Preparing for Going Back to Work & Pumping

This is great, good for you. Don't worry, you will find your "groove". It takes some practice. Here is a book I found very helpful for getting started

http://www.amazon.com/Nursing-Mother-Working-Revised/dp/1...

It's called Nursing Mother, Working Mother. It is pretty short and easy to read. It will give you all the information you need about storing, and great ideas for building up a supply. There is also "The womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League, a bigger book, with every thing related to nursing.

Once you have some frozen and get up and running, what you pump today, the baby drinks tomorrow, so you should not have to worry about last minute thawing, as a rule. Never microwave or heat with very hot water, this reduces the nutrition. Don't forget to rotate your stock so frozen is never too old. I would freeze on Friday, and take out some older frozen so it was thawed by Monday. Every 2-3 hours for pumping worked for me, spacing closer in AM since supply is higher earlier in the day.. until I got my period (5 months post partum!?) and my supply plummeted. I talked to a lactation consultant who recommended "power pumping", every hour for several days and up went my supply. Actually every hour I could not get letdown, 1.5 hours worked well, and put me back on track. This was 5x per day (whew!), and I then dropped to 4x per day. Before that 3 had been enough for the 9 hour day.

A good time to get milk to freeze is unfortunatley early early morning when supply is highest.

It is some work, but I was very glad I did it! Another thing I found helpful, I just left the electric pump at work, and kept a manual (I liked Avent) at home, so if I had an opportunity to collect some extra milk on the weekend, I could, without lugging the electric. Also, I would store all the plastic parts assembled in a ziploc inside an opaque bag (for privacy) in the work fridge between pumpings, no need to wash or even rinse, this was a great time saver! Just wash and air dry once a day at home.

Good luck!

C.

Here's some info I found on the web about breast milk - Good luck and congrats to you and your family on your little one!

How long can you refridgerate breast milk?

Instructions how to storage breast milk

How do I storage my Breast Milk?

The Basics

--Use very clean containers. Glass is best, but plastic and baggie-type bottles can also be used

--Express milk into 2- to 4-ounce "single-serve" portions, plus a few extra 1 ounce portions for when your baby wants more

--Chill milk as soon as possible and definitely within four hours.* When temperatures soar above 100 degrees, chill immediately

--Label and date bottles

--If the milk will be used within 4 to 5 days, refrigerate. If not, freeze

Tips for Fresh Milk

--If stored in a cooler with frozen gel packs, use within 24 hours

--If stored under standard refrigeration use within 5 days

--Warm by shaking gently under warm, running water

--Avoid the microwave. Microwave warming can cause hot spots and damage protective substances

--Teach others who feed your infant how to prepare bottles for feeding

Tips for Frozen Milk

--If stored at zero degrees in a self-defrosting freezer, use within 6 months

--If stored at zero degrees in a standard freezer, use within 12 months

--Defrost by shaking gently under warm, running water. Avoid microwave thawing, which can cause hot spots

--Shake gently to redistribute the separated fat of thawed milk that appears lumpy. It is perfectly safe to use

--Use as soon as possible once thawed. Freezing destroys some of the anti-bacterial components of milk, making it more perishable than fresh.

Storage Guidelines

Storing milk in 2-4 ounce amounts may reduce waste. Refrigerated milk has more anti-infective properties than frozen milk. Cool milk in refrigerator before adding to frozen milk.

Human milk can be stored:

· at room temperature (66-72°F, 19-22°C) for up to 10 hours

· in a refrigerator (32-39°F, 0-4°C) for up to 8 days

· in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 2 weeks

· in a freezer compartment with a separate door (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 3 to 4 months.

· in a separate deep freeze (0°F, -19°C) for up to 6 months or longer.

Expressed milk can be kept in a common refrigerator at the workplace or in a day care center. The US Centers for Disease Control and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration agree that human milk is not among the body fluids that require special handling or storage in a separate container.

How do I heat breast milk?
Microwaving destroys some of the anti-infective properties of the breast milk and may create "hot spots" that could burn your baby. Place the container of milk in a bowl of warm water, or place under the hot water faucet, and heat to room temperature. Your baby may refuse milk straight from the refrigerator, but cold milk is not harmful.

Can I reuse leftover milk?
While there is no research on this topic, many mothers refrigerate milk the baby did not finish and use it at the very next feed. If you have any doubt, discard the milk.· at room temperature (66-72°F, 19-22°C) for up to 10 hours

· in a refrigerator (32-39°F, 0-4°C) for up to 8 days

· in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 2 weeks

· in a freezer compartment with a separate door (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to 3 to 4 months.

· in a separate deep freeze (0°F, -19°C) for up to 6 months or longer.

good for you! i am breastfeeding my son who is 7 months and have been pumping since he was 3 months old. check out this website from Medela that tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about breatsmilk colection and storage..they have lots of good info. thawing frozen milk - run the bag of milk under hot water - defrosts in a matter of minutes. http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/for-nursing-mothers/... good luck! you can do it!! D. another site! http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/tips-and-solutions/1...

This link will answer all of your questions, and then some! Browse around so you get a feel on how to make this work best for you. I commend you for being so diligent about making sure your baby only has your milk. It is a very selfless and loving thing to do (something all Mother's should consider!) If you need more help, let me know!

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/index.html

Hi,
You should start pumping 3-4 weeks in advance to build up a good frozen supply. Many mothers find it easiest to pump in the morning about an hour or two after the baby has nursed, when they are most rested and can express more milk in a shorter period of time. Others prefer to pump a few times a day and combine the small amts of milk. You can also (though my daughter never would have stood for this) pump from one side while the baby nurses on the other-- this will actually help you produce more... Don't be frustrated if you don't get a lot at each pumping at first. It will get better and you'll get more productive with practice. Once you're at work you should set up a routine for pumping and find a comfortable, relaxed time and place to express the milk. As for keeping/thawing the milk... (make sure your caregiver knows that frozen milk may look yellowish and may separate into layers of milk and cream...) First of all, if it's frozen and stored in a regular freezer compartment of a freezer it can last for 2 weeks. if it's in a self-contained freezer unit of a fridge it can last 3-4 mo. If it's in a separate deep freeze it can last at least 6 months. As for thawing... hold the container under cool running water and gradually add warmer water until the milk is thawed and heated to room temp. Another way is to put the milk container in a pot of warm water on the stove. HOWEVER, the milk should not be heated directly on the stove and should never be heated in the microwave.

I hope this is helpful!!!
OH and you should try to freeze in 2-4 oz quantities-- this will make it easier to thaw it and warm it quickly and nothing will be wasted...

Good luck! Keep nursing! Your baby is lucky to have such a devoted mom.
S.

Hello I.,

Just to get to your questions...
Pump after each breastfeeding or bottle feeding so that you continue to produce milk on your baby's schedule. I would say pump like this for a month or as early as possible before going back to work. Worse case is that you have a lot of milk stored. Wish I had known this but store your milk in the ice cube trays, each cube is about 1 oz, and this makes prepping a bottle much easier later because your baby's consumption will change and it's easier to thaw cubes. If you leave the milk in a dedicated freezer (one you don't open for any other reason than storing milk) it can last for up to a year. If you have a freezer that's opened often then about 3 - 6 months is fine. It depends on how much the milk is exposed to warm air. I used to put frozen milk packets in the fridge in advance so that it's thawed in the fridge. And when I wasn't prepared, which happens a lot when you've got so much to do, putting the frozen milk in a bottle and liner (like Playtex) and then in a cup or pot of really hot water will thaw and warm the milk quickly. If you're using a bottle without liner, you might want to put the cubes in a baggie first then in the hot water because it's faster. I think storing a few bottles with the frozen cubes in the fridge the day before will do it. Oh, and when you pump, if you massage (I pratically squeezed) the milk out of your breast from the outer edge to the nipple, you'll get more out and by emptying your breast, you'll produce more. This really worked for me since pumping isn't as good at getting the milk out as a baby sucking. I was able to produce/pump more than my baby could consume in a day so we had a good amount frozen and that helped us continue breast milk when I wasn't able to pump anymore at work because it was too busy and not so new mom friendly. Hope this helps and good luck!

M. & Tara (almost 10 months old)

Hi I.,

Your best bet is calling La Leche League and asking a consultant. I will tell you that putting the frozen breast milk in a bowl in the sink and running luke warm water over it does the trick pretty fast. If you use hot water, make sure the container the milk is in does not have any plasticizers that can leech into the milk. good luck.

L.

Hi. My suggestions are as follows: Pump after your morning feeding (as early in the day as possible) every day. See how much you get. If you don't get a lot, wait 30 minutes or so after your morning feed and pump then.

Now, this is more important: When you're back at work, pump twice if he's going to be fed twice in your absence. In other words, every time he is fed while you're away, you pump at that time he is being fed. THis way your supply remains constant, and your milk production timing stays in sync with your son.

I've read that milk is OK in the freezer for three or four months.

I don't have any idea how to thaw milk fast or at all because I never do it, as when I am with him he is nursing from me.

PS. You CAN DO IT! DO IT!

Signed,
M., mother of 14mo nursing son.

Hi Isabella!
I live in Denville and there is a great resource, called The Birth Boutique.
Shari owns the boutique, offers lactation support, classes and amazing products!
You could call her for a phone consultation ($40)
Or take her Pumping and Returning to Work Class. Her class will provide you with a pumping schedule, how/when to pump. How to pump only 2-3 times while at work and still provide enough milk for your baby, and so on.
Check out www.birthboutique.com for full class schedule or call ###-###-####.
You will have an amazing experience there!

WOW! Take a deep breath. I did the same thing with my daughter. I pumped every 1.5-2 hours. If I normally pumped 15 minutes for a normal feedin, to build a supply I tried to push myself by a minute or so each time. Yes I think you can freeze for up to 3 months but you can check with either the pedi or your ob to confirm that. Nothing is good more then an hour in room temp. And in the fridge I think it is 1-2 days. SO what you could do is the night before take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge and it should be good for 2 days. But try to take out only a days worth. Then if you have to warm a frozen bag then put a mug full of water in the microwave for about 2 minutes and emmerse the bag/bottle in it. Also you can run the hot faucet over it. If he has to cry for a few minutes while you prepare it then he may eat more making him hold out a little longer to the next feeding. Try to watch and time him. If during the day he is feeding 2 oz. every 2.5 hours then try giving him 3 oz every 3 hours. Distract him with something. If at night he doesn't wake up but once then make that a heavier bottle. That is what I did. GOod luck! Keep us posted!

FYI

I used the whisper wear pumps. It comes as a double pump, runs on batteries and can be hidden under your clothes. It is easier to use in public places and goes for around $200.

I.,
I defrosted my milk by just running the bag of breast milk under hot water... or soaking it in a bowl of hot water... it defrosts very quickly... just a few minutes.
As for the pumping... start trying to pump for 15-20 mins after every feeding... that way you will build up a supply. If your son is sleeping long stretches at night you can also sneak a pump in at that time as well.
Good Luck!
K. C

You can do this a number of ways.
1- You can pump one side and feed your son on the other - this is ok with some babies but for others you will not give enough milk on one side.
2- Pump right after the baby eats - this will caus your body to produce more milk and you will be able to do this until you go back to work building a large supply.
3- Pump in between feedings - again be careful not to pump too much or you may not have enough milk for his feedings.

I used to take the bags of milk and put them in a large cup in the sink with hot water - they thaw within a couple of minutes. I used to change my sons diaper while the milk was thawing so that it didn't seem like it was taking as long.

You can keep frozen milk for three months.

- Good luck!

You can do it! This is my second time around pumping at work.

To answer your questions, start pumping right away and try to pump once per day to build up a supply in the freezer. Right after the early morning feeding is the best time, when you have the most milk. If you try to do it after every feeding, that will be too exhausting, in my opinion.

I would take milk out of the freezer (well, have the sitter do that) a couple of hours before needed, then warm the bag or bottle in a bowl of hot water about 20 minutes before you think you'll need it. Don't re-freeze, and use within 24 hours of thawing.

YOu can freeze milk for about 3 months in a standard refridgerator/freezer, longer if you have a deep freeze. So it's a good idea to date it!

I pump milk 3x each day at work to give the baby the next day. I've even taken business trips, had a 'fridge in my hotel room and brought home whatever I pumped.

Good luck!

I pumped for my three children so I could return to work. The best time for my milk was in the early morning, when I was engorged and the baby hadn't had her morning milk. You can maybe get out 3-8 oz. from each breast before the baby wakes up. If she wakes up, just latch her on the other breast and keep on pumping. She may swat at the pump, but you'll get the milk out. We would freeze those Medela bottles that hold 8 oz., I think, but fill them only up to about 6 oz. They can last up to 3 months in the freezer, but only 3-5 days in the frig. What I've heard and believe in is that if you start giving the baby the bottle, say filled to 7 oz. and she stops feeding after 1-2 oz. then the rest of the milk is contaminated with salivary enzymes and you should throw out the rest.

Thawing for us was best done in a pan of water on the stove, watching constantly until the milk was luke warm - the old under-the-wrist test.

I suppose if you pumped everytime you fed your baby, you might send signals to your body that you have two babies - just a thought. Contact your local La Leche League.

Good luck with going back to work!

How old is your baby? That'll depend on how much milk you need to leave him. I went back to work when my son was 3 mos old. I remember pumping just twice a day or whenever i had the time for about 3 weeks. I had more than enough. Just remember...you'll be pumping at work too and you will have milk to bring home. You can keep the milk in the freezer for 2-3 mos. You can keep freshly pumped milk in the frig for about 5 days. You should discard any thawed milk that's been heated and at room temp for more than 1 hour. Oh, and as long as you froze the milk in small quantities (4 oz or less), it will thaw quicker than you think. Place it in a tub of warm water and keep shaking the bottle frequently. You can even just run it under warm water. Never place it in microwave...it destroys the properties of the milk. I used to take any frozen milk out the night before and placed it in the frig. Thawed milk can stay in frig for 24hrs.

Hope this helps you. I became a "pro" at pumping at work. It's hard, but don't give up! The benefits outway our hardships. How long do you plan to breastfeed??

I'd start pumping a month before you go back to work. And be prepared, the pump isn't as effecient as a baby so your milk supply may drop. It can also drop once you go back to work. There is a tea called Mother's Milk that helps with milk production. It' works pretty good. Or you can drink a non-alcoholic beer a day, that will increase your milk supply too. I could never pump enough to fully supply my son with only breast milk, but that doesn't mean you can't. You can thaw out frozen milk by running it under luke warm water or leaving it in the fridge. As long as it stays refrigerated you can thaw out a whole days worth at a time. I'd freeze it in 2 oz lots because you shouldn't reuse milk that he's already drank from, but I was told as long as it gets drunk within 2-3 hours it's still o.k. But I recently saw people saying that you shouldn't reuse it at all. Frozen milk depends on where it's frozen. In your refrigde/freezer is 3 mos. In a big freezer/deep freeze it's 6 mos to a yr.

Hi I.,
This took me a while to figure out my system. a mother of 2 advised me. I started pumping when my daughter was 2 weeks - in the morning, about 1 hour after she nursed, and froze these. I use the gerber bags - my friend advised me that they don't leak and are the cheapest.
Now that I am back at work and she is 4.5 months, my milk supply has gone down. everything I pump that day is immediately frozen that night in 5 oz quantities (you would probably start out with 4 0z). I freeze them flat to help with storage space. I store them in a deep freezer which gives me 6 months to use them, but a regular freezer gives you 3 months (don't store in the door!). every morning I thaw some milk in a pot of hot water. It literally takes about 10 minutes. You have to use this milk within 24 hours! you can apparently use the gerber bags in nursers which is another plus.
so it turns out that I have a whole month supply frozen which is nice. she gets frozen milk every day unless someone is sick in our house, then she gets fresh milk for the antibodies. she eats more that I can pump...I have to pump 4 times at work and she eats twice - about two 6 oz bottles, and my 4 pumps make that. it's depressing. drink lots of water, relax, and look at baby photos.

hope this helps!
L.

I found that I can pump my milk if my daughter is sleeping and freeze it for later. If she needs to drink I can generally fill her up from one breast and express the milk from the second.
I am also building up a supply for my return to work. I was able to get one 6oz bag a day with my first born. If you pump once around 11 am (trust me you won't make it to lunchtime) and then again around 3 or just before you leave the office.
Don't worry you will have plenty to feed him at night. The more you pump, the more your body will produce. Drink lots of fluids also.
The frozen milk can last up to a year in the freezer but it won't (lol)
Quick thaw with warm water running on the bag and plan ahead by taking the bag out of the freezer and keeping it in the fridge the night before so it's ready when he is.
It's alot of work but soooo good for your son.
Good luck and God Bless

I pumped religiously with both of my children and got to the point where I was lookimg forward to it at work. I was supplied a private quiet room (by law) and kept my children with breast milk for 9 months. I pumped every 2.5 -3 hours around the clock to build my supply, and when I wasnt with my children. I usually nursed in the morning and at night, but if for some reason I couldnt I had a good supply stored. You can thaw milk fairly quickly by putting the milk in a cup of hot water (not boiling), and by "shaking" it so that the hot spots warm the cold spots. Breast milk is very different from formula and can be left out for more than an hour. Not sure why you would want to do that, but from what I've read, heard, and did with my kids it's ok. You can keep milk frozen in a deep freeze for quite awhile (something like 6 months or more) and from a regualr freeezer for like 3 months. The older they get though the faster that stored milk disappears. There are many many websites out there to help also. Google will give you an awesome number to choose from. Good luck!

I pumped when I went back to work full time when my son was 3 months old. I pumped 3 times a day for a couple weeks before I went back to work and 3 times a day while at work. I did this every day during the week for 1 year. It was a lot of work, but worth it. I would store the milk in the disposable bottle bags and when my babysitter needed them, she would just pop the frozen bag into a tall glass of hot water for just a few minutes until the milk melted and was luke-warm, then the same bag could be used in the bottle. No more than 10-minutes to thaw. I kept my milk in the freezer for a couple months (2-3) and would sometimes pump at least once or twice on the weekend to keep a good supply at home. Best of luck! Breast feeding requires effort, but it really is easier (especially when traveling with babies!) and healthier. Buy a really good double, electric & portable breast pump.

hi I.; i thini it's so great that you're preparing well in advance for going back to work. good luck to you.

all your questions would best be answered most accurately at a La Leche Leage meeting; look up La Leche League Intl. on the web and find your local meeting and chapter leader; in Queens it's probably Queens West at the Y in LIC; if you can't make a scheduled meeting call the chapter leader and she can answer all your questions.

good luck and congrats again!

Go to www.kellymom.com
It's a great website for all your breastfeeding questions.
Good Luck!

Hi I.. One thing that I found most helpful was manually pumping. Yes, I felt like a cow, but I got alot more milk doing it by hand. Also, if you only feed from one breast this fills the baby up more since the later milk is for hunger. Then you can pump from the other breast.

It took awhile for my son to wean onto the bottle. What I did was I pumped at work at around 10:30 a.m. from one breast and I was lucky enough to live close enough that I went home, brought the bottle I pumped, fed him from the other breast and then I pumped again at around 3 pm. I had only planned on breast feeding for 3-6 months and I wound up doing it for a year.

I wouldn't leave the bottle out for longer than 45 minutes once it is defrosted. My husband worked nights so he stayed home during the day with my son. He would put the frozen bottle in a cup of hot water for about 5-10 minutes. Also, be careful if you put the milk on the freezer door because it tends to go sour faster. I don't know why, but this had happened to us. By the way, I found the La Leche League useless. I breastfed out of a lack of money and I am SO GLAD that I did!!

You need to start setting aside some time during the day that you would be pumping when your at work. Generally start at 10 minutes each day. So you will start to produce some extra milk at that time to pump.

Each morning or night take out the amount he will need for the following day and put it into the refrigerator so it will only need to be heated up.

I would take some of your frozen bags out of the freezer the night before and put them in the refridgerator (if you know you are going to use them). They will thaw overnight yet remain cool in the fridge. Then, about 30 minutes before you are going to feed, you can just leave the bag in a bowl of warm water - it will get to room temp by the time you make the bottle. Hopefully that is helpful.

Yes, pump once a day and feed your baby as often as he wants.
When you go back to work - you can store your milk in bottles for the next day without having to freeze it. What I do is when I want to use the frozen milk, I take it out of the freezer in the morning and put it in the fridge. Since I also work - I take out 3 bags of milk and give it to my mom for her fridge...the first bag tends to be frozen so you warm it in warm water or run it under tap water or warm it on the stove. the 2nd/3rd bag tends to be defrosted well...i don't recommend leaving it out in room temperature.

If you have a deep freezer (freezer only, no fridge) milk should keep for 6 months. If you want, look it up on the La Leche League website for more info OR contact your lactation consultant...

I breastfed and pumped 20 years ago--to tell you the truth, pumping was not easy! Pumps may have improved, but flow to a machine is just not the same. That said I pumped every day at work, froze it and used it the next day. I did have to resort to formula supplements, but he was none the worse for it. I am unsure of a good method to quickly warm it, my sitter put the breastmilk bottle in a pan with warm water to bring to room temp. Be sure to tell your Nanny to shake the bottle as breastmilk separates after pumping. Good luck! I would not keep the breastmilk in the freezer more than a month--again, conventional wisdom on that may be updated as well!

Hello! I pump every night and store my milk in the freezer for 3 months, I usually go through it faster than 3 months though because my sitter uses 2 bags at a time. You should only store 2 - 3 oz per bag. (less chance of spoil) Start pumping every night (at the same time every night will be helpful for upping your supply) starting in February and you will be ready for march with a good supply in the freezer.

What you can do to make it thaw faster is it put the milk from the freezer to the fridge in the morning of work, only put 4 bags or so depending on how much he drinks, how often, and how long you will be gone.
If the sitter runs out tell her to estimate how much more he will need and to put it in the fridge long before he will need it. Remember to tell her to put the bag in warm water to thaw never boiling, because it will spoil. Remember also, to tell the sitter to SMELL THE MILK before giving to the child, I have had a sitter give foul milk to my boy and the result is not pretty!
You can leave the milk at room temp for 1/2 hour
24 hours in the fridge
Any milk left over from the feeding gets tossed
Deep freeze 6 months - plus... Deep freeze being a separate freezer.

Also, it is okay to let the babe cry sometimes. My son was very impatient at first waiting for the milk, I told the sitter not to worry, if he whimpers a little it is okay!!
The more relaxed she is the more relaxed your babe will be.
Though if the babe is screaming, tell her to pick him up and try to soothe him before giving him the bottle, he could end up gulping to fast.
Every one will get the hang of it!! Pumping takes practice, don't expect to get a lot of milk in the beginning you will build it up! And he and the sitter will become 2 peas in a pod soon enough as well, She will eventually know what his cries mean just like you do!

Hi Iz,
Not sure on the thawing, my daughter Izzabella wouldn't nurse :( however I do know that it does last for 3 months and you can NOT leave it out more than 1 HOUR. Hope this helps.

J.
(Mommy of Mack 6 & Bella 20 months)

Hooray for you!! What a fantastic gift to give your child.
I am a SAHM, however I did my share of pumping because I was donating my extra milk to the National Milk Bank.
I found pumping first thing in the morning worked great for me. I was at my fullest and I would get up about 30 minutes before I expected my kids to wake up. I could pump a good 8 ounces no problem. Its adds up quick.
Depending on what type of work you do, you should try to pump as much as your baby would be eating from you if you were there.
When you are pumping look at pictures of your baby. It really does help the milk to let down.
I kept my milk all the way in the back of my freezer. And the milk bank would accept milk that was up to a year old.
Thawing frozen milk is a pain. Your nanny should take out the milk for the day in the morning and put it in the fridge so it can get a head start on thawing. I found putting a bottle in a pot on the stove a low heat worked the best.
DONT microwave it. It kills all the good stuff in the milk. And overheating it isnt good either.
Perhaps one of those avent bottle warmers would be more efficient? I'm not sure I never used one.
A bottle can stay at room temp for a bit. Once the baby drinks from it though, you should dispose of it. Bacteria from their mouth can get into the bottle and spoil the milk.
Best of luck to you and your little guy!!
HAPPY PUMPING!!

Ok I have 2 boys that I breastfed and I went back to work 6 weeks after having them.

What I did was - build up a surplus at the house.
- I pumped just a couple of minutes extra after each feeding. I placed that milk in a bottle in the fridge, at the end of the day. I placed that milk in the freezer. I would start this 2 weeks before returning to work so you will have a supply for your first day.

Then for the first day I had the Nanny call me to tell me how much he ate, and then I would go pump and make sure I have at least that much if not a touch more for each feeding. Then I would note the time of day and pump then everyday untill he started to eat more at one time.

In summary, Pump when he eats and make sure to have as much as he ate. Drink lots of water, and try not to stress.

As far as thawing milk, the first day is hard, but note the times of day he likes to eat. Have the Nanny thaw the milk in warm water around that time, then put it in the fridge till he is ready. Thawed milk is good for 24 hours. DO NOT MICROWAVE BREAST MILK. You can though Microwave the water and then place Hard bottle in the water to warm for the baby.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me, I have helped many people with question, and issues, but the biggest asset you can find is a lactation center near you. ____@____.com