Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Saving Milk?

I'm sorry to keep bombarding you with questions, but here's one more:

When did you start saving your milk? Our IBCLC recommended we start by using a syringe to store milk, but she didn't really tell us when to start. Did you bother before you had a good, consistent spray? Did you save every little bit?

Thanks!

I used everything! I had my son already so as soon as it was enough to coat the bottom of a bottle I saved it. Newborns don't eat that much at a time anyway so you may want to save in small amounts. Frozen milk has to be used within 24 hours after thawing.

I don't think I would try to save when you just have drops, but when you are getting a little more, I would save it. Freezing in 2 oz bags is great advice. You can add to a frozen bag if you add cold milk.
Jennifer

So, bags or bottles? Are all bottles freezable?

As an update, I have enough to coat the bottom of the bottle! I got about 1/8 of an ounce today. Not tons, but I'm just so thrilled that I'm making milk! What an awesome thing.

I would say bags, definitely. My favorite were the lansinoh bags. They seemed to stay sealed the best with a double zipper seal. Great job!
Jennifer

You can even save the smaller volumes in the syringe. Even if you're only getting drops at a time, suck up each drop into the syringe and then put it in the freezer after each pumping/hand expressing session. Use the same syring for the next session and keep filling until you have a full syringe, then cap and put in the freezer in a zip-lock bag. Newborns can use drops and small volumes at a time and any amount of milk can be helpful to have in a syringe as this can be used to entice a baby to the breast if needed. There's never any sense in dumping milk. Always save every drop!

I'm now getting about 5ml/pump, so I've been collecting a day or two and then freezing it. Should I be using a syringe or is a bottle or bag okay? Will it get freezer burn if there's more air than milk?

Something horrible happened - well, horrible for now. I managed 1/2 oz all day yesterday and part of the day before. Last night, I put it away. It was late and I was tired. This morning, I discovered that tired me "put it away" in the cupboard. 9 hours out. I think I'm going to cry.

Fresh pumped breast milk can sit out for 10 hours, but I don't think I would freeze it if it had sat out that long. Sorry you lost it. It is like liquid gold.
Jennifer

I would freeze in a bag. The lansinoh bags I mentioned are easy to get the air out of. I would also freeze them lying flat. They are easier to store when they are all flat. When they are frozen then I put a bunch in a large ziplock bag.
Jennifer