Probably not enough of EBM stash...how to integrate formula?

[neeter]

I will be going back to work soon, and I don't think I've built up a great stash. I will probably have about 100 ounces of frozen EBM if I'm lucky. I guess I need to plan how to integrate formula as a backup. Any suggestions on how to do this?

Should I give my baby the pumped milk from the day before, plus any frozen stash at first? And then when the frozen stash runs out, give the daycare provider formula? Or should I integrate formula along with some frozen stash? Also, maybe I can let the daycare provider do DS' daily solids session?

Any suggestions or best ways to incorporate this? My goal is to feed BM exclusively, but I'm sad that I probably will not be able to do this.

Thank you!

[nitaghei]

Why don't you think you won't be able to pump enough? If it's a crazy schedule that means you'll be pumping erratically, then your fears are probably justified. Otherwise, as long as you can pump regularly, it's highly unlikely that you'll need formula.

To me, a 100 oz stash sounds incredible!! I pumped for 14 months, and never needed to supplement, and I had NO stash. None, nada, zip. The 60 oz I had frozen were bad (excess lipase) and I never could pump enough to have more that about 15 oz in the refrigerator as extra, over what would be needed on any given day. But I made sure I never missed a pumping session, or made up as soon as I could if I did miss one.

What I would suggest is use a mix of fresh and frozen every day. That way you rotate your frozen EBM, but your baby also gets the current EBM, which is nutritionally optimal. In your place, I would use up the EBM before considering formula. Only when the stash is run out, I would probably mix formula with EBM, at least initially, to make sure that the baby will drink it.

Really - don't borrow trouble!! You may never need to supplement. 100 oz is a nice cushion - so don't stress!

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[sntm]

100 oz is fabulous! I definitely think you can feed BM only. At the very least, the longer you delay introducing formula, the better, so don't worry about it now.

My strategy initially was two fresh bottles, one frozen for each day except all frozen on Mondays. I later moved to all fresh except all frozen on Mondays. That's what I've been doing for the past several months.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

wow, 100 oz is a great stash! You should have no problems giving exclusively breastmilk with that great start.

What I did was give half fresh and half frozen each day. That way the freezer stash was rotated so it did not go bad, and she had some current fresh milk with all the nutrients and antibodies.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[neeter]

Thank you! You guys are great, so much positive encouragement! I thought that 100oz was on the low side -- one friend said she had "hundreds" of bags of EBM in the freezer when she went back to work; another bought a freezer just for EBM! I fall into neither category, and I feel that I got a late start in pumping extra --- so thanks for making me feel okay about the 100 oz. (Well I don't have it yet, but I'm assuming that if I continue to pump 3 oz extra a day I should get there by August).

Thanks for all your suggestions, I will slowly use the frozen stash while also using fresh. Now at the end of the day do you usually have any fresh left overs to freeze again?

How would I know if I have a lipase problem? Should I take out a bag of my frozen EBM and have the baby try it and see if it might be a problem?

Thank you again!!!!

[jbowman]

If I have any leftovers of thawed milk at the end of the day, I pitch it (I believe that frozen milk will be good for 24 hours after it thaws). HTH!

And congratulations on your stash--you are doing so well!

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I would take half of what I pumped each day and put it in the freezer, and use the other half fresh the next day. I'd take out as many as I put in the freezer so that the frozen stash rotated. Day care was instructed to use the thawed milk first so that if there was any left over at the end of the day, it would be the fresh milk that could be saved for the next day.

Once breastmilk is thawed, it goes bad in about 24 hours.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[jerseygirl07067]

Regarding the lipase problem, I would definitely see if your baby will drink the frozen milk. Mine would not and I discovered that I had a lipase problem and wound up dumping my whole stash and starting over. Luckily I built it back up quickly. Some babies drink the milk anyway, but mine would not. I actually thought she stopped taking the bottle, but the milk tasted so nasty I gagged! Then I realized what the problem is. Supposedly this is a rare problem, but better to find out sooner than later. That's great that you even know about lipase....

Marcy

[sntm]

One "rule" I set for myself so I wouldn't ever compromise my supply is that I had to put back whatever I took out from the freezer stash. So, if over the week I used 3 bags totalling 15 oz, I had to freeze 15 oz (approximately). If I wasn't pumping enough to cover it, I added a pumping session or did the supply-boosting tricks (hydration, oatmeal, never got to fenugreek or blessed thistle)

This ensures that your supply stays equal to what your baby demands, and also allows another few weeks of BM after you stop pumping (though I am at 13 1/2 months, still pumping, and actually donating some older EBM!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[vwh99]

Regarding the lipase issue....I noticed that when I thawed out my frozen milk, it smelled 'metallic' and when I tried some, it tasted faintly soapy. However, my baby ended up drinking it just fine and it's not harmful. Any thawed milk that tastes rancid, on the other hand, should probably be thrown out.

Val