still pumping, and a question

Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able to
pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last us
till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh milk
over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces of
fresh each day?

Thanks to everyone for your support. I never would have made it this far!

Betsy

"oregonchick" wrote in message
...
Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able to
pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last us
till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh
milk
over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces of
fresh each day?

Thanks to everyone for your support. I never would have made it this far!

Betsy


As I understand it, some of the antibodies etc. don't survive freezing, so
in general, the fresher the better. In addition, your body makes antibodies
based on what you're exposed to currently (which also matches what the baby
is being exposed to), and therefore, fresh milk will be more closely matched
to the baby's needs and be better support for their immune system.

"Donna Metler" wrote in message
. ..

"oregonchick" wrote in message
...
Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able
to
pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last us
till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh
milk
over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces of
fresh each day?

Thanks to everyone for your support. I never would have made it this
far!

Betsy


As I understand it, some of the antibodies etc. don't survive freezing, so
in general, the fresher the better. In addition, your body makes
antibodies
based on what you're exposed to currently (which also matches what the
baby
is being exposed to), and therefore, fresh milk will be more closely
matched
to the baby's needs and be better support for their immune system.

That's basically to my understanding as well...
I believe that frozen is not too bad for being off, and the best way to
serve it is by unthawing in the fridge or warm water, rather than thawing
out in the mic (which, I believe, kills off a lot more)

Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able to
pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last us
till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh
milk over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces
of fresh each day?

absolutely, fresh is best, I know you also want to rotate what is in the
freezer, so I would set yourself a proportion that you will feed fresh and a
proportion that you would freeze, I'd probaby go for 2/3 drink fresh and 1/3
freeze as you are doing three pumps (if I've got that wrong, then what I'm
saying is do freeze one pump), which will keep things rotating, but give her
some fresh stuff. If you find you are then not getting through the freezer
stuff fast enough, then freeze 2 pumps worth and use one fresh and only if
you are really going to have problems with stuff going off, would I go to
freezing it all and using all frozen.

Anne

"oregonchick" wrote in message
...
Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able to
pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last us
till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh
milk over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces
of fresh each day?

Thanks to everyone for your support. I never would have made it this far!

What Anne said. The frozen BM is still vastly superior to formula, so rather
than waste any use that up. But if you can afford to, give it fresh as it
will have a higher concentration of antibodies.
Great job, by the way! I'm completely blown away by how much you managed to
store, as someone who had pump resistance after the first few months.


--
Amy
Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02,
& Ana born screaming 30/06/04
http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/
My blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/querer-hijo-querer-hija/

Anne Rogers wrote:
Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able to
pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last us
till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh
milk over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces
of fresh each day?

absolutely, fresh is best, I know you also want to rotate what is in the
freezer, so I would set yourself a proportion that you will feed fresh and a
proportion that you would freeze, I'd probaby go for 2/3 drink fresh and 1/3
freeze as you are doing three pumps (if I've got that wrong, then what I'm
saying is do freeze one pump), which will keep things rotating, but give her
some fresh stuff. If you find you are then not getting through the freezer
stuff fast enough, then freeze 2 pumps worth and use one fresh and only if
you are really going to have problems with stuff going off, would I go to
freezing it all and using all frozen.

Unless the stuff in the freezer is going to go off before it can be
drunk, I don't see any benefit in freezing the fresh that she's pumping.
I'd give as much of it fresh as possible.


All the best,

Sarah
--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.typepad.com

"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be" - P. C. Hodgell

"Mum of Two" wrote in message
...
"oregonchick" wrote in message
...
Hi all! I am still pumping twice a day, but at this point am only able
to pump about 4-5 ounces at a time. I have plenty of frozen milk to last
us till at least 9 months. What I am wondering is, how superior is fresh
milk over frozen? Is there still a benefit to Emily getting a few ounces
of fresh each day?

Thanks to everyone for your support. I never would have made it this
far!

What Anne said. The frozen BM is still vastly superior to formula, so
rather than waste any use that up. But if you can afford to, give it fresh
as it will have a higher concentration of antibodies.
Great job, by the way! I'm completely blown away by how much you managed
to store, as someone who had pump resistance after the first few months.

Well, I pumped tons and frequently for like the first 3 months, but things
have petered out since. Here I am at 5 1/2 months, and I couldn't pump
enough to feed Emily by any means - I can only pump about 8 ounces per day
now.

"oregonchick" wrote in message
...
Well, I pumped tons and frequently for like the first 3 months, but things
have petered out since. Here I am at 5 1/2 months, and I couldn't pump
enough to feed Emily by any means - I can only pump about 8 ounces per day
now.

You checked the pump? Things like the tubing, the seals, maybe dust in the
motor?

Jess

Unless the stuff in the freezer is going to go off before it can be drunk,
I don't see any benefit in freezing the fresh that she's pumping. I'd give
as much of it fresh as possible.

rotating stash presumably, though of course it may be different here because
of the quantities being produced and the amount needing to be defrosted each
day, but if she's going to be giving breastmilk at 9 months I'd want it to
be stuff frozen as late as possible

Anne

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...


Unless the stuff in the freezer is going to go off before it can be
drunk, I don't see any benefit in freezing the fresh that she's pumping.
I'd give as much of it fresh as possible.

rotating stash presumably, though of course it may be different here
because of the quantities being produced and the amount needing to be
defrosted each day, but if she's going to be giving breastmilk at 9 months
I'd want it to be stuff frozen as late as possible

Anne

I am feeding the fresh stuff, and haven't been rotating, because we are
currently feeding milk that is about 5 months old. I have heard frozen bm
is good for up to a year, so I didn't figure rotation was that critical at
this point. I am feeding from a time when my supply was WAY WAY high, in
December, but my supply dropped off after that, so the dates will start to
go by more accelerated after we get through December's milk.

Betsy