Hellobee Boards

@sea_bass: Stashes are for emergent times - If I (God forbid) have to go to the hospital or wind up on medication that isn't safe for LO to have. I like having the back up for her to have in case I can't provide for her.

Stashes are also good for anytime you are going to be away from the baby (date night, etc.). If you don't plan on ever being away from the baby for more than an hour or two for the entirety that you plan to breastfeed, then a stash isn't necessary.

@sea_bass: You dont have to because honestly when you have a stash you constantly have to rotate through it because the milk changes as your child ages so if you feed your 6 month old milk from w hen she was a newborn it wont have the same nutrients that she needs.
I found it more stressful having a stash

@sea_bass: It's just recommended that you use defrosted milk within 24 hours, but you don't need 24 hours to defrost it. You can defrost in a glass of cool water.

@MamaMoose: wow, I didn't know that - I've definitely heated up milk in a pan of hot water that was straight from the freezer. Woops! Good to know for the future

@Mrsbells: crap. I didn't know that!! I have 80+ oz in the freezer because I had an oversupply. Now, M won't take a bottle. She's 3.5 months old. Is the milk I pumped basically useless?

@sea_bass: we swirl milk in warm water all the time to heat it up.

i have a stash because i work weddings and i don't always get a chance to pump as regularly as i should be. i want to make sure i have enough for emergencies, for being away, etc without worrying about her having enough. LO is almost 7 months and i'm considering trying to up my stash so she can have milk for longer after 1 year. (i would cycle through the stash now with milk i pump during weddings).

@Mrsbells: ok phewf! That makes sense. We are working on getting her to take a bottle so I'll start using the stash soon I hope!!!!

I'm a SAHM and am rarely away from LO...the most i had in a stash was about 10oz, and I only store milk when I know I have an upcoming appt...I do wish I had 1-2 bottles worth frozen all the time just for peace of mind!

I had the same question as you some months back! LO is just about 6 months and I've never had a stash. I've pumped a bottle at a time if I thought I might need it. LO doesn't like bottles (possibly because she's never had one consistently), I can never pump that much to make it worth it even though I know I have enough milk, and I just never felt the need. If you are EBF, pumping to build a stash is a lot of time and work! When I'm not BFing, my nipples need a rest! It's all worked out fine for us so far.

@sea_bass: I think it's personal preference. I'd personally rather have my LO have "old" milk than formula. He just had a bottle from January last week and was just fine

I had emergency surgery when LO was itty bitty and it was SO stressful because we were moving in 2 weeks and I hadn't frozen any milk. We had formula as a back up, and thank goodness the timing worked out so I nursed before surgery and then he slept until I came out but.. yeah it was stressful. So I built up a little stash, 2 days worth roughly, and try to give a bottle a week. Whatever i pump that feeding goes int he freezer and the oldest milk is served to him.

If you're keeping it in a deep freeze, it can be good up to a year.
@sslm: If you end up not using it, you can always donate it! I forget how old she is, but you could also use it to mix in purees if you go that route.

@sslm: Oh gosh you should be fine then. Don't sweat it! I personally don't mix it into purees because I've been doing more chunky "mashes" that aren't really liquidy but I've used it with oatmeal a few times. You could also bake with it, like pancakes. I'd think adding it to sweet potato, squash, even a hummus type thing would be fine! You won't have to waste it

My LO has only taken about 4 oz from a bottle. Ever. He's 6 months old. But I try to pump 5-6 oz a day to have for emergencies. I keep two months, donate one. I found a mom through my local Human Milk 4 Human Babies FB page that I felt comfortable donating to, and her little girl gets about 130 oz of my milk every month! It's pretty easy to do (I pump at night after LO is in bed), I like the security of having that emergency stash in the freezer, and I also feel good knowing I'm helping out another baby.

Yes have a stash!! I had to go to the hospital for food poisoning and they gave me medicine that knocked me out. DH gave ds a bottle that night. It's also not a bad idea to try bottles occasionally to see if he'll take them. DH really enjoys it. And it's nice to know if I run out for an errand or want to go on a date night, there is back up in the fridge for DH or grandparents.