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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
I used to be the expert in this category, but I don't remember a thing 
I had a late start with pumping for my stash for Colin since we were dormering our house and I had a crew here daily until he was about 6 wks. I just couldn't pump - I had no time or privacy and didn't want to make an already stressful situation worse, so I just pumped here and there if I need to run an errand.
So, I started my stash to return to work when Colin was about 6 wks. I'm only pumping once a day - in the morning after I feed him. I don't think I'm getting much compared to what I got for Ryan but I'm not sure if I'm confusing it with when Ryan was STTN.
I had been bagging it in 4 oz increments b/c that's what he was taking. I have 120 oz in our garage freezer in 4 oz bags. Now, recently, I started bagging in 5 oz b/c now I'm thinking, by the time I return to work, he'll be taking at least 5 oz per bottle - if not more. So I have another 50oz or so of 5oz bags.
At this point, I'm returning to work (hopefully 4 days a wk) when Colin is about 17 wks.
So, questions,
a) I should have about 250oz to start in my stash - is that a good jumping point or should I try to pump more (nearly impossible with a toddler and NB though!)?
b) should I continue bagging in 5oz increments or change that? how much do we think he'll be eating at that point? he's a big baby (probably 15lbs or so already at 10 wks). I never know what he takes b/c he has only gotten a handful of bottles from MIL - I usually make up a 4-5oz bottle if she has him, and leave another 4-5oz in an extra container for her to pour from. Last week I took Ryan to tumble class and MIL gave Colin 8 or 9oz in the course of 90-minutes  so I can't gauge from her
c) do we think it's OK for me to start using my freezer stash from back in December - in March? it al should be between 3-4 months old at that point
TIA
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Posted 1/14/10 7:48 AM  |
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pharmcat2000
Mom of 2 + 1
Member since 10/05 7395 total posts
Name:
Catherine
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Not sure how much you should have or need, but 250oz sounds good to start. Of course if you can pump more, I would, just to keep increasing. But if you can't, just do whatever you can.
Yes, I think it is ok to use milk frozen in Dec in March. I think the guides say if it is stored in a "freezer-only" freezer that it is good for 6 months. Even if stored in a regular freezer (next to a fridge) it is good for 3-4 months. I would def. start with that supply.
As for how to store it, I really don't think it matters. I used to store all my milk in 8oz bags. Then I'd defrost the total amount I needed for the day at once. I just couldn't try to figure out what she'd be taking when. Then, if I was short a bit in the bags I'd use fresh. For example, if she was taking in 26oz and I had the milk in 8oz bags, I'd defrost 3 bags (24oz) and than add 2oz of fresh to it before freezing the fresh stuff.
HTH.
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| Posted 1/14/10 8:05 AM |
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MrsS2005
Mom of 3
Member since 11/05 13118 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
I had about 250 oz when I returned to work. I was fine until my supply totally tanked around 9 months. I added in more pumping sessions than I normally did and managed to make it to a year. It was a struggle though.
I mostly froze milk in 4 oz increments. When DS first went back to daycare, he was drinking 4 oz bottles, which I increased to 4.5 or 5 oz shortly after that. By 5.5 or 6 months, he was taking 6 oz per bottle. He never drank more than that.
I've never had a problem using frozen milk that was 3-4 months old.
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| Posted 1/14/10 9:44 AM |
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shapla79
Where Does The Time Go?
Member since 11/07 4619 total posts
Name:
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
a) 250 oz is a good starting point! I had about that much when I returned to work.
b) I've been bagging milk in varying ounces, ranging from 3 ounces to 5 ounces. Right now DD is drinking an average of 5.5 - 6 ounces a feed and she's a peanut (12 lbs). She also sleeps 9-10 hours a night which might explain why she's drinking more during the day.
c) Milk from December should be good in March. I'm planning to cycle out my frozen milk every 3 months or so.
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| Posted 1/14/10 10:21 AM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
can I just say....
I am so proud of my 15 oz stash  how are you girls getting that much!!!!>!>!
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| Posted 1/14/10 10:24 AM |
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Marbo
LOVE
Member since 7/08 2374 total posts
Name:
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Posted by Ophelia
can I just say....
I am so proud of my 15 oz stash how are you girls getting that much!!!!>!>!
OMG...I wanted to write before that I don't mix the BM with formula, b/c I only make enough for dd to get like one bottle of BM a day(if even) and I want to make sure none of it gets wasted if she doesn't drink the whole bottle when it's mixed with formula! I do have 3 bags in the freezer with about 3-4 ounces each...I don't know what I am saving them for, I should probably defrost them soon. I get so jealous when I hear people pump 4-5 oz...I get like 1-2 total
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| Posted 1/14/10 10:43 AM |
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christy811
LIF Adolescent
Member since 9/08 846 total posts
Name:
C
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Posted by Ophelia
can I just say....
I am so proud of my 15 oz stash how are you girls getting that much!!!!>!>!
Seriously...what is your pumping schedule?
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| Posted 1/14/10 8:41 PM |
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hope07
LIF Adult
Member since 12/06 1050 total posts
Name:
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
just fyi... I beleive if you rely too heavily on your "stash" you may loose your milk supply!
If you are using even just 2-3 oz a day from your stash, your body will be told to produce that much less milk a day.
I think the best way to pump is to use what you pump the day before so your body knows and provides for what the baby requires at that time.
Just something to keep in mind! Im sure you want to have something in the freezer for an emergency though
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| Posted 1/14/10 9:37 PM |
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beautyq115
New Year!
Member since 5/05 13729 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Stash
I had a stash for about 2 weeks that was about 20 oz maybe and that was in November. I am livng feeding to feeding. I cannot even get ahead of myself even with supplementing with formula.
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| Posted 1/14/10 9:40 PM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Posted by hope07
just fyi... I beleive if you rely too heavily on your "stash" you may loose your milk supply!
If you are using even just 2-3 oz a day from your stash, your body will be told to produce that much less milk a day.
I think the best way to pump is to use what you pump the day before so your body knows and provides for what the baby requires at that time.
Just something to keep in mind! Im sure you want to have something in the freezer for an emergency though
I don't rely on my stash at all for daily use (I use it when I work b/c I used oldest first but I replace what I take from the freezer). With Ryan I pumped more than he took on a daily basis and ended up with about 650 oz in the freezer at the height of it. I ended up using the stash when my supply dipped when I was pregnant with my second child. Plus, now I remember to keep it up b/c I will use that once Colin starts cereal.
Anyway, I went back to my old posts. I went back to work with only 150 oz with Ryan, and clearly that was never touched until it was a necessity and we did fine. I recalculated and I'll have about 350 oz before I return with Colin b/c I get about 6 oz after his morning feeding and I'm not going back until March. I already have about 160 oz so adding to that, I should be fine.
Thank you!
Message edited 1/16/2010 9:39:44 AM.
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| Posted 1/16/10 9:38 AM |
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thiadora
Happy Little Girl
Member since 5/05 3830 total posts
Name:
Thia (Cynthia)
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
I'm a bit removed from this myself since my DS is 2-1/2
I returned to work with no stash at all and ended up with a sizable stash in the end. I always pumped more than he took also. The only thing that I wish I'd know was to start rotating in the freezer stash earlier on than I did. (I didn't start until about 6 months.)
You're going to be fine. It all works itself out once you return to work. 
Oh, and if you're uncertain regarding the amounts for the bags/future bottles, you can also do some at only 2 oz and then combine a couple of bags together to get what you want. It's completely fine to mix bags. I did it all the time. (Or use five 4oz bags to make four 5oz bottles, if that's how much he ends up taking in a bottle.)
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| Posted 1/16/10 10:03 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Posted by thiadora
Oh, and if you're uncertain regarding the amounts for the bags/future bottles, you can also do some at only 2 oz and then combine a couple of bags together to get what you want. It's completely fine to mix bags. I did it all the time. (Or use five 4oz bags to make four 5oz bottles, if that's how much he ends up taking in a bottle.)
I try to avoid bagging in 2 oz increments just b/c it adds up (space & $$$ for bags), KWIM? When I was pumping with Ryan, I felt like my bags sometimes cost what I would be spending on formula Luckily I haven't had to buy bags yet with Colin since I stocked up when Target had a sale while I was pregnant.
Thank you!
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| Posted 1/16/10 10:11 AM |
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chelle
It's a Good Life
Member since 8/06 15404 total posts
Name:
Isn't it obvious?
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Re: NB/Infant moms who pump for their stash...
Posted by Ophelia
can I just say....
I am so proud of my 15 oz stash how are you girls getting that much!!!!>!>!
I thought the SAME thing!! I was like 250!!!!!!  I *think* I have about 8oz??? bwahahahahahha
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| Posted 1/16/10 10:44 AM |
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