What are the steps a father should take if he wants to bring his breastfed baby out without the mother?

Question

What to bring? What to prepare? How to store and heat up expressed breast milk when you're out?

Answer 1

If your wife or girlfriend owns a breast pump then the night before your expecting to go out she can pump however many bottles she expects your child will need. You can keep them cool in a diaper bag as long as you keep them out of the sun or any heated area. You can buy a portable bottle warmer now a days so depending the size you could tuck that in your diaper bag. Hope that helps if you haven't already received an answer.

Answer 2

Since breast milk is not homogenized, you need to keep it stored in a plastic bottle because breast milk adheres to glass surfaces and some of the nutrients in breast milk get lost on the sides of a glass bottle. So you should make sure the bottle of expressed milk are plastic.

Depending on how long you plan to be gone, a breast fed baby will probably not suffer any ill fate if the bottle is stored at room temperature. But if you are going to be gone for a couple of days, you might want to freeze the milk until such time as the baby would need it. It freezes well and you should have no problem bringing it from the freezer to room temperature to warming it in a water bath until it is warm.

When you heat up expressed milk, you need to use a water bath. Microwaves are not really a good idea, although some people do use microwaves to heat baby formula.

I would use a water bath, which means that you bring the bottle of milk into a large bowl or pan of warm water. Over the course of a couple minutes, the milk will warm to a tepid temperature which the baby will think is close to mom's body temperature. About 98.6 degrees.

How long are you planning to be out?

Answer 3

Try get the baby a good feed before you leave the house. This would be helped by allowing mom and baby as much time as needed, putting them in a quiet room, and making sure that they are comfy. Ask mom to pump in the two or 3 feeds leading up to leaving - depending on how long you are going out for. All breast milk should be in a sealed bottle (best is a number of bottles which have the amount needed) and refridgerated until you go. I would recommend the Avent pump - she can pump directly into the bottle. Always take one more than you think you will need. You can get those insualted bottle bags for easy carrying, and if you plan to be out for long, use an ice pack in the bag.

Contrary to popular belief, breastmilk is actually not warm at all. Your breastfed baby will be used to milk which, while not cold, is not warm. A half an hour before a feed, you can remove one bottle from the bag and leave it out to reach room temperature.

make sure that your breastfed baby is happy with a bottle. You dont want to be stuck without mom and a baby who will only take the breast.... Cuddle her in a breastfeeding position for her feed.

Good luck!

Answer 4

When my wife was feeding and went to work she would pump into playtex milk bags that go in a bottle. My son did not like it at first, but soon he got very hungry and took milk from the bottle. As far as storing it, it can be frozen for about a week. Do not, I repeat, do not thaw in the microwave. Very messy and bad for the milk. Keep in mind also that it does not necicarilly have to be heated, just eaten near room temprrature for the comfort and familiarity of the baby.

Answer 5

There are breast pumps for mom to use to put breast milk in bottles. Also bottle warmers that plug into car lighters. Just learn the baby's eating schedual and you will do just fine.

Answer 6

a few days before taking baby out start introducing him/her to the bottle. its best if mom doesn't do this cos the baby can smell her milk. when out, i have found that the best way to warm a bottle up is to let the bottle stand in a jug of boiling water for a few minutes - coffee shops/restaurants are very obliging. never warm it up in the microwave. and always check the temperature of the milk by squeezing a few drops onto the inside of your wrist.
take several changes of nappies and wet wipes and never leave home without a spare change of clothes for baby. best is to let mom pack a bag for baby cos she generally knows wot all is needed.
good luck and all the best

Answer 7

Make sure the mother has pumped at least 2bottles of milk. Keep them cool and have a way to warm the bottle on hand

Answer 8

Get a good breast pump and fill up some bottles