I plan to breastfeed. (please read)?

Question

Ok I am going on a 12 week maternity leave (currently 37 weeks pregnant) and my job needs me to go to a training class in Minneapolis (Id have to fly and stay a day or two, possibly more.) This class is needed every year and happens to fall on the time of my leave, but I have agreed to go. Its about 7 weeks after my daughters due date. I plan on breastfeeding, what can I do in the days I am gone to feed my daughter? Should I freeze my milk and have my fiance give it to her when I am gone. What is the proper way to thaw out frozen milk? Sit on the counter, put the bottle in a pan of water and boil?

Answer 1

Breastmilk can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. My nephew won't take brstmlk after it is over 3 days old. You're going to have to play with bottles several weeks before you go to ensure that the baby will take to them. Since it is so early on also, the baby may not want to resume breastfeeding even when you get back. There is always that chance. Your milk supply will also drop some because pumping won't get it all out. It will pick back up again once you are doing it full time. If you freeze it, I believe it is good for a few months and good refrigerated once it starts to thaw for 24 hours only. Don't microwave it, use warm water in a cup and put the bottle in it. Good luck with it, it may be hard.

Answer 2

Is there any possible way that you could take your baby with you on the trip? If not, you should look into whether or not the company will pay to overnight express the breastmilk you pump while you're away so that you can ensure it arrives at home safely (freeze it and pack it in ice then overnight express it at the end of your stay). Remember that the TSA has restrictions regarding transporting breastmilk without a baby, so you'll have to either jump through hoops to get it on the plane with you, dump it out or ship it home. If the company won't ship it at their expense, you might see how much it would cost to ship it at your own expense. I just hate to see breastmilk go to waste!

As for how to store the milk that your fiance will give your baby...My Ameda Purely Yours pump came with a magnet that has guidelines. Here's what it says for full term, healthy babies:

Fresh breastmilk (never frozen) can be stored in a deep freeze (0 degrees or lower) for 6 months or more, a refrigerator-style freezer at appx. 0 degrees for 3-4 months, a fridge between 32-39 degrees for 8 days and at room temp (66-72) for 10 hours.

Previously frozen, but thawed milk can not be refrozen, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and is only good at room temp for an hour.

When you thaw the milk, you want to either let it thaw slowly in the fridge or run it under warm (not hot) water from the sink. Swish it around to recombine the creamy part with the watery part (it is normal for human milk to separate, it hasn't spoiled). If you boil the milk or microwave it, you will be killing the good bacteria and zapping a lot of the nutrients out of the milk.

Best wishes and good luck breastfeeding!

Answer 3

Wow. How long would you be away? I would personally NEVER consider being separated from a baby that young for more than a couple of hours. You could very well end up coming home to a baby who is weaned.

I'd be searching for another alternative. Can someone just bring you notes from the training for you to study? Is there anyway that Daddy and baby can come along with you? If you really HAVE to go, it seems that taking Dad and baby along would be the easiest way to preserve the nursing relationship. Maybe if you pay for Dad's plane ticket and half the hotel room or something?

If breastfeeding is important to you, I would strongly urge you to come up with an option other than being separated from such a very young baby for so long. This will not be good for your milk supply, and like I said, could result in a weaned child.

Yes, you can pump and store milk for her to take while you are apart if you must go. If it will be used in less than a week, there is no reason to freeze it. While frozen breastmilk is still better than formula for baby, freezing and thawing does damage some of the good properties of the milk. The best way to thaw it is to microwave a mug of water and float the bottle/bag in the hot water. It must be used within 24 hours of thawing. I'll put a link below about storage and handling of milk.

But I don't know how easy it would be to store up a few days worth of milk in that short of time while you are still working on establishing breastfeeding. A baby that young will still be nursing every 2 hour around the clock. And introducing a bottle too soon can complicate things. It's not recommended until 4-6 weeks of age, depending on how breastfeeding is going.

Would you be free to pump while you were apart? You would need to be pumping every 2-3 hours in order to keep your supply up. Would you have a good way to store the milk you pumped while apart? Can you get a room with a fridge where you'll be staying? (Maybe ask them to empty out a mini-bar?) Or take a good insulated cooler and change the ice in it several times per day so it stays good and cold? It would certainly be a shame to have to toss several days worth of pumped milk!

Answer 4

Definately begin pumping as soon as you can. It will be hard though. I tried pumping early on with my son. I wasn't as comfy with nursing as I thought I'd be and pumping made it worse. I called my girlfriend crying telling her I felt like a cow being milked!!

Most importantly wait until you are ready to beging pumping. It could have very easily ruined my breastfeeding relationship had I not had my hubby's support.

My best advice is freeze it in ice cube trays. Target sells the plastic ones with the lids online, but they aren't available in the stores. Sometimes Babies R Us has a bigger selection but I've never looked. When you need to make a bottle just pop a few cubes in a bottle and run under hot water. Or, put a try in the fridge.

It may be easier to judge a bottle ounce wise with the Mustela type plastic bags. They are made especially for freezing expressed milk.

Don't want to discourage you, but be prepared for some nipple confusion and nursing strikes. They get used to the bottle quickly. But, some babies really prefer the breast - I hope my next one does!!

One more thing...

After nursing (and even more so when your pumping and producing milk at such a high rate) then you suddenly stop your breasts will become enlarged and very painful! It puts you at high risk for a clogged milk duct and mastis.

Also, you will leak a whole lot. So, you'll need to bring lots and lots and lots and even more nursing pads with you. The worse thing is being in training all day and noticing big old wet spots where your boobs are.

It'd be a lot easier if you had the option of not staying the night. Maybe a co-worker can share the burden with you. Also, it will be hard if you have a rough delivery - ie. stiches or a c-section. I know worse case scenarios...but you can never be too prepared.

Answer 5

Definitely freeze your breastmilk for your daughter. It can be thawed in the fridge or under warm tap water. Do not microwave!! That will destroy all the good stuff in the milk. May I suggest that you start pumping as soon as you are home from the hospital to ensure that you have enough. Also pump and store your milk while you are away. To keep your supply up. As far your fiance feeding her while you are away, look into bottles that try to simulate the action of breastfeeding or alternatives to bottles. Such as cup feeding. Seven weeks is young and you want to avoid as much nipple confusion as you can.
This website should be able to help.
http://promom.org/
Best wishes and take care.

Answer 6

Momma2Mingbu is absolutely right. Seven weeks of age is a very risky time to be leaving a breastfed baby for more than an hour or two. It takes a good 6-8 weeks to establish your milk supply, which is based on supply and demand, meaning that if you are pumping during that time, it will affect your supply. For instance, if you breastfeed your baby every hour or two (which is most likely how often she'll be eating) and pump in addition to that, your breasts are going to start producing MORE milk than your baby actually needs every day to compensate for the extra pumping. That will all be fine and dandy until you leave your baby and try to only pump as often as your baby eats. You will probably have a lot more milk, and you may become engorged (this can lead to mastitis and be very painful).

Also, introducing a pacifier or bottle during that time can cause nipple confusion, nursing strikes, or weaning. Suddenly stopping breastfeeding is liklely to lead to mastitis (very painful, believe me!) -- but pumping at least as often as your baby would be nursing (every 1-2 hours) can help to prevent the mastitis.

Obviously, you have to do what you have to do, and only you know what that is. If you do have to leave your baby, make sure you leave her a good supply, and you will have to introduce the bottle early to make sure she will even take it.

Remember, too, that lots of babies aren't born on their due dates. Your baby could be 9 weeks by that time, and a little bit more established in her breastfeeding and easier to leave. Or, your baby could be 2 weeks late and you could be considering leaving a 5-week old baby. Keep this in mind so that you can be prepared for whatever you do decide to do.

I don't mean to try to scare you from going; I just wanted to warn you of the possibilities you may be facing. I'm sure you'll decide whatever is best for you and your baby based on your situation.

Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 7

you can only refridgerate breastmilk for a couple days, so you will have to freeze some as you won't be able to pump enough in that short amount of time. you can store breast milk in the freezer for 3-4 months in airtight containers. they sell storage bags with breastfeeding supplies that work great. you should only freeze the milk in small amounts to avoid waste, because you shouldn't refreeze once it has been thawed. the best way to thaw breastmilk is in the fridge overnight, or under warm running water -- not hot. do not microwave it. Once you take it out of the freezer, you should use it within 24 hours (keep refridgerated, of course).

here's a site with a good chart about it -

http://www.medela.com/NewFiles/faq/coll_store.html

start pumping extra milk well ahead of time -- weeks -- so you are sure to have a good supply for when you are gone. also be sure to keep pumping enough while you are away so you keep producing enough for your baby.

also, be sure to start your baby on a bottle of breast milk ahead of time so she can get used to the bottle and switch back and forth to the breast. also be sure to let her get used to your fiance feeding her sometimes, so she doesnt refuse to eat when you are gone.

congrats on your just-about-here baby! I am at 38 weeks and have a c-section scheduled for this coming friday. good luck to you and your baby!

Answer 8

Start to pump your breast milk about a week prior to leaving (your milk will be changing dramatically during the first few weeks of nursing so you want it to be the same kind of milk), and pump until you can't anymore. Pump while nursing if possible (sounds horrible, I know) and you should be able to pump the exact amount your baby needs each feeding. Write down how often you feed her - your fiance will appreaciate this greatly, as babies let you know AFTER he/she's hungry. Freeze every portion of milk. To thaw it, daddy should bring it to a non frozen state my submerging it in water. Once it can be poured into a bottle, pour it in, put it in a bath pan on the stove and bring to a warm (NOT HOT) temp. He can test it on his wrist. Take your breast pump with you or you will be in PAIN.

IF daddy runs out of milk, I recommend using a low iron formula to prevent constipation from the sudden change. As soon as you get back, start nursing immediately to get back in the groove.

Answer 9

it shouldn't be a problem. You express your milk (i suggest you start expresssing milk for storage about 3-4 days before you are due to leave), and store in the freezer. Frozen breast milk can stay fresh for up to 3 months. To thaw, you can put it in the fridge overnight, sit it in warm water(do not boil). You can also leave it out on the counter to thaw by itself, if there's enough time before baby needs a feed. Its also important that you introduce baby to bottle feeding way ahead of time. Some babies take a while to get used to a bottle. If you don't want to use a bottle, a sippy cup will also work. You will be fine, you'll see. I did the same with my daughter. I had to go back to work full time when she was about 3 months old, and since i had planned to breastfeed exclusively till 6 months, I started expressing milk since the week i gave birth to her(this also helped a lot with milk production). By the time i went back to work, I had a freezer full of breastmilk, i tohught of donating to the hospitals. I kept expressing my milk even at work, to replace the ones my baby used during the day.It really worked out well for me.

Answer 10

I thawed it in glasses of hot water (not boiling), that's dangerous! I would just stock up and store it, that is best, but if you have difficulty, you may have to resort to formula. Also, look into somethin on Ebay called a breastbottle nurser, it is shaped like a breast, to help simulate the mom when she can't be there to give the milk herself! If you wanna know the how to's and all of that, then you should check a book out of the library called "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" I can't recall who the author is right now. It has tons of practical advice, and the logistics of positons, and freezing and storage, and all the fun stuff. Congratulations, and best of luck to you all!