Re: Breast Feeding
Of course I will respond to any of your questions. Honestly, NOT one of my non-Internet friends nor has anyone in my family EVER breastfeed so I know how important my on-line friends are to me.
when you pump, do you pump to fill up one bottle? Does it fill up more than one bottle?
- Your supply will change over the course of your bfing time. In the beginning I prayed to fill out 1/2 a bottle with each pumping session. Now, I am lucky enough that I can pump more than one bottle sometimes but I almost always pump at least 4oz per session. You pump for a min. of 15 minutes and the max. I ever pumped was 40.
I pump enough each day to feed Molly all day/night AND usually put 4-6oz in the freezer.
If you do breast massage while pumping that can help you get more milk and empty your breasts more completely.
also how long does a bottle last? If you fill it in the middle of the night, does it have to be used immediately the next day or does it last for more than a day?
Your pumped milk can last in the frig for up to 8 days- although I have never had a bottle in the frig for more than 3.
While the literature says that once you offer a bottle you need to use it within 2 hours and then dump it. I have NEVER dumped my breastmilk. If Molly does not want the whole bottle I put it in the frig right away and use it at the next feeding. I never offer it more than twice though. You make the bottles smaller rather than larger. You can always add more, and you never want to waste your milk.
If you freeze the milk (you use special bags. I like the gerber ones best) and keep the bags in the freezer area of your frig it will be good for up to 3 months. If you have a deep freeze, not part of your frig (I do) it will last up to 6 months.
When you want to use a bag of frozen milk, you put it in the frig the night before and let it defrost. This bag must be used within 24 hours of it being defrosted. You then put the bag in hot water and it will defrost completely and warm. You MUST use it once it is warm within 2 hours.
I freeze 4oz portions, once in a while 6oz. But I try to freeze smaller so that I don't have to waste any.
Does this help?
when you pump, do you pump to fill up one bottle? Does it fill up more than one bottle?
- Your supply will change over the course of your bfing time. In the beginning I prayed to fill out 1/2 a bottle with each pumping session. Now, I am lucky enough that I can pump more than one bottle sometimes but I almost always pump at least 4oz per session. You pump for a min. of 15 minutes and the max. I ever pumped was 40.
I pump enough each day to feed Molly all day/night AND usually put 4-6oz in the freezer.
If you do breast massage while pumping that can help you get more milk and empty your breasts more completely.
also how long does a bottle last? If you fill it in the middle of the night, does it have to be used immediately the next day or does it last for more than a day?
Your pumped milk can last in the frig for up to 8 days- although I have never had a bottle in the frig for more than 3.
While the literature says that once you offer a bottle you need to use it within 2 hours and then dump it. I have NEVER dumped my breastmilk. If Molly does not want the whole bottle I put it in the frig right away and use it at the next feeding. I never offer it more than twice though. You make the bottles smaller rather than larger. You can always add more, and you never want to waste your milk.
If you freeze the milk (you use special bags. I like the gerber ones best) and keep the bags in the freezer area of your frig it will be good for up to 3 months. If you have a deep freeze, not part of your frig (I do) it will last up to 6 months.
When you want to use a bag of frozen milk, you put it in the frig the night before and let it defrost. This bag must be used within 24 hours of it being defrosted. You then put the bag in hot water and it will defrost completely and warm. You MUST use it once it is warm within 2 hours.
I freeze 4oz portions, once in a while 6oz. But I try to freeze smaller so that I don't have to waste any.
Does this help?
