https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 08:21:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961977 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:30:46 +0000 Smurfette 961977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: I do that too. She she doesn't drink all 4 bottles on Monday, from thawed milk. I just make sure she has it first on Tuesday. So far it is working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961955 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:26:55 +0000 Adira 961955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: Whoa girl! You're living DANGEROUSLY! :)</p> <p>@cmomma17: Oh yeah, I know what you mean. I definitely lose some in the bottles, then I'll lose some in the bags. That's why I try to fill the bottle MORE than 2oz, so that hopefully when I thaw and pour back out, maybe I have 2oz... though it's not exactly working... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961926 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:23:13 +0000 cmomma17 961926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH is probably not super efficient with his pouring either. I feel like the first place I lose some is in the bottles themselves. I can't pour it all into the bags. I've started low balling my amount totals. So if it looks like I've pumped 4 oz in the bottle, I'll write 3.5 on the bag. I'd rather be happily surprised with more milk than disappointed by less. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961920 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:22:04 +0000 dagret 961920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: @Mrs. High Heels: sometimes I"ll stretch the thawed ounce or two to the next day, as long as it's the first bottle used. Living on the edge... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961919 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:21:44 +0000 cmomma17 961919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I sort of follow that 24 hour rule. Although if I had thawed milk leftover from yesterday, I'd put it in a bottle marked #1 today (we use painters tape to make reusable 1, 2, 3 stickers for the bottles) so it would get used first thing in the morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961916 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:21:17 +0000 Adira 961916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: Gahhh, glad I'm not the only one! But it IS frustrating. Now I'm trying to always add a little bit more to each bag, so it's more like 2.25oz. But still - I always loose a little bit. Though this morning I actually thawed 16oz and ended up with 15! So I only lost ONE ounce total!!! I think I was pouring out of the bag in an inefficient way before... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-961888 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:17:32 +0000 cmomma17 961888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I have the exact same problem! I'll pump 4 oz (or whatever it is) into bottles, then pour it into bags and label it "4 oz." Then DH thaws the milk and says "this isn't 4 oz, it's only 3.5 or 3!" Noooooo :(<br /> It's so frustrating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953792 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 16:41:55 +0000 Adira 953792@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: Oh, hahaha, yeah, I thought that was the rule, although maybe it's okay to go longer? That's why I didn't want to freeze in bigger increments for fear of wasting thawed milk I didn't need! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953787 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 16:39:31 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 953787@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: really? i've been doing that with no issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953782 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 16:37:34 +0000 Adira 953782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: I was under the impression you needed to use the thawed milk within 24 hours, so I don't think it's an option to thaw some and save for the next day, right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953607 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:39:54 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 953607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: can't you store in larger increments and just spread out the bag amounts through several feedings since xander goes to daycare and needs multiple bottles anyway? </p> <p>example - he's taking 15 ounces...<br /> so let's say you have only 4 oz bags, can't you thaw 4 bags to get 16 ounces, then save the extra ounce for a bottle the next day? </p> <p>then again, in this case since you seem to be losing an ounce, 4 oz portioned sizes might not be such a bad idea! i think you would lose less in the transfer if you froze bigger portions. i always lose a little bit in the transfer too, but i don't notice it too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953600 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:37:23 +0000 Bao 953600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Make sure you pull the bottom of the storage bag all the way down and out, I made that mistake too many times! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953593 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:33:49 +0000 T-Mom 953593@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I totally hear you.. fwiw, my DS took 4 oz pretty much the entire time he was on bottles, so I always froze in 4 oz bags and sent an extra to day care. They would tap into that if they needed to.. but every baby is different. You could experiment with different combinations? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953578 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:28:23 +0000 Adira 953578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: Yes, that makes sense. I'm just worried about storing in larger increments because what if I need to change the amount that I give Xander? It won't be as easy to just add a bag or remove a bag, you know? I feel like I might end up wasting more...? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953573 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:27:13 +0000 Adira 953573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: Oh, haha. My bad.</p> <p>@autumnlove: Okay, so it's normal. I'm probably just losing MORE because I'm storing in such small increments, so every bag has a loss. Ugh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953570 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:26:05 +0000 T-Mom 953570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I agree with @autumnlove: that you are always going to lose some in the transfer. If you store in larger quantities, it won't be as noticeable, but it will probably be about the same amount, if that makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953565 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:24:09 +0000 autumnlove 953565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You are always going to lose some when you transfer...pumping bottle to bag, bag to bottle. I also had to top off with fresh milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953564 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:23:56 +0000 MsLipGloss 953564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Oh, it wasn't because my supply was great, it was because I had to supplement from about 4 months on. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953558 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:22:30 +0000 birdofafeather 953558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i freeze in larger portions, 3-4 oz because those were typical bottles. there is definitely a little lost every time you transfer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953552 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:21:33 +0000 Smurfette 953552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I push it down to make the amount in the bag is what I think it is. Like yesterday I thawed bags from early June for today's bottles, and I had to take out another 3 ozs, cause what I written down wasn't what was really in the bags. It was before I started pushing the milk down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953538 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:18:10 +0000 Adira 953538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: Do you do that in order to ensure the amount in the bag is what you want? Or do you mean when you thaw it? I measure the milk in a bottle first and then pour it into the bag, so I know the bag has 2oz. Does that make sense?</p> <p>@dagret: Ugh, my bags to bottles are ALWAYS off. It's so frustrating to thaw 16oz and still NOT have enough for 15oz!!! Where is that other oz+ going???</p> <p>@MsLipGloss: haha, lucky. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953512 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:13:46 +0000 ShootingStar 953512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Well the system comes with an adaptor that's supposed to be compatible with most pumps. Other than that, they're all valid concerns, which is why I wasn't sure if it was a good suggestion or not. But we won a set and I just found out about the pump straight to bag feature, so I thought I'd mention it, in case it was something you'd be willing to try. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953510 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:13:31 +0000 MsLipGloss 953510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I dunno! I never noticed that much of a difference in volume between what was pumped vs. what was thawed . . . But I didn't use a ton of frozen milk (I have 2oz. TOTAL in my freezer stash, if that can even be called a stash!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953504 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:12:47 +0000 dagret 953504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: some days my bottles are away off too. I don't have any advice though. Wish I knew the answer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953503 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:12:39 +0000 Smurfette 953503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I just push the milk down, to make sure it fills all the pockets of the bags. Sort of like the reverse of getting all the air out, since you push it down. Once I started doing this, the ozs on the bag would add up when I poured into the bottles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953494 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:10:29 +0000 Adira 953494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCB: I don't know a lot about that, but you have to use those bottles, right? I already have 9 bottles and all the stuff that goes with them, plus my bottles work with my pump, so I'm not sure making a switch would work for me. Plus Xander takes the bottles we have now and I'm not sure how he'd do with a switch, you know? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953478 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:06:45 +0000 ShootingStar 953478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe this isn't a great suggestion (since my LO isn't even here yet!) but if you wanted to make the investment in the playtex nurser system, you can pump right into the bags and then later attach them to the bottles for feeding, so no pouring from bag to bottle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953477 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:06:41 +0000 Adira 953477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: Yes, I'm measuring it in the bottles first! Which is why I'm always thrown off when I don't get out the same amount as I put in! :(</p> <p>@Smurfette: Hmm... how do you push it out? Are you just squeezing the bag between your fingers and sliding towards the opening? I've tried that before, though not consistently. Maybe I'm doing it wrong? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953463 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:04:55 +0000 MsLipGloss 953463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you measuring the milk in another container before transferring it to a storage bag? I never felt like storage bags had accurate measuring lines! (I always went by the amount indicated on the bottles I pumped into prior to transfer.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezer-stash-what-am-i-doing-wrong#post-953462 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:04:48 +0000 Smurfette 953462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have found that you have to sort of push the milk down so it fully fills the bag, otherwise the amounts would be off for me too. </p>