Pumping 101

I don't NEED to pump, I'm not going back to work or anything but I'd
like to build up a bit of a freezer stash for some future time
out...someday...maybe:-). I've never been particularly successful at
pumping but it seems that this time by breasts are giving it up much
easier this time around than ever before. I have a crappy little pump
and plan on buying an Isis. So what is your preferred method of
storing milk? Bags? How does that work? You pump into a bottle and
then pour and freeze it in bags? Any helpful hints?
I gave dh a couple ounces of EBM in a bottle the other night, Ben
screamed like he was trying to poison him. On a whim *I* tried a
couple minutes later and to my shock Ben drained the bottle without
batting an eye and he wasn't particularly hungry. Dh must have been
tense-Ben picks up on that very quickly. Hopefully, if he'll take EBM
from me he'll take it from anyone else who is relaxed.

Karen wrote:
I don't NEED to pump, I'm not going back to work or anything but I'd
like to build up a bit of a freezer stash for some future time
out...someday...maybe:-). I've never been particularly successful at
pumping but it seems that this time by breasts are giving it up much
easier this time around than ever before. I have a crappy little pump
and plan on buying an Isis. So what is your preferred method of
storing milk? Bags? How does that work? You pump into a bottle and
then pour and freeze it in bags? Any helpful hints?

I pump into bottles and freeze in bags. If I'm using it immediately or in
the next couple of days, I store it in the fridge in bottles. I don't like
the bags for pumping into or daily use (I work) because they are more
difficult to hold onto and pour in and out of. I use the Gerber storage
bags because they have a ziplock top instead of a twist-tie or clip. I can
pour the milk into them and then lie them flat to freeze. This makes them
much easier to store in the freezer because they stack neatly. They also
thaw much quicker when frozen flat. I use the Avent bottles with the
storage discs popped in to store in the fridge, but only because I have
Avent bottles that he won't eat from and I need to use them for something.


I gave dh a couple ounces of EBM in a bottle the other night, Ben
screamed like he was trying to poison him. On a whim *I* tried a
couple minutes later and to my shock Ben drained the bottle without
batting an eye and he wasn't particularly hungry. Dh must have been
tense-Ben picks up on that very quickly. Hopefully, if he'll take EBM
from me he'll take it from anyone else who is relaxed.

My DH, my Mom, and my MIL all tried for weeks to get DS to take a bottle.
Finally, I tried myself and he drained it. I think he was waiting for me
to offer it because I'm the one who always feeds him. After getting used
to taking it from me, he'll take it from anyone now.

Manda

Karen wrote:

easier this time around than ever before. I have a crappy little pump
and plan on buying an Isis. So what is your preferred method of
storing milk? Bags? How does that work? You pump into a bottle and
then pour and freeze it in bags? Any helpful hints?

The Isis rocked for me. I'm a SAHM, just used it for occasional nights
out and to relieve when P didn't drink as much.

The Isis can do it two ways...you buy the disposable freezer bags and
the bag-bottle (a bottle that is made to fit the bags and the pump, uses
special nipples tho I think that's just a marketing thing); or just pump
and save straight into bottles (that's what I did).

One mom, somewhere, suggested pumping straight into the bottle, then
pouring the bottle into the ice-cube freezer bags (you know, the
disposable ice cube bags?) Then you just take what you need, and
defrost. Never tried it myself.
--
'Tis Herself

Karen wrote:

So what is your preferred method of
storing milk? Bags? How does that work? You pump into a bottle and
then pour and freeze it in bags? Any helpful hints?

I used bags. I pumped into a bottle and then poured it into the bag.
Supposedly you can pump directly into the bag but I found that to fiddly. I
liked the zip lock bags and found them worth the extra money. For a long
time I sat the bags up right to freeze. I'm quite slow on the uptake
sometimes, lol, but did eventually figure out that if you lay them flat they
freeze/store *much* nicer :-) The milk does not leak out, even on the ones
that I had the twist tie system..

Dh must have been
tense-Ben picks up on that very quickly. Hopefully, if he'll take EBM
from me he'll take it from anyone else who is relaxed.

They might need to try a different position. I used to baby sit two
different breastfed babies. One baby I had to hold very close and cuddle
her in the typical cradle hold. The other I had to sit facing out on my
lap. If she was in the cradle hold she refused the bottle. She didn't want
that hold or even to see my face when she ate.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)