BM storage dilemma

[wangstar]

I started pumping this week to try it out and have test store the BM in the bottles and bags.
My dilemma is that although the bags take less space to store, throwing them out after one use seem very environmentally unfriendly. However, if I purchase a wholesale lot of bottles, what am I going to do with them afterwards?
I had thought about maybe using those food storage containers to store BM because they have longevity and are multi-purpose.

Thoughts???

[Liziz]

It's a huge waste, I absolutely agree. And it's also the only way I'd ever do it (using the storage bags, that is).

Are you going back to work, or just pumping for bottles when you leave the baby with a sitter or DH? If you're going back to work, or if you're looking to build up a big stash, I don't think there's another great option. You'd just need so many bottles and so much space. If you SAH and you're just looking for a small amount of frozen BM for when you leave the baby with others, maybe that could work.

Personally, I wouldn't use just regular food storage containers b/c I'd be concerned the BM wouldn't be well enough protected.

I really do get what you mean about the waste, it pained me every morning when I'd throw them away....but just think of all the formula cans you're not adding to landfills!

[wangstar]

Are you going back to work, or just pumping for bottles when you leave the baby with a sitter or DH?

Not going back to work yet but would like to start a nice stash for when leaving him with my mom and for husband so he can share the night time feeding every once in a while.
What's a good amount to have stored away? I'm trying twice a day for a few days before adding another session.
Since DS has only been breast-fed so I don't know how much he eats exactly, how much BM should I put away in each bag/bottle, the full 5 oz or whatever I produce for the session.

[Liziz]

Not going back to work yet but would like to start a nice stash for when leaving him with my mom and for husband so he can share the night time feeding every once in a while.
What's a good amount to have stored away? I'm trying twice a day for a few days before adding another session.
Since DS has only been breast-fed so I don't know how much he eats exactly, how much BM should I put away in each bag/bottle, the full 5 oz or whatever I produce for the session.

I think the amount to have stored away is variable, based on how often you want someone else to feed him. I went back to work at 3 months, so maybe some other SAHM can comment on what they found to be a good amount. When I was still home with DD, I generally did 1 or 2 pumping sessions a day.

As far as how much to store in each bag -- early on, until I got a good feel for how much DD was drinking, I'd freeze most bags as 2 oz, and some bags as 1 oz, so I could mix and match as needed. Again, it seems like a waste of the storage bags to use several for one day's pumping, but once you defrost BM, you need to use it w/i 24 hours....so if you freeze in bigger quantities than you need, you may end up wasting some (and believe me, *that* feels like way more of a waste than any plastic bag ever will!!!)

[kaharris83]

I EPed for DS1. I stored milk in the Medela storage tubes. I would freeze the extra in bags. The storage tubes can be frozen though.too. I froze them and kept buying more and realized I should switch to bags when I had about 1500oz. So we have a ton of those little storage tubes around the house.
http://m.target.com/p/medela-breastmilk-feeding-and-storage-bulk-pack-12-pk/-/A-10697113

[ArizonaGirl]

This is my second and for ease of use and ease of storage you have got to go with the bags, I totally agree about the waste, but I just try to find other ways to conserve and prevent waste.

I used to use the Lansinoh bags, but have since switched to the Target version, they are a bit thicker and are more cost effective and I freeze them laying down so they take less space, as I have an oversupply and have about 350 oz of BM frozen in my freezer.

HTH

[Simon]

So you will be going back to work later? Will you continue to pump?
I focused on keeping access to fresh breastmilk so I mostly stored milk in bottles in the fridge.

When I did freeze, I used the bags for a few reasons. #1 for me is that freezing in bottles took an extremely long time to defrost so hungry, screaming baby who wants to nurse then has to wait and gets a bottle instead was not a good combination.

From an environmental perspective, a lot more resources go into making bottles and I worried more about health and sanitation for my kids. Plus, like I said, we tried to avoid freezing except for some back-up.

[Snow mom]

I never used bags (and just disinfected my bottle collection for DC2). Honestly, I've never understood the lure of a huge stash. I donated milk to a local nonprofit milk bank, pumped for DDs daily needs, and never had more than about 50 oz frozen for her. I pumped until she was 15 months because that's when I felt comfortable with having her not have milk when away from me. We also focused on her mainly drinking milk that had never been frozen (lasts in the fridge almost a week--and just smell the milk before you use it as bad milk is not something you'd mistake). I froze with just enough room for expansion so about 5 oz for a bottle. It's not like you have to throw out the rest of the bottle at the end of the first offering.

[edurnemk]

This link is helpful for determining amounts; http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

I'm a SAHM, I only have a small stash for when I need to leave DD for more than 2 hours. When we use one up, I pump to replace it. Even so I'm still using the box of Lansinoh bags I bought when I had DS! The most I've had in my freezer is 47 oz, enough for a little more than one day (because I had to leave her 24 hours to go to an out of town wedding). I don't like throwing them away but since I use so few bags and I only have 4 bottles for DD, my guilt is reduced. Also I don't have that much space in my freezer for bottles.

I freeze in amounts of 4 and 2 oz.

[wangstar]

This link is helpful for determining amounts; http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/
... I freeze in amounts of 4 and 2 oz.

That site was very useful, thanks!

When I left him with my mom the other day and left her with a bag of 5oz BM, mom said that he finished it all and seemed to be looking for more after he had emptied the bottle.
Was he really looking for more or just wanted to suck?

[edurnemk]

I'd say he wanted to suck, but who knows. At 1 month DD would not drink more than 3-3.5 oz max. But she's a snacker, she nurses very frequently to this day.

[echoesofspring]

I've been really happy with these biodegradeable bags, used them with DS, never had a leak, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Honeysuckle-Breast-Storage-50-Packs/dp/B005G4VUPO/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1361917900&sr=1-1&keywords=breast+milk+storage+bags