https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160850 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 11:36:35 +0000 mfa_lady 2160850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>About 200oz. Honestly, I'm finding it kind of hard to use because I prefer giving her the fresh stuff. But, it's really nice to have in case I get sick or have to travel for work. A hungry baby will rip through 200oz faster than you'd think! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160778 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:35:46 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2160778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>100 oz. I went through it pretty fast with a few business trips. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160723 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:01:11 +0000 Mrs.Scientist 2160723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember but I think it was somewhere between 24-30oz. All you need is enough for one day; don't stress about it too much! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160594 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 08:54:08 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2160594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ninja: I feed him on demand and so we don't have a set schedule. And he tends to nurse more and more frequently in the afternoon going into the evening. I think that will get better with bottles because he doesn't take them well unless he's pretty hungry. Plus I am hoping he'll be ready for an earlier bedtime soon. Now he nurses often as he gets crankier in the evening, but everytime I've tried to put him down before 8, it backfired majorly and he woke up every 30 min! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160591 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 08:50:15 +0000 LuLu Mom 2160591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've started to build mine up, I'm freezing about 6 oz a day. Right now I have 120 oz, and 6 more weeks of maternity leave. I plan on having 200 or so stashed up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160498 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 07:41:07 +0000 Alivoo01 2160498@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanna say around 100oz? Maybe more? I pumped like crazy in the beginning since DS was in NICU. He didn't start drinking all that I pumped for him until a couple weeks after he was born. So the surplus in the beginning helped a lot. Otherwise, I don't think I would have a stash. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160408 Wed, 29 Apr 2015 06:16:43 +0000 blackbird 2160408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a hundred oz or so, but I also was only pumping about 5-8 oz a day, so I had portioned the milk out to be one serving/day for a few more months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160332 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 23:06:20 +0000 ninja 2160332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm definitely not counting out using formula if needed. With my first DS, I didn't need to use formula. I was also able to build up a large enough freezer stash to stop pumping at 10 months and have enough to feed him while I was at work until a year. I'm hoping that I might have a similar early breakup with my pump.<br /> @Mrs. Taco: @elise626: I hear ya on the oversupply. I already have one, which is why I haven't really been pumping.<br /> @junebugsmama: do you keep track of how many times he would eat during that time already? With my first DS, his schedule stayed pretty much the same and he routinely ate 4 oz at each feeding.<br /> @autumnlove: so jealous of your low sleep needs. By far the worst part of parenting for me is the lack of sleep, as I have high sleep needs!<br /> @Rainbow Sprinkles: :crying: sorry dear. I went back at 7 weeks with my first, and it was super tough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160318 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 22:29:32 +0000 lawbee11 2160318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Around 250 oz. But my LO was 6 months old when I returned. I pumped once a day starting at around 8 weeks so it built up quickly.</p> <p>ETA: I actually didn't use much of it in the beginning, but it allowed me to cut down to 1 pumping session at work a day at 11 months which was really nice. I stopped pumping altogether when she turned 1. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160313 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 22:18:22 +0000 MrsBeluga 2160313@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ninja: we made it a whole year on only fresh milk. On days where baby needed more than what we had she got a little formula mixed in. Worked for us and not one regret. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160287 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 21:43:47 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2160287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I returned at 5 weeks PP and had 0 ounces in my stash. :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160260 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 21:02:43 +0000 dagret 2160260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jetsa: that's a really good post, and exactly what happened to me with my son! I started transitioning him to cows milk at 11 months because I couldn't pump enough anymore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160252 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:56:51 +0000 Mrs. J 2160252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nothing huge. I really made the stash while working (I would freeze at the end of the week) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160230 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:45:28 +0000 Mrs. Taco 2160230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@elise626: This.</p> <p>I went crazy trying to build a stash from the beginning and ended up with horrible oversupply. It ruined our BFing chances and I ended up having to EP for a year. I won't be pumping until the few weeks before I head back to work this time around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160219 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:30:13 +0000 jetsa 2160219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nothing we did formula for a day and had no issues nursing for a year. Everyone thinks this is a requirement and it's not. Here's a great article: <a href="http://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm</a><br /> @elise626 has a great point as well :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160206 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:13:56 +0000 elise626 2160206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know all women are different and this is just my experience, but I regret building up a large freezer stash for returning to work. All the extra pumping made my body overproduce milk, which actually made my son not want to nurse because the letdown was too strong (in addition to being uncomfortable for me). And once I was back at work, I hardly ever dipped into the freezer stash because I preferred using fresh pumped milk from the day before whenever possible. I ended up nursing my son for 2 years, and overall really enjoyed my nursing experience, but I wish I hadn't gotten so caught up in building up a big freezer stash/messing up my milk production, and gotten some more sleep during my last few weeks of maternity leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160120 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 18:17:50 +0000 catomd00 2160120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had enough for 2 days of daycare - 24 oz. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160070 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 17:12:46 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2160070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am worried about this. I have been horrible about pumping, I've tried to pump a few times a week and divide it into 1 oz bottles to give most days for practice. But I only have 6 weeks left. My goal is to save 4 oz/day, at least 5 days a week until I go back and then really keep up on a daily basis pumping 3x/ work initially if I have to. This may not be enough because I need to step up the bottle practice as well, since he's barely replaced a feed with a bottle, so I have no idea how much he'll take when I am gone from 230-12! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160011 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:55:16 +0000 autumnlove 2160011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a lot but I started pumping early/multiple times a days and I took 12 and 16 week leaves. My LOs started STTN early and I would still pump every 2-3 hours around the clock....I'm a night owl with low sleep needs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160010 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:54:56 +0000 Adira 2160010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first, I had about 60-70 oz when I returned at 12 weeks. The majority of that I accumulated during the last half of my maternity leave. I pumped a couple times a day, but even if you're able to freeze 2 oz a day, that adds up quickly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160008 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:52:57 +0000 snowjewelz 2160008@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the beginning I prob only have enough for 3 days. Since I started pumping at work I'm usually able to add at least 1 extra bag each week. At almost 2 months being back to work I now have about 100oz. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2160005 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:51:39 +0000 CakeLady 2160005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember exactly, but I don't think it was very big. I actually built my freezer stash once I went back to work when DS was 12 weeks because I was able to pump a bit more than DS was eating so I would freeze any leftover. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-big-of-a-freezer-stash-did-you-have-when-returning-to-work#post-2159998 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:48:32 +0000 ninja 2159998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not returning to work for 6 more weeks, and LO is 6 weeks old. But, I feel like I'm behind on pumping because I just started and have 12 oz in the freezer. </p> <p>How old was your LO and how much of a freezer stash did you have when you returned to work? </p>