Pumping Storage and Feeding

When I needed to pump I would store my milk in the breastmilk storage bags. They have the ones that fit onto the medela pumps. Thawing the milk is super easy and fast. If it was milk that was going to be used within the next few days, I would pump into a bottle and stick it into the fridge.

I have the same pump, it is very easy to store the breastmilk. Using the storage bottles it comes with is great for storage if you are pumping at work. I froze extra milk in the medela storage bags. You can pump directly into the bags or pump into a bottle and transfer into the bags. Note: If you want to pump directly into bottles the wide ones will not fit on your pump. Another useful tool I found was medela sold plastic tubes (12 to a pack) that hold 2.7 oz of milk each and fit on the pump too. They are small, but they are nice when your baby is small since he/she won't drink that much anyway (and you won't have to use an entire bag for 2 oz of milk). They are reusable, BPA free, and they're also nice for storage when baby starts eating cereal and you need small amounts of milk to mix with. You can also freeze them if you want, although they do take longer to thaw. If it fills up and you are still pumping milk you can easily unscrew it and put on another. Good luck!

The way I did it was to freeze the storage bags after pumping and them putting them in the fridge for defrosting before adding them to a feeder bottle. You can freeze some of the bottles too if you are not wanting to buy bags all the time. That would probably be easier then you would just have to thaw the bottle. Hope that helps some!

It will depend on how you are storing it. If you pump milk to be used that day, then just pump directly into a bottle and you're on your way.

If you are pumping to freeze, then you need the storage bags. It's easy to mark the bag, fill and seal. Just thaw as directed and pour into your bottle.

The storage will seem easy compared with all the time you put in at the pump. Good for you, and call a lactation consultant if you have difficulties with your nursing/pumping.

My Pump in Style had small bottles that it pumped the milk into. I had good luck with just pouring my pumped milk into Gerber breast milk storage bags. They never leaked for me. I did find Medela bags that you could attach to the pump and the milk would go directly in there but I found them awkward to handle one-handed when they were full and I was trying to end my pumping session. You may just need to try some things and see what works for you...good luck!!

I have a 14 month old son, that I breastfed his entire first year. At about 8 months, he stopped nursing, and would only take a bottle. This left a lot of work for me, pumping, chasing a crawling infant and a full time job. I had the Medela Pump in Style, and loved it. You can pump directly into the Medlea bags, altough I never did this. I would pump into bottles and then transfer it from the pump bottles to a bag for the freezer or a bottle for feeding. It seemed like extra work sometimes to pump into one thing and then freeze in another and feed in a third, but he is a happy, healthy baby, and I credit part of that to breastmilk. I believe you can also but nipples for the Medela pump bottles, so you could pump into a bottle, put a nipple on it and feed. I hope it all works out for you. Any breastmilk is a huge sucess for any baby, whether it is one week or one year! Congratulations on your baby! Enjoy motherhood, it is amazing!

I also have the Pump in Style. I stored the milk in plastic cointainers and plastic storage bages. My mother-in-law bought me Avent storage that she found on sale, so I used those, I also used the storage bags, and the medela storage. I pretty much bought what was on sale. I thought the avent storage containers were the easiest since they're stackable for easy storage.

I pumped while at work for a year with both of my boys. What I liked best was using either Lansinoh or Gerber storage bags. I used the Playtex drop in bottles too. Basically I pumped into the Medela bottles and stored them in the case it comes with in the fridge at work. Once I got home I transferred the milk into the storage bags and put them into the freezer. I love these storage bags because I would just thaw the bags and place them in the bottle and that was it. You can't do that with the Medela bags. No extra step of pouring it into another bottle. And I only needed 4 bottles. Only bought a box of drop ins in case one of the bags had a leak.

I started with the Dr Brown's bottles but I did not like that I had to clean them, even using a dishwasher, it was just more things to clean. I originally got them because their regular bottles fit on the Medela pump. So, I would pump directly into their bottles and feed the baby with it. That worked until I had to go to work and start freezing my milk. With the Platex drop-ins, really I only needed to clean the nipple since once the baby was done I just had to throw away the bag. I would even throw the nipple into the bag with the pump stuff to sanitize it at the same time. I wish I knew about all this stuff before hand because then I wouldn't have gotten all those Dr Brown's bottles that just ended up taking so much space.

I pump into the storage containers that came with my pump and transfer it to a bottle and then store the excess in the fridge or freeze it using the Medela storage bags. Depending on how much you produce you may not be able to pump enough ounces for a full feeding at one time or you may produce more than is needed for an entire feeding. When I first brought my baby home, I only gave him 2 ounces at a time as a newborn. If you don't make enough, you'll want to collect the milk and store it in the fridge till you have enough for a bottle, and if you make too much you'll want to of course save the excess for times when you can't pump.

Medela also makes a feeding and storage set where you can pump directly into the bottles and then attach nipples to the storage container. This would be a good option for you and I have found that the nipples and the collars in this set are compatible with the other storage containers produced by Medela. While this is convenient, and especially great for travel, I have found better luck with switching to Born Free or Dr. Brown bottles when it comes to feeding because the Medela nipples have a tendency to collapse and the bottles don't have any sort of venting mechanism to keep the nipples from collapsing. Baby also ends up swallowing a lot of air this way. But everyone is different and different things work for different people. You really just have to experiment to see what works best for you.

A GREAT resource for pumping moms is the Exclusively Pumping Message Board on IVillage.
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppexcluspump
Lots of great insight from moms who exclusively pump, not sure if that is what you plan to do, but even if you plan to supplement with formula and/or nurse directly from the breast you'll still find helpful advice. I was not successful at nursing, but have been able to give my baby breastmilk for 4 months through exclusively pumping. It's not easy so if you need any extra pumping advice send me a message and I'm happy to answer any questions!

Good luck!

Hi Karyn,

I did this with my baby for six months after I returned to work. I am glad that you plan to breastfeed it was a wonderful experience for me. I will warn you that it is not easy and that it is something that you and your new baby will learn together, but once you have the hang of it it is really easy and rewarding. As for pumping, I used to pump what I needed for the next day so I pumped into the provided bottles and stored them in the fridge (milk can last up to 8 days in the fridge) and poured the milk into bottles for daycare. Before you return to work, you will want to take a few weeks of pumping to establish an emergency supply of which you can store in the freezer, you can buy milk storage bags for this purpose (I found that the Gerber milk bags were the most affordable). Good luck with your new baby, mine will be 1 year in April.

Sincerely,

K.

Definitely check out Kellymom's section on pumping & feeding ( http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/index.html )

Be prepared for some frustration as you try to develop a routine...and be prepared to cry over some spilled milk! :) (It happens!) I pumped for 16m before I was laid off, and what I found was that the bags were easiest in the beginning as I had a lot of oversupply (I would sometimes pump 24oz in a workday), filling them with about 4oz each for easy freezing & thaw/use. At 6m, my supply started dropping (Aunt Flo returned) and my son's appetite increased, so I was able to increase the amount I stored in a bag as well as no longer have to freeze the milk (and depleting the freezer stash at the same time). Eventually I switched over to the storage bottles, as they fit directly on the pump and would end up filling 2 over the course of a workday (about 12oz or so total). Since we were using Avent bottles, we had to transfer the milk from bag/storage bottle to the feeding bottle, but it all depends on your bottle system whether or not you will need to do this.

Good luck! Breastfeeding & pumping/working is a job in and of itself, but to see a happy, healthy little one makes it worth it. :)

Hi Karyn,
I suggest bookmarking www.kelleymom.com because it has some great info about breastfeeding and pumping. As for what's easiest, You'll find that there are LOTS of choices of what sorts of bottles to use for your baby. As it turns out, my 7 month old had trouble with many brands because the nipples (even the new-born ones) were too fast-flowing. She would choke and gag. We finally settled on the Born Free ones, but these are wider mouthed than the bottles that attach to my breastpump. So for us, I have the bottles I pump into and I transfer the milk into a large storage bottle (or 2) while at work. I bring it home and divvy it up into however many bottles my girl will need the following day.

You'll find a system that works for you. Congrats on the soon-to-be-arriving baby! Whatever you do, I would not start pumping for at least 2-3 weeks after the baby is born. The best way to get your milk in and supply established is to nurse your baby on demand, alternating sides that you start on each time. Make sure you have a lactation consultant or experienced nursing mom check your baby's latch before you leave the hospital.

I pumped for almost a year.... I found that the best thing to do is pump into a bottle (or whatever attaches to your pump) and then transfer it to a milk bag. I then froze it. I laid the bag down in the freezer because then it was thinner and would thaw out faster. My sitter thought this was a great idea because it made feedings easier for her.
Congrats, and good luck!

Hi Karyn,

I pumped into the Medela container and then used a different bottle so I could record how much milk to give the baby. If you are pumping for storage because you are going back to work, you can store and freeze them in plastic bags which are available from Medela. When you are ready to feed the baby, just thaw the milk in a warm water bath. If you are having your baby at a hospital, there is usually a lactation consultant on staff who can answer all your questions.
Good luck,
J.

Are you planning on pumping exclusively or pumping whe you return to work? Exclusively pumping can be done but it takes a lot of dedication. I would encourage you to put some consideration into putting the baby to breast at least until your milk is established, it will make things easier.

As far as storage, you can pump directly into bottles for baby's feedings or into storage bags to be transfered to bottles. I think it depends on how long you will be storing the milk which would make the most sense. The storage bags lay flat to freeze which is a good space saver.

If you have concerns I saw a fantastic lactation consultant in Mudelein named Jeanne Cygnus (www.cygnuslactation.com). Good luck!

Good for you for wanting to give your baby the best source of nutrition there is :O) I use the same pump as you and I love my Mother's Milk Mate storage bottles and rack (http://www.mothersmilkmate.com). You pump right in to the bottles, so when you need to use them, you just put a nipple on top. The storage rack helps to make sure you use the oldest milk first. The bottles are also BPA free.
Best of luck!

Hi! I used advent bottles that have a pumping connector that goes on to the pump in style. They also make special containers that connect to the pump in style and you can connect a nipple too. You have lots of options. Go to a babies r us and check them all out. They have a special section for just that type of stuff.

I'll second Ardsma's response as I did things pretty much like she did, pumping into the Medela bottles and then pouring into the Lasinoh bags for freezer storage. One addition: if you forget to thaw the milk ahead of time, you can sit the Lasinoh bag in a bowl in hot water. NEVER microwave breast milk. I got a Medela fridge magnet from my lactation specialist that has the length of time you can store breast milk in various situations - hopefully you can get a hold of one of those - very helpful to have handy until you know it all by heart. Best wishes!

I was an exclusive pumper for several months and had a pretty good system. I used the same pump you did and would pump into the bottles. Then I would empty the bottles into the Lansinoh bags (because they had the double zip-tops). I wrote the date on the front of the bag along with the quantity in ounces, then laid the milk bag flat in the freezer. I found laying the bags flat was most helpful because it took up less space than standing them up. I also found that about 5 ounces is the most I ever put in a Lansinoh bag; otherwise it would be too full and I had problems with the bags during thawing.

Defrosting the milk: I always made my bottles at night, so each night I would pull out as many bags/ounces as I needed and place them in a big Ziplock bag and clean bowl in the refrigerator. Although I didn't have too many problems with the Lansinoh bags, I wanted to contain any messes or spills by using the large bag and bowl. Once the milk was thawed, I gave it a good swirl (to make sure the fat was in the milk and not left behind in the bag) and poured it into the bottles.

I use the pump in style. They give you four plastic "jars" to attach when you pump, and which you can also use to store it. I generally use Lansinoh breast milk storage bags if I"m going to freeze it for later use (they have double seals). I use Evenflo glass bottles for storing in the refrigerator to avoid the plastic. I just heat in the bottle if he's going to eat all of it in one serving, or transfer what I think he's going to eat into a different bottle if he won't need as much as I have stored.
Congratulations on the expected little one!
--C.

I also pumped into a bottle and then transferred it to a bag. If you lay the bags flat, they freeze that way. Then, invest in a few ice cub bins (not trays) from the dollar store. The frozen bags stand upright in it neatly, and it's easy to keep everything in date order that way. (Always put the newer milk in back so that you use the old milk first.)

I have used a Medela Pump with all three of my children. I pumped into a storage bag, freeze it, and when I needed the milk I would then transfer it to a bottle (I have always used Playtex). Another choice you have, and maybe the easiest, if your going to be pumping and feeding with in a short time is to pump into a medela bottle, stick it in the fridge, and when it is needed put a nipple on it. And just a little FYI, Medela bottles have always been BPA free. I hope this helps.

Karyn H,

My daughter (first born) is now 8 months old. In the first three months I had a hard time setting aside enough milk to store, but after mid way through the 3rd month I was able to start. The first advice I would give is to make sure to store up to 3-4 oz of milk per storage bag. I say that because if they want more you can always heat up more. I use Medela breast pump, once I pump I put the milk in the refrigerator for no more than 3-4 days, then if not used I put it in a breast milk storage bag and put inside the freezer for up to 6 months.

I used Playtex bottles and the drop ins. The bottles that I got had an attachment that I could attach my pump to and then I pumped into the bags. I had old bottles that I would pump into with the drop ins and then freeze them. After they were frozen I would put them in a freezer bag and date them. Then all I had to do is put them in a bottle to thaw. I would recommend that you freeze one and then thaw it to make sure it freezes well. Mine did not and it separated when I froze it. With the next one I have to almost boil it before I freeze it. I know it's rare but it sucks to throw out tons of milk after you pump for months.

Hi Karyn,

I just finished breastfeeding my baby for 14 months. My best advice would be to store in bottles if you are planning on feeding it to the baby within 24 hours, otherwise, use the plastic storage bags, freeze, then defrost as needed. One note on defrosting...use room-temp or luke-warm water...some of the bags will open and leak if you use hot water to deforst with. I purchased a neat thing from "The First Years"...it is made to defrost the breast milk storage bags. You place the bag within this plastic see-through cylinder and add water. It hangs from your faucet in the sink and drains easily. My Mom and MIL loved it when they were babysitting. Good for you for choosing to breastfeed! Best of luck to you and your baby!

You can handle pumping and storage in a variety of ways. When I was in the NICU, They gave me little sterile cups to freeze. Later on, I sterilized them and reused them. When the milk thawed I would transfer it to a bottle. Later I found that there are some nice storage bags that can be attached to the pump for collection and storage. These same bags can then be put into the type of bottle that uses a bag. I didn't have that kind of bottle but I sure did enjoy not having to collect milk in one container and transfer it to another for freezing and it sure saved on dishwashing.

Hi Karyn,

It depends how you plan to store your milk... If you're storing in in the freezer (advantage: can be used up to 3-4 mos. after you pump it/disadvantage: need to use it within 24 hrs. after defrosting, can't refreeze it), Medela makes storage bags that you pump directly into. If you're storing in in the fridge (can be used up to 7-8 days after pumping), you can use the storage bottles or bags. I don't know if Medela makes nipples to fit the storage bottles, but you could probably find some that would. I was concerned about BPA in the storage bottles, so we always used a baby bottle (Born Free brand) to give the milk to my daughter when I was away. It really wasn't too difficult to transfer the milk -- if you have a dishwasher then you don't even have to worry about the time it takes to wash the extra bottles.

Best,
R.