Frozen milk and returning to work

I am going back to work when DD is 3 months. How much milk should I have stored to be able to keep feeding her BM? I've only been pumping once a day and getting about 2.5oz so I'm trying to figure out if I need to pump more so I don't run into problems when it's time to go back to work.

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

Are you going to pump at work?

I would caution against trying too hard to stock up as it could lead to over supply and forceful letdown. This led to me stopping early with my daughter. I did better with DS by not pumping large amounts.

Any amount you have saved is great. But it's unrealistic to think you will feed for any solid length of time just from the stash. The baby will start to eat anywhere from 24-32 Oz a day.

I say enjoy the time you have with the baby. If you need to supplement with some formula when you go back so be it. If you pump at work and feed evenings and weekends, you can keep them breastfed until you chose to stop. The stash will be helpful to supplement if you are a bit short one day

Good luck.

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

Frozen milk and returning to work

I had a freezer stash and honestly it was a waste of my time. I donated over 200 ounces when DS was 8 months old. I never used any of the frozen milk until DS was 14 months old.

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

I had about 70 oz stored before I went back at 7 weeks. I've dipped into my freezer stash occasionally, usually when I've had to go away for 2-3 days without DS. I've been able to keep up with him, but my supply definitely took a hit when I returned back to work.

I'm still continuing to add to my freezer stash and plan to stop pumping early. If I can't keep up with him, then my plan is to supplement him.

I wouldn't go too crazy trying to build a stash, but maybe aim to keep one or two days worth in the freezer. I made sure that my sitter had enough in her freezer in case I run late from work or didn't send enough bottles.

Also, I would have your LO try some of your frozen milk. My first refused my frozen milk, and I had to waste hundreds of ounces. I found out the hard way that I have extra lipase in my milk, so it tasted funny quicker and had a metallic taste. I wasn't able to keep a freezer stash for him. My second one (DD) was okay drinking frozen milk, and luckily my third is also taking to the frozen milk despite the lipase issue.

Message edited 3/12/2016 3:43:52 PM.

Frozen milk and returning to work

I'd probably try to get a a few days or a weeks worth. I think i had about 140 oz but it all basixally went to waste my baby wouldnt drink the frozen (defrosted) milk. He just didn't like it I guess. I ended up pumping fresh and keeping a days worth in the fridge for a few weeks. Then I had to supplement.

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

In my opinion, I would try to have a decent stash, maybe like 150 ounces? I never got much when I pumped and didn't really have that big of a stash when I went back to work and I wished that I had more.

I guess everyone is different, but because I didn't produce a lot I wasn't able to save that much and struggled to keep up with DD when I started to work.

Frozen milk and returning to work

I had about 100 oz when I started back. I was happy with that amount. Each day I pumped I made enough milk for the next day so I would only dip into the stash if I was crazy busy at work and missed a pump or if we went out on the weekend or something. I was never obsessive about pumping and growin g my stash. I was just happy with having enough to never have to supplement.

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

I had around 150 oz when I went back at 3 months PP in September. By December I had 0 oz. & would pump JUST enough to get through the next day. My body did not respond that well to the pump and I know she was being overfed with the bottles while I was at work. I spent many days anxious that I wouldn't have enough milk for her and I didn't want to supplement. It all worked out though. I was able to build up my stash again over Christmas break by continuing to EBF and pump. She also started solids around then so she started drinking a little less milk.

Re: Frozen milk and returning to work

Frozen milk and returning to work

I would have a smaller freezer stash (keep up what you're doing, but don't stress about it).
When you go back to work generally what you pump while you're at work should be able to cover you for the next day of work. So baby will mainly get fresh milk from the previous day, but you'll have a little freezer stash as back up and can pump a little on weekends/days off if you are low or want extra back-up.
BUT you have to just make sure you will be able to pump at work. I was very committed to keeping up my supply so when I went back to work at 4 months pp I pumped about every 3 hours during the work day then as time went on I spaced it to 4 hours. Once your back to work you can adjust your pumping as needed to keep up with baby's demands as time goes on. I never had to supplement.