of the already frozen stuff home with you in a freezer bag on the day that you pop home for clothes? bung it in the freezer at home when you get there and then you'll have made a bit of space in the hospital freezer - might mean you still have to throw some away but hopefully not as much.

congrats on your beautiful babies

Congratulations! Your boys are beautiful and it sounds like they are little fighters. You have done so amazingly well with your supply. My DS was born at 27 weeks only 560g so we had a similar journey. He came home with oxygen four weeks ago and we are breastfeeding. I struggled with supply and wanted to jack it in so many times but it was so worth it. It must be heartbreaking to throw away milk. I would offer you space in my freezer if I was anywhere near! At the times when you go home can you take some in a cool bag?

I read some of your blog, about someone needing your room. My son was not born at my local hosp although not as far as your sons, when we moved out of our hospital room I cried all the way home, I know how you feel about leaving them. Just wanted to say I know what you are going through, and I wish you all the best xx

I was just thinking about you first thing this morning and thought that you may be very glad of those stocks of milk when the babies are much bigger and needing a litre each a day. It may well extend your solely breast fed period for far longer. The other thing I wondered is whether there are any kind MNers near the hospital willing to surrender some freezer space for a few days at a time so that you can stay up for two or three days before having to go back to stash it in your home freezer?