Gerber storage bags

[stillplayswithbarbies]

So far, I have been pumping and storing and feeding expressed breast milk in Evenflo 4 oz bottles. It is very convenient, except that I have 36 bottles in my freezer already and I will have that much more before I go back to the office full time. I'm looking for a solution that is cheaper and most importantly doesn't take up so much room in my freezer.

I was thinking about the Gerber storage bags, and using the Playtex bottles that take the bags for feeding, but I have some questions.

Is it a pain to pump into those? How often do you drop it and spill it all? How do you set them down when you are done and are unhooking the pump etc.? I pump both sides at once and I just can't fathom how I would handle that. (I assume I need an adapter to pump directly into the bags?)

Can you add more milk to the bag after it is sealed and frozen? I do this today with the bottles, as long as I am adding a small amount and it is chilled first. Otherwise I am going to have bags with different amounts in them.

How difficult are they to use in the bottles? Again, how easy is it to spill the whole thing? I have visions of me trying to get the bag into the bottle and the whole kit and caboodle ending up all over me as it goes flying into the air. Are these things easy to use, assuming I am a general klutz? :)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel 2/27/91
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[flagger]

We are just getting started but so far the biggest problem I am having is getting the durn ziptop open on the Gerber bags. Once I get them open I am not having any trouble pouring the milk in. Of course we are still regulating and only dealing with small amounts but so far so good.

One thing that has worked for us is combining the milk from one of the bottles into the other. Then pulling the bag past the ziptop with the bottle upright. I then flip the whole thing over and presto it goes in with nary a spilled drop.

[cara1]

>
>Is it a pain to pump into those?

Yes, I suggest pumping into a bottle and pouring it into the bag.

>Can you add more milk to the bag after it is sealed and
>frozen? I do this today with the bottles, as long as I am
>adding a small amount and it is chilled first.

Exactly. As long as the added amount is smaller than the frozen amount. Also, don't add room temperature (or body temp) milk to frozen milk. Put it in fridge first and then you'll be adding cold milk to frozen milk.

>How difficult are they to use in the bottles?

We only tried the playtex disposables once or twice, but I remember the Gerber bags being hard to stretch over the opening, especially with the zip loc feature.

You'll figure it out. Not bad once you get a system. Just make sure the cats aren't nearby when you're pouring and sorting. The hardest for me was coming home after picking up DS, and then first thing when I walked in the door, I wanted to take the EBM out of my pump, sort it all and label it all, but DS would be screaming for dinner, and the cat would be meowing for dinner, and before you knew it, you'd step in cat vomit, all before DH gets home, because he's working late, and by the time you wake up the next morning you realize you'd forgotton to eat dinner yourself. But seriously, :), it's not bad. You'll get the hang of it.

[MartiesMom2B]

Karen:

I have Playtex bottles and I use Gerber storage bags. I got the premium nurser set and it came with an adapter. I just stick the bag through an 8 oz bottle, stick the adapter on and pump away. I haven't really found that much of a problem with doing this.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03
http://www.mcdyer.com/MartieSurasky.htm

[brubeck]

I actually pump into my PIS bottles and then pour into the Gerber bags.

You can keep a full bag upright by putting it into a coffee cup. I learned this trick from the Medela bags instructions because the Medela bags have the twist ties that are more difficult to close than the Gerber ziploc.

[lisams]

I have to agree that getting them open is the biggest problem!! At least I know they're sealed nice and tight when I put them in the freezer.

I also put the bags of frozen EBM in a larger ziplock bag because I noticed some of the milk that had been in there for over a week started having that freezer smell when I defrosted them. This seemed to help.

Lisa

[Momof3Labs]

I also pump into the Medela bottles and then pour into the Gerber bags. When I was pumping daily, I would just wait until I had the amount I wanted (usually 3-4oz) in the fridge and then dump it all into the bag and freeze it. It's much easier to pump into the bottles (not that they never spill *sigh*) and the measurement on the bottles is much more accurate than the measurement on the Gerber bags.

These bags have served me well, though - we are currently trying to work through a 300oz+ freezer stash!

[heidi_timms]

I also pump into Medela bottles and then pour into the Gerber bags. I use the measurements on the bottles to get the exact amount pumped and then circle however many ounces on the bag. It's hard to tell using the bag measurements. I haven't spilled anything so far!
~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[chrissyhowie]

Karen,

Personally, I don't really like using the bags in the Platex type systems. I found it easier to just pour the milk after thawed into my usual bottles. Granted, I use Avents, so the mouth is wide for easier pouring.

A little tip I learned from these boards: If pouring milk from the bag into a bottle, first stand the bottle into a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout. This way if anything spills, you'll have caught it and then can pour that into the bottle.

After the milk is frozen in the bag, be careful not to drop it! This tears the plastic. This is another reason to put all the frozen milk bags into a separate Ziploc.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Wow! Thanks for all the great advice The people on these boards are the best, you know everything!

It sounds like the way to go is to pump into bottles and pour into bags. I love the trick about the coffee cup!

But now it sounds like the advantages of the bags are outweighed by the disadvantages.

Advantages: cheaper than bottles, takes up less space in the freezer
Disadvantages: have to pour milk into them and then out of them later, thereby wasting at least a few drops each time and risking a spill twice.

And I have three cats! Triple the chance of stepping in cat vomit. :) (loved that scenario, I've been there!)

I pump in my office at my desk, that could get quite messy if I spill there. I'm not sure what I am going to do, but I think I should at least get some bags and try them. WalMart was out of them and I refuse to pay $2 more for them at CVS. I got some Playtex bottles on clearance at KMart the other night, that is what got me started thinking about the whole bag thing.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel 2/27/91
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[chrissyhowie]

I use the "freshest first" method of having milk for DD during the work week. I pump into bottles at work and cap them. When I get home I exchange the caps for covered nipples and put them in the fridge. These are the ones which will be used the next day, so I don't have to "store" any of the milk I've pumped during the work day (ie: no need for me to bag the milk while at work so less spillage potential!). I do have bags with me at work in case I forget my empty bottles or have more milk pumped than bottles. I only dip into my frozen supply when I don't bring home enough milk or if they are getting older.

In any case, you'll figure out a system that will work best for you. Sounds like you have prepared very well so I'm sure your transition back to work will be smooth (at least in the breastfeeding category!).