EBM freezing and storing

[K-K ~Glass Boobs~]

My first Q is:

When do you pump Breast milk? I don't want to mess up my supply, i.e. making
too much... and I don't want to pump prior to nursing, what do I do?

second Q:
Can I store the breast milk in Lunch/freezer ziploc bags? are they sterile?

any advice would be appreciated
thanks.
K-K

[HollyLewis]

>My first Q is:
>
>When do you pump Breast milk? I don't want to mess up my supply, i.e. making
>too much... and I don't want to pump prior to nursing, what do I do?
>

You can pump whenever you want. Your yield will be highest in the early
morning and/or when pumping on one side while baby nurses on the other. You
won't cause oversupply unless you always pump at about the same time of day,
every day, or unless you pump many times a day for many days in a row.

>second Q:
>Can I store the breast milk in Lunch/freezer ziploc bags? are they sterile?

I suppose you *could* but I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, they're not
really designed to hold liquid, and you can't easily use them in a bottle.
Using disposable nurser bags is a lot more convenient. If you like the ziplock
closure idea, try the Gerber breastmilk storage bags, which I doubt cost any
more than regular ziplocks but are designed for the purpose, so less likely to
leak, plus they have handy ounce markings so you know exactly how much you've
got. :-)

Double-bagging is often recommended, to help prevent leaks; you could
definitely freeze the milk in breastmilk storage bags and then use regular
plastic sandwich baggies as the double layer. I always just put my ebm bags in
an open Tupperware/Rubbermaid type container, though.

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs
EDD #2 6/8/04

[Phoebe & Allyson]

HollyLewis wrote:

> try the Gerber breastmilk storage bags, which I doubt cost any
> more than regular ziplocks but are designed for the purpose

I pay $5.99 for 25 at Walmart, whereas generic 1 quart
ziplocs are probably $2 for 25. I'd never use regular
ziplocs, though - they're the wrong shape, too big, and I'd
be more worried about leaks.

Phoebe :)
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt

[HollyLewis]

>HollyLewis wrote:
>
>> try the Gerber breastmilk storage bags, which I doubt cost any
>> more than regular ziplocks but are designed for the purpose
>
>I pay $5.99 for 25 at Walmart, whereas generic 1 quart
>ziplocs are probably $2 for 25. I'd never use regular
>ziplocs, though - they're the wrong shape, too big, and I'd
>be more worried about leaks.
>
>Phoebe :)
>--
>yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt


I was assuming sandwich-size ziplocs, not quart size, but whatever. I don't
actually have any idea what they cost. :-) I used the Avent bags to freeze
ebm, which worked fine for me, and never used up the first box (100 count, I
think) of them.

Holly

[Phoebe & Allyson]

HollyLewis wrote:

>>I pay $5.99 for 25 at Walmart, whereas generic 1 quart
>>ziplocs are probably $2 for 25. I'd never use regular
>>ziplocs, though - they're the wrong shape, too big, and I'd
>>be more worried about leaks.
>
> I was assuming sandwich-size ziplocs, not quart size, but whatever.

Yeah, I'd completely forgotten they sell those tiny
snack-sized ones. The OP mentioned freezer ziplocs, and the
smallest of those I can buy is quart-sized.

Phoebe :)
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt

[Erin]

"Phoebe & Allyson" > wrote in message
...
> Yeah, I'd completely forgotten they sell those tiny
> snack-sized ones. The OP mentioned freezer ziplocs, and the
> smallest of those I can buy is quart-sized.
>
> Phoebe :)
>

I've been using the snack-size ziplock baggies, and so far haven't had any
problems with leaks. (I tried regualr sandwhich-sized baggies first, and
more than half the time those bag weren't airtight, and did leak.) After
the milk freezes I make sure there isn't any extra air in the bag in order
to cut down on the chances of freezer burn. I'm freezing about 4-ozs per
baggie, but you can probably fit six or eight ozs in them.

Erin