Another Pumping question

[singingmama10]

Hi Ladies, 
So here's my dilemma.  My son and I have a struggled with BF from day one.  I just don't think he likes it.  I am going to ask his Dr. about a possible lip tie at his next appointment.  However, up until about a week ago he fought  it but we made it work.  I bought a scale so I knew how much he was getting.  But last week he would take about an ounce and then start screaming.  So I started pumping 2-3 more ounces and feeding it to him immediately.  Now 2 days ago he completely refused the breast.  I kept pumping and realized my supply dropped DRAMATICALLY (which is probably at least one of the reasons why he refused to breastfeed) I was getting about 2 ounces while pumping for 20 minutes, and he had NOT breastfed before that.   I used to be able to get 5 ounces within a 10 minutes on one breast.  I know that is abnormal and an over supply,  but that just shows how much of a change happened within a week or two.
So to get my supply back up (I don't want it necessarily back to where it was... but definitely up from where it is now) I have been pumping every hour or two.   I am storing my milk in one milk storage bag because it is really easy to warm up for him rather than a plastic bottle.  All that to ask this question.... Can I warm up the milk in the bag, by putting it in a bowl with hot water, put what a want in a bottle and then put the remaining milk back in the fridge after it's been warm? I am using all the milk within a 24hr period. Thanks for your help!!  

[gldnbearz]

I'm not sure how much you store in "one milk storage bag", but can you put just what he needs (2-3 oz) in each bag? That way only warm up what you would feed him.

There's a page in my Medela pump manual that addresses this. I don't have the manual in reach at the moment.

[singingmama10]

I can store small amounts if necessary. I am a cheap ass so if I can save the money and use a bag or two a day I will. If not, I'll use multiple bags.

[gldnbearz]

I understand being frugal and those bags aren't cheap. However, warming milk several times is a bad practice for food safety.

[singingmama10]

I thought so. Just thought I would ask. Thanks for confirming it ladies

[wicked22]

singingmama10, I Bought cheap Gerber 9oz bottles that I store my day's milk in at the end of the night and 6oz bottels for separating. Before bed I measure into the 6oz bottle what LO needs for the next day then pour the rest in a bags and freeze. It saves the bags and I can just wash and reuse the cheap bottles. 

Edit to add more info

[singingmama10]

wicked22, yeah I think I'll have to do something like that, at least until my supply is back up again.

[Libby]

I also store feeds in medela bottles if I'm going to use them with 3 days so I can see accurate measurements. I then use bags to freeze the rest. This way you can wash and reuse! (The bottles not the bags) You should not reuse milk that has been warmed related to bacterial growth I believe? Maybe pour milk out of bag into bottle then warm in bottle and place the rest back in the fridge? We use glass bottles to warm because it is quick and there is less chemical leaching than warming plastics.

Sorry you are still struggling with breastfeeding. I hope your supply comes back up! Mother milk tea helps if you can choke it. I added honey and sugar and it really helped! Best of luck to you!!

[littleapplemom]

My LC in the hospital told us to never reuse previously warmed milk. Once warmed, if not used within the hour toss it. It hurts my heart a little every time I have to dump some because LO is full. A lot of sites recommend storing in 2-5 oz portions to avoid wasting BM and because they will thaw faster.

From Mayo Clinic site:

How long does expressed breast milk keep?



How long you can safely keep expressed breast milk depends on the storage method. Consider these general guidelines for healthy infants:
•Room temperature. Freshly expressed breast milk can be kept at room temperature for up to six hours. If you won't use the milk that quickly or the room is especially warm, transfer the milk to an insulated cooler, refrigerator or freezer.

•Insulated cooler. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in an insulated cooler with ice packs for up to one day. Then use the milk or transfer the containers to the refrigerator or freezer.

•Refrigerator. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in the back of the refrigerator — not the door — for up to five to eight days.

•Freezer. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in a standard refrigerator freezer for up to three to six months and in a chest freezer for up to six to 12 months. Place the milk in the back of the freezer — not the door.

[wicked22]

littleapplemom,I'm pretty sure the hour rule is for formula not BM, I've ready several places that warmed BM can stay out up to 4 hour. Some said more some said less but all said more than an hour.

[littleapplemom]

Thanks wicked22,!! It's usually not tat much that doesn't get consumed but I still hate to watch it go down the drain. For OP though, I def wouldn't heat then put it back in the fridge.

[wicked22]

yeah reheated is def a big nono

[momof2boys]

You can't cool it back down. Once you warm it you can leave it set at room temp for a couple of hours but once the baby drinks from the bottle it introduces saliva and bacterias that can start to break the milk down so anything not drunk within an hour should be discarded.

If you really want to get your supply back up you can try power pumping (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off for 60 minutes), and lots of foods help. Make sure you're using properly fitted flanges on your pump too, and replace the membranes. When I saw a dip in supply while pumping replacing the membranes always helped. Some people respond better to a manual pump, which takes longer and you can only do one side at a time, but it might work. And if none of that helps, look into renting a hospital grade pump for a month or two and see how that goes. I rented one after my first (pre-obama care and we were having latch issues so I was pumping and feeding for a bit) and it was $55/month. Worth every penny.

[singingmama10]

Thank you all. Previously I only pumped in order to give a bottle to my MIL while I went shopping for an hour or two...Or if LO was extra fussy and didn't want to breastfeed. So I really haven't dealt with the storage yet. So thank you all for your advice. I feel like my supply is already getting better. yesterday I was barely able to get 2 ounces total and now I just pumped 4, so things are looking up. Now if I can only get him to take more than an ounce or two from the breast I'll feel even better. I was scared there for a second that he would completely stop BFing and I wouldn't even be able to pump.... but I think the pumping will still work.

[calimomof1]

singingmama10, I've struggled with breastfeeding my LO due to both tongue and lip tie. Both have been corrected now, but before they were, she was only taking about 1 ounce per feed. It affected my supply. Breastfeeding is getting better for us, but it's still challenging, and I'm not sure that she's gaining weight like she should be. Definitely get that lip tie checked out soon!

Also, which scale did you purchase?

[singingmama10]

calimomof1, He was getting at least 3 ounces per feeding. He would cry and pull off frequently but would still get a decent amount... but all of a sudden it has dropped . Did your pediatrician do the procedure or did you go to a dentist?
The scale helped me immensely! I was always paranoid about how much he was getting. The "hold" button is not accurate on the one we have but as long as you can calm your baby enough it measures to the nearest half ounce. You can find at the link below.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009MFUZE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[calimomof1]

Thanks singingmama10! Our ped referred us to a pediatric dentist, who used a laser to remove the lip and tongue ties.