So about this frozen stash...
RBXChas
Posts: 2,708 Member
I probably have 60-80 oz of frozen breastmilk in my chest freezer. For some reason my body doesn't like pumping, which is fine because I really don't need to. I used some to make rice cereal and try a sippy cup yesterday and today, and I'll do the same tomorrow.
Monday I would like to try a veggie, and I read that if you want your baby to use a sippy cup, you can give them 2-4 oz of water/day. I had never thought of water, but it's a good way to at least introduce the sippy cup. (My older son, who was FF, had the worst time transitioning off the bottle at age 1. This guy is unaware that bottles even exist.)
So what do I do with my frozen stash? Just give it to him after he weans? I plan on BFing for a year or until he weans, whichever comes first. I don't expect to make oatmeal with it because that only uses so much milk, and then I have to toss the rest because you're only supposed to keep thawed milk for 24 hours. And obviously I can use it if we ever have to be separated (whether I pump during the absence or not).
Any thoughts on what I should do with it besides use it after he weans? There's not enough to donate, and since I don't pump regularly, I won't meet the minimum required.
Thanks!
Monday I would like to try a veggie, and I read that if you want your baby to use a sippy cup, you can give them 2-4 oz of water/day. I had never thought of water, but it's a good way to at least introduce the sippy cup. (My older son, who was FF, had the worst time transitioning off the bottle at age 1. This guy is unaware that bottles even exist.)
So what do I do with my frozen stash? Just give it to him after he weans? I plan on BFing for a year or until he weans, whichever comes first. I don't expect to make oatmeal with it because that only uses so much milk, and then I have to toss the rest because you're only supposed to keep thawed milk for 24 hours. And obviously I can use it if we ever have to be separated (whether I pump during the absence or not).
Any thoughts on what I should do with it besides use it after he weans? There's not enough to donate, and since I don't pump regularly, I won't meet the minimum required.
Thanks!
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I also just realized that it's not a deep freeze but a regular chest freezer, so I should only keep it for 6 months anyway. I guess I might as well put it in a sippy cup and use it (rather than toss it) while making sure I have enough on hand for a few bottles, just in case we need to be apart for a day.
Still looking for other ideas, though, in case I'm forgetting something. The oldest milk I have was pumped in late June, so I'm not trying to beat the clock just yet
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I would absolutely give it to him in a sippy now or after you wean... that stuff is liquid gold!0
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The oldest stuff I have right now is from 6/25, so I need to use it before Christmas. I don't want to give him too much and mess up my supply (because right now I'm giving him a little bit of solids and the nursing him), so I think I'll give it to him in a zippy a couple of days a week and use it to make oatmeal when he's eating more solid meals/day.
Thanks!0 -
would it be possible to donate it?
oops NVM read there is not enough to donate0 -
would it be possible to donate it?
oops NVM read there is not enough to donate
Yeah, I called my hospital's LC to ask about that. I could do a local, "personal" donation, but these people don't know me from Adam. A friend of mine in the local LLL told me about someone donating milk locally who turned out to have herpes, and there's some concern that it can be passed via breastmilk. So now everyone's on high alert. I know I'm disease-free and drug-free and all that, but they don't. I'd rather use it myself than subject myself to incredible scrutiny only to donate a relatively small amount.
Edited for typo0 -
With my daughter we ended up pitching most of it unfortunately. I felt bad but there was only so much I could give her in a sippy and because she never took bottles I ended up with such a huge freezer stash...I had looked into donating and connected with a few people but nothing worked out. I had a freezer full of just milk...was kind of a waste but I figure at least it kept my supply up while I worked.0
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With my daughter we ended up pitching most of it unfortunately. I felt bad but there was only so much I could give her in a sippy and because she never took bottles I ended up with such a huge freezer stash...I had looked into donating and connected with a few people but nothing worked out. I had a freezer full of just milk...was kind of a waste but I figure at least it kept my supply up while I worked.
That's a shame! My son doesn't take bottles, either, and even if pumping were easy for me, I'd be pumping to make up the feeding and just increasing my freezer stash. I agree that he can only drink so much in a sippy before I have to toss it
Yet another reason why I stopped pumping. 0 -
It's just funny because I was so gung-ho about having a great frozen stash, and now I'm seeing it as potentially wasteful!0
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I use it to make baby food and cereal. I also kept 3-4 on hand at all times (the newer stuff) to get a date night or even for my husband to give some evenings so I could go to the gym or zumba with friends 0
