For WOHMs that breastfeed, how much milk did you have stored up in the freezer when you returned to work? Is it necessary to have a big stash to keep up with your LOs needs, or was pumping at work enough? This is so confusing. I need some sort of milk calculator. Thanks in advance!
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@JessLC: I had a freezer stash in the begining but I worked hard ot get ride of the stash because its not good to keep the milk in there too long. Right now I usually pump enough each day for the next day. I do somtimes add anywhere from 1oz to 2oz of formula to each bottle if necessary
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Subscribing! I return to work on Wednesday and have 80 ounces on my freezer stash and worry it's not enough.
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I did not have a huge stash built up before going back to work. I would estimate that it was a few days worth. Pumping at work 3x a day enabled me to keep up just fine, and I did an extra pump at night when I was able to in order to make up for any shortfalls for whatever reason, and also to keep the stash growing.
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I had about a two week stash.
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I had a lot...maybe a 3 week supply? I won't pump as much next time!
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With my son, I had like a week's supply. But I made barely enough to feed the next day. I think I pumped 24 oz a day and he was eating around 28 oz a day. I still need 4 oz a day extra so I got up in the middle of the night (3am) to pump so that I would have enough for him. It was exhausting. So I decided this time around, I would pump earlier so now I have around 300oz in my freezer. Either way works, but at least this way, I don't have to wake up in the middle of the night to pump anymore!
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@Mrsbells: i'm thinking i'll need to supplement with formula too. i can't imagine pumping enough the day before for the next day.
@autumnlove: so you think 3 weeks worth was way too much and unnecessary? how much do you think would be a good amount?
@banana: wow. 300 oz?? that is incredible. how long did it take you to build up that stash?
@littlek: was the 2 week stash enough?
ok this is a stupid question... how many ounces = 1 week stash?
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@JessLC: It took me 3 months to build that up.
So if your LO drinks, say, 30 oz a day, you would need 210 oz a week. But that's assuming you're not replenishing your stash. My LO drinks 28-30 oz a day. But I BF her in the morning and at night and all weekend. So I only really need 18 oz a day, while I"m at work. I pump 14 oz at work so I'm minus 4 oz. I have 300 oz in my freezer so that's 75 days worth of milk that I have in my freezer, which is around 3 1/2 months worth (not including weekends).
Sorry for all the math. Gives me a headache. I had to do math to figure this out because I was afraid of being low on supply again this time!
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@banana: i needed someone to lay out all the math for me - that was really helpful, thank you!! i'm 2 months away from returning to work, so i guess i better get crackin' on building up my stash!!
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I had around 200oz when I went back. I haven't used any of it, and I add about 30-40oz a week. I just send what I pump day. It's so much easier. It is nice to have a backup just in case though.
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@JessLC: Does your LO sleep one long stretch at night? My DD slept a 6-7 hour stretch when she was a newborn and that's when I was able to really save some milk. Also, there were a lot of times when she didn't finish emptying one side. So I would pump the full side and save that. Every ounce counts!
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I had about 60 oz and that lasted like a week at daycare. My supply has dropped since and I'm only pumping like 4 oz a day.
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So much depends on how much you are able to pump and how much your LO drinks while away from you. I have always been able to pump more than LO drinks, so it's not as big a deal for me to have a huge freezer stash, though I had maybe 100 oz? I freeze whatever I have leftover every Friday and thaw the oldest frozen milk for her on Monday to cycle through my stash.
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@banana: she just started sleeping 6 hours (yay!) and only feeds on one side, so i started pumping the other. in the last couple of weeks, she usually only feeds on one side during a nursing session, so i think i should start pumping the other side every time. i probably should have started earlier!
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@JessLC: Yes! Pump the other side and freeze! Not only is it good for your freezer stash, you'll empty out your breast which will make more milk AND you won't get mastitis!
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