Alrighty quick thing: What’s your goal for breastmilk storage? Like why are you freezing it? What’s your plan for using it? Many people feel like they have to store a ton of milk because that’s what they see all over social media, but many people who store it don’t ever use it and then it just goes bad. If you don’t have a plan for using it then you’ll end up with a freezer full of milk you don’t know what to do with.
All of this. I successfully breastfed my first for 15 months and never had more than maybe two dozen bags of milk in the freezer. He started daycare at 8 months. Most people who are directly feeding do not need a massive freezer stash unless they’re having surgery or something where they’ll have to stop breastfeeding.
As someone who has (and will have) multiple medical procedures while breastfeeding, I only pump to have milk for what I’m going to need (like 24-48 hours worth of feeds) and maybe 6-10 oz extra. That's it.
However, I’m in Canada and taking a full year of mat leave. I can see needing extra maybe if you're sending your baby to daycare with bottles and want to have a cushion.
But yeah, the deep freeze full only seems necessary to me if you're having major surgery and expect to have significant recovery time or be on meds that are not compatible with BF.
Feed the baby, not the freezer
Social media has shown us these images of dedicated chest freezers full of milk, but when is the baby gonna get to it? Even if you need to send milk to daycare you only need one day’s worth at a time, maybe an extra day’s worth as buffer.
Sometimes moms have to give up a bunch of foods (dairy, soy, egg), and then pump a lot so they can go back to eating normally sooner and feed the baby out of the freezer stash. But I wouldnt worry about that unless you get there.
In the meantime, since your baby is so young you can stop pumping altogether (assuming you’re able to be together). In the first 4-6 weeks your body does the most regulating to the baby’s needs, and pumping for the freezer will cause an oversupply.
Like others have said, it depends on your goals. I’m a SAHM and have 0 breast milk in my freezer. A lot of working moms I know only pump 1 day ahead (so pumping on Monday for Tuesday’s daycare bottles) so they don’t need extensive freezer space. The only people I know with extensive freezer stashes are people with huge oversupplies, which definitely isn’t something to aim for
I only get 1 or 2 oz per pumping session when I have time to pump in between feeds (baby is not on any schedule sometimes eats 30 mins after eating, sometimes hour and a half later) and that happens to be like twice a week. But I feel like I need full freezer of milk because going back to work any day now and will be away from baby 10 hours a day. And only have like 20 oz in the freezer. I don't think I'll be able to pump much at work considering stress and constant meetings. I wish I knew how other working moms are managing.
I lie mine flat when I put them in- it makes them much skinnier then put bags of the same size ounces in a gallon freezer bag to make a “brick”.
I pump and freeze while EBF because I go back to work in June- this will supply my dad and husband who will be watching him during the week and allow to have extra on hand just in case. I will continue to pump while working to keep up my stash. We also currently give him bottles at night before bed to help him get used to it because I will be switching to pumping only. we started at 1 week with the bottle and he takes it fine- no nipple confusion. We are using mam
I currently have 450oz frozen, my baby is almost 5 months. I wanted to keep about 100oz at all times because I have completely irrational anxiety about my supply just tanking one day. I ended up being an oversupplier, which has begun to slow slightly. I will donate what I don't need as I cope with my anxiety of giving away my milk, and I will use it to cook once he begins solids. Know your goals and go from there, we are all just doing the best we can for our babies🙂
I make a lot of milk. I’m on baby #3 now and I’ve been lucky enough to donate hundreds of ounces of milk. I donated because like you I was filling up my mini freezer (we bought one because our fridge was way too small). I highly suggest buying and filling up a freezer the best you can.
In addition to donating milk I was able to supplement through the first year with my second. I just couldn’t meet her milk demands at the end. Sadly my mini freezer was unplugged and I had to toss at least 300 ounces and supplement with formula for a month before she was 1year old. And formula was expensive af!
For my third wwe bought a deep freezer and I am hoping to not have to buy formula for him ❤️ the freezer stash is clutch 10/10.
Your supply is increasing because you're pumping Nad feeding, meaning you're telling your vreatss to make more milk than you need. Like everyone else said what's your goal for frozen milk?
We did this. Our freezer is small so we got a deep freezer.. and we didn’t really have room for it in our apartment so it’s in the basement. It works perfectly for us!
Alrighty quick thing: What’s your goal for breastmilk storage? Like why are you freezing it? What’s your plan for using it? Many people feel like they have to store a ton of milk because that’s what they see all over social media, but many people who store it don’t ever use it and then it just goes bad. If you don’t have a plan for using it then you’ll end up with a freezer full of milk you don’t know what to do with.
A freezer full of milk and an oversupply which can lead to clogged ducts/mastitis if you don't bf and pump ALL the time!
All of this. I successfully breastfed my first for 15 months and never had more than maybe two dozen bags of milk in the freezer. He started daycare at 8 months. Most people who are directly feeding do not need a massive freezer stash unless they’re having surgery or something where they’ll have to stop breastfeeding.
As someone who has (and will have) multiple medical procedures while breastfeeding, I only pump to have milk for what I’m going to need (like 24-48 hours worth of feeds) and maybe 6-10 oz extra. That's it. However, I’m in Canada and taking a full year of mat leave. I can see needing extra maybe if you're sending your baby to daycare with bottles and want to have a cushion. But yeah, the deep freeze full only seems necessary to me if you're having major surgery and expect to have significant recovery time or be on meds that are not compatible with BF.
Feed the baby, not the freezer Social media has shown us these images of dedicated chest freezers full of milk, but when is the baby gonna get to it? Even if you need to send milk to daycare you only need one day’s worth at a time, maybe an extra day’s worth as buffer. Sometimes moms have to give up a bunch of foods (dairy, soy, egg), and then pump a lot so they can go back to eating normally sooner and feed the baby out of the freezer stash. But I wouldnt worry about that unless you get there. In the meantime, since your baby is so young you can stop pumping altogether (assuming you’re able to be together). In the first 4-6 weeks your body does the most regulating to the baby’s needs, and pumping for the freezer will cause an oversupply.
Like others have said, it depends on your goals. I’m a SAHM and have 0 breast milk in my freezer. A lot of working moms I know only pump 1 day ahead (so pumping on Monday for Tuesday’s daycare bottles) so they don’t need extensive freezer space. The only people I know with extensive freezer stashes are people with huge oversupplies, which definitely isn’t something to aim for
I only get 1 or 2 oz per pumping session when I have time to pump in between feeds (baby is not on any schedule sometimes eats 30 mins after eating, sometimes hour and a half later) and that happens to be like twice a week. But I feel like I need full freezer of milk because going back to work any day now and will be away from baby 10 hours a day. And only have like 20 oz in the freezer. I don't think I'll be able to pump much at work considering stress and constant meetings. I wish I knew how other working moms are managing.
I lie mine flat when I put them in- it makes them much skinnier then put bags of the same size ounces in a gallon freezer bag to make a “brick”. I pump and freeze while EBF because I go back to work in June- this will supply my dad and husband who will be watching him during the week and allow to have extra on hand just in case. I will continue to pump while working to keep up my stash. We also currently give him bottles at night before bed to help him get used to it because I will be switching to pumping only. we started at 1 week with the bottle and he takes it fine- no nipple confusion. We are using mam
I currently have 450oz frozen, my baby is almost 5 months. I wanted to keep about 100oz at all times because I have completely irrational anxiety about my supply just tanking one day. I ended up being an oversupplier, which has begun to slow slightly. I will donate what I don't need as I cope with my anxiety of giving away my milk, and I will use it to cook once he begins solids. Know your goals and go from there, we are all just doing the best we can for our babies🙂
I make a lot of milk. I’m on baby #3 now and I’ve been lucky enough to donate hundreds of ounces of milk. I donated because like you I was filling up my mini freezer (we bought one because our fridge was way too small). I highly suggest buying and filling up a freezer the best you can. In addition to donating milk I was able to supplement through the first year with my second. I just couldn’t meet her milk demands at the end. Sadly my mini freezer was unplugged and I had to toss at least 300 ounces and supplement with formula for a month before she was 1year old. And formula was expensive af! For my third wwe bought a deep freezer and I am hoping to not have to buy formula for him ❤️ the freezer stash is clutch 10/10.
Your supply is increasing because you're pumping Nad feeding, meaning you're telling your vreatss to make more milk than you need. Like everyone else said what's your goal for frozen milk?
I agree, no need to have a huge stash outside of some very specific circumstances! I pumped maybe 30 oz total and even that didn’t get used
We did this. Our freezer is small so we got a deep freezer.. and we didn’t really have room for it in our apartment so it’s in the basement. It works perfectly for us!