https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:01:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87680 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:14:30 +0000 sulli301 87680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started out freezer 4oz bags &amp; then I switched to 6oz &amp; now am back to 4oz. I switched when DD was drinking more at a time &amp; that way I could store more milk but since she rarely gets bottles/sippys I am saving it all mostly for after I wean her from nursing &amp; so I switched back to 4oz. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87635 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:43:02 +0000 Mrsbells 87635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElisaT: I do plan to use playtex drop ins but dont know about their storage system, I was going to store in regular freezer bags and then transfer into the drop ins. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87634 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:41:30 +0000 T.H.O.U. 87634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElisaT: From 3-6 months she took 4 four ounce bottles every two hours at daycare. Now at six months old she takes 5 ounce bottles every three hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87632 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:39:07 +0000 LivsMama 87632@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElisaT: Id not heard of the Playtex system, Id wait to see if she is willing to take that bottle before you start using it to freeze and store just in case she refuses that brand of bottle. To me, freezing in a separate bag isnt a big deal. I have extra steps anyways (I have excess lipase, so I have to scald before I freeze.) We actually ended up buying a chest freezer bc my milk was starting to take up so much space in our regular freezer, so for us, the freezing flat really helped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87385 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:50:37 +0000 littleveesmommy 87385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shellio - wow that freezer tray seems pretty neat! I might get it to use in addition to freezer bags for those top off moments when I only need a few ounces so I don't need to freeze small portion bags. More efficient use of the bags! =)</p> <p>@anbanan15 @livsmama - Thanks for the info! I think I'll start freezing larger amounts in the bag, maybe 4 oz, for the next month and then go up again to 6 or 7 when the 3rd month hits depending on how much I think she is taking. I kept thinking about freezer stash but forget that I will also likely be pumping at work for the following day too, and that the stash will likely be for backup or outings where it's easier to bring frozen. </p> <p>Did any ladies use Playtex Drop Ins and use their breast milk storage system? It essentially allows you to pump directly into their liners (so same liner for pump, storage and feed), but you need to use the liner ring/caps to seal the bags and freeze. Or you can zip tie the tops. It seems like a good idea (no need to move milk from bag to container) but also a bad one (requires more freezer storage since the liners won't lay flat. Any thoughts or experience with this? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87359 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:27:27 +0000 LivsMama 87359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElisaT: I can tell you that I went back to work at 3 months, and all the way until 6.5 months when we started solids, she took EXACTLY the same amount daily. Its not like formula where they require more and more as they get older. Your milk changes composition and becomes more calorie dense. So Liv took 3 7-oz bottles during the day religiously for those 3.5 months. Shes down to 2 7-oz bottles now bc of solids. </p> <p>I was freeing in 5oz increments, but now I do 6/7oz or 3oz in case there is a day I work late and she needs a little top off. Then Im not wasting a whole lot. Honestly, I rarely use the freezer stash. I pump at work for the next day and only use it when Im low or the nanny thinks she might need a little extra </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87325 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:00:16 +0000 Mrsbells 87325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shellio: wow I've never heard of those before. THey look interesting... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87319 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:34:49 +0000 shellio 87319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I freeze my milk in one ounce portions in this tray:<br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sensible-Lines-20060401-Milk-Trays/dp/B000ZK3YBC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1331047984&#038;sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Sensible-Lines-20060401-Milk-Trays/dp/B000ZK3YBC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1331047984&#038;sr=8-1</a></p> <p>I have found them really easy to use, you can fit 24 oz in a one quart freezer bag and thaw as many or as few ounces as you will need. My husband says they are much easier to use than pouring the milk out of the freezer bags. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87315 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:25:06 +0000 mynoahbear 87315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: If i know i am going to be away from LO for a feeding, I will defrost a bag in the fridge. Otherwise, if I decide at the last minute to bottle feed her instead of breastfeed, I will pull a bag out of the freezer and run it under hot/warm water, and give it to her. If I defrost in the fridge, I can portion the bag if I think it is too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87282 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:21:19 +0000 anbanan15 87282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElisaT: We did not introduce bottles until DS was over the recommended 4 weeks and then it was s bottle once a day or every other day just to make sure he would take one. I never gave him a bottle (still haven't at 10 months) and I was never in the room during those early weeks. In the beginning he took ~4 oz from the bottle (~4 weeks) and increased from there taking from 4-6 on average and sometimes up to 8-9 oz! But our pedi said that is only because the bottle is easier and he is probably not drinking that much from me. He also has reflux an food allergies so he did a lot of comfort nursing/eating. I'd say these larger bottles were between 2-4 months. He then did 5-7 oz bottles up until lately. He's been taking only ~5 oz bottle at 10 months. HTH it's a very rough idea of what worked for us. </p> <p>@Mrsbells: I believe I read somewhere that if your udon the thawed milk right away it is fine to thaw it in the sink in lukewarm water (this is what my mom does when she babysits but he is giving him the bottle as soon as it is thawed and he will not take it unless it's warmer like mommies), but if your sending the bottles to daycare or thawing and using them throughout the day it's best to do so in the fridge overnight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87277 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:07:05 +0000 Mrsbells 87277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mynoahbear: Do you put the frozen bag under hot water? or do you defrost it in the fridge first? I've been wondering the best way to defrost frozen breast milk </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87273 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:40:43 +0000 littleveesmommy 87273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you girls have a rough estimate of how many ounces your LO took around which stages in months? I have about 10 bags of 2 ounce portions frozen and and working on pumping to build a supply for when I go back to work and when we want to leave LO with someone for a few hours, and am wondering what size portions I should be freezing. I dont intend to bottle feed too much while I am on 12 week maternity leave except a bottle every day or two (so she takes a bottle) and occasionally when we leave her with someone, so my stash is really for when she hits her 3 month mark. How much do they take usually at 3 months? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87191 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:31:28 +0000 Mrs. Bee 87191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i've been freezing 4 oz portions, but now she takes some 5oz bottles so i may increase soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87190 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:30:54 +0000 chopsuey 87190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to freeze 6-7 ounces at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87186 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:25:25 +0000 MamaCate 87186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is three months and typically takes about four ounces a feeding, so that is how we do it. We rotate through the freezer stash so it gets used, ie put the newest pumped milk in the freezer and take down the oldest to give her. I think we are about ten bottles ahead. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87183 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:14:45 +0000 mynoahbear 87183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I freeze 4oz portions right now because that's what LO is drinking. I'm going to start freezing larger portions because I think she has a big enough 4 oz supply. If you freeze in larger portions, what do you do with the leftover milk? I pull from the freezer when she needs it and run the bag under hot water to defrost and feed her. If she doesn't finish her bottle, I can't reuse the milk because it's already been warmed up. How do you do it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87129 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:51:50 +0000 anbanan15 87129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started out freezing 4 oz bags but switched to 6 oz. DS will drink 5+, so the 6 oz bags work out now. (Honestly I hardly se my freezer stash and most of it got donated to a baby that drank it exclusively so maybe I'm not the best person to answer.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freezing-breast-milk-1#post-87069 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:00:45 +0000 autumnlove 87069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you bag what your LO will drink in one sitting or do you fill the bag to capacity? I have been freezing 4 oz portions and my freezer is getting really full. Wondering if I should start freezing 6 oz portions... </p>