Post by frecklesnbrains on Jun 28, 2016 6:00:15 GMT -5
I asked this question on the breastfeeding board too, but I'm looking for strategies for efficient freezer storage of milk. The bags are currently taking up too much space and are difficult to organize. I think the answer is to freeze them flat and then stack them, but I'm having difficulty finding a tray that will fit the bags. Another option seems to be freezing in cubes or sticks, but this seems a little fiddly when I'm probably going to thaw large volumes at a time.
Post by Flair Underwood on Jun 28, 2016 6:03:38 GMT -5
frecklesnbrains - I'm searching on Amazon for breast milk freezer storage options myself. They seem to have some that you can freeze flat and then stack back to back... I didn't do anything that worked with DD last time so I'm glad you asked. I'm hoping someone has a good solution!
Post by frecklesnbrains on Jun 28, 2016 6:29:33 GMT -5
greysonsmom that looks great! It sounds like it will work with Lansinoh bags based on the description? I have several hundred of those... What type of bag did you use?
greysonsmom that looks great! It sounds like it will work with Lansinoh bags based on the description? I have several hundred of those... What type of bag did you use?
I love target brand bags! I tried a bunch of different kinds with DS and target ones were the best, never leaked.
greysonsmom that looks great! It sounds like it will work with Lansinoh bags based on the description? I have several hundred of those... What type of bag did you use?
I love target brand bags! I tried a bunch of different kinds with DS and target ones were the best, never leaked.
Ooh, good to know that Target makes a bag! I love Target. So according to the Amazon reviews the Lansinoh bags don't fit very well in this, which is what I feared (they're a bit wide). I have a ton of them I'd like to use up though. I'm thinking of just getting one of these - it's slightly wider.
Post by frecklesnbrains on Jun 28, 2016 7:41:46 GMT -5
bighair12, that's an AMAZING amount of milk! You're a lactating rock star!
I like the idea of just using whatever you have lying around the house... I can't seem to find any appropriate shoe boxes, etc though. I live in such a tiny place that I tend to throw away or give away everything that doesn't have an immediate use. Baby stuff is seriously stretching our storage capacity!
Target bags are amazing. I tried so many with DS (and froze thousands of oz with him) and target bags held up the best by far! Lansinoh was the worst, I always lost milk to the bags leaking when I thawed them. I never froze flat last time, but I'm trying to be more efficient with my space so I may need to start doing that. I already have quite a bit frozen this time, but I'm freezing in small amounts for now.
bighair12, that's an AMAZING amount of milk! You're a lactating rock star!
I like the idea of just using whatever you have lying around the house... I can't seem to find any appropriate shoe boxes, etc though. I live in such a tiny place that I tend to throw away or give away everything that doesn't have an immediate use. Baby stuff is seriously stretching our storage capacity!
Are you still looking for a house? If so, I highly recommend getting a small deep freezer for milk. Totally worth the money, we got one from Walmart. I'm not sure if you have any sort of garage space right now?
bighair12, that's an AMAZING amount of milk! You're a lactating rock star!
I like the idea of just using whatever you have lying around the house... I can't seem to find any appropriate shoe boxes, etc though. I live in such a tiny place that I tend to throw away or give away everything that doesn't have an immediate use. Baby stuff is seriously stretching our storage capacity!
Apparently the boxes canned soda comes in works really well. I've been using a small bread baking pan for now. But my stash is growing and I need more space.
Post by frecklesnbrains on Jun 28, 2016 9:30:17 GMT -5
Andrea, brilliant! Too bad we're not soda drinkers... I do have some bread tins though. Also, that's quite a stash! You guys are making me feel like a serious amateur...
txmommy14 our house hunt is on hold indefinitely. We lost out on 6 different houses and I was so fed up and stressed out. The last house we bid on had 15 offers and sold with a cash offer for over $100k over asking price - I couldn't take it anymore after that. We simply can't be competitive in this insane market without buying a fixer-upper, which we don't have time for. We like where we are renting a lot, so it's not the end of the world, but it's a small 2 BR 3rd floor walk-up with very limited storage, certainly not space for a chest freezer anywhere.
frecklesnbrains I'm not sure if this would work with your freezer situation and I've never tried this, but my friend used this attempt and loved it. You take gift bags and make a slit at the bottom. Then you lay the milk bag flat in the gift bag. Not only does it contain all the bags of milk, but with the slit in the bottom it "dispenses" the milk in order of date, so you are using the oldest milk first.
Andrea, brilliant! Too bad we're not soda drinkers... I do have some bread tins though. Also, that's quite a stash! You guys are making me feel like a serious amateur...
txmommy14 our house hunt is on hold indefinitely. We lost out on 6 different houses and I was so fed up and stressed out. The last house we bid on had 15 offers and sold with a cash offer for over $100k over asking price - I couldn't take it anymore after that. We simply can't be competitive in this insane market without buying a fixer-upper, which we don't have time for. We like where we are renting a lot, so it's not the end of the world, but it's a small 2 BR 3rd floor walk-up with very limited storage, certainly not space for a chest freezer anywhere.
Girl, that is not my stash!!! I have maybe 30-40 oz frozen.
That was curtesy of Google to show you what the soda thing looked like. We don't drink soda at home either, but I drink the crap out of La Croix. Wonder if I can hack one of those boxes.
My stash is currently a pile on one shelf in our freezer. I need to fix that. The only problem is that I didn't do enough preplanning and the first few days had to use ziploc bags for storage. I'm sure some of them will leak, but I'll thaw them in a bowl to prevent loss.
Post by manybellsdown on Jun 28, 2016 11:45:06 GMT -5
TTMA nursing friendly tops. I've realized I have too few. Where can I find cute-ish options for summer? I'm open to both nursing-specific shirts and "regular" ones that are easy to pull down/unbutton.
TTMA nursing friendly tops. I've realized I have too few. Where can I find cute-ish options for summer? I'm open to both nursing-specific shirts and "regular" ones that are easy to pull down/unbutton.
To me this is the biggest downside to nursing. So hard to find nursing friendly clothes. I do a lot of regular v necks or deep swoop neck shirts.
TTMA nursing friendly tops. I've realized I have too few. Where can I find cute-ish options for summer? I'm open to both nursing-specific shirts and "regular" ones that are easy to pull down/unbutton.
Target has basic v-necks and scoop necks in about ever color that pull down so easy without stretching out. They go on sale for 3/$24 a lot. I'll be buying more next time so I can stop rotating the same three.
Post by mymilkshake on Jun 28, 2016 15:28:34 GMT -5
Can anyone comment on nipple confusion. Currently DS is doing great BFing. In the hospital, we gave him a pacifier one night not knowing and he liked it. The lactation consultant advised against it. Just wondering what others experiences might be.
Can anyone comment on nipple confusion. Currently DS is doing great BFing. In the hospital, we gave him a pacifier one night not knowing and he liked it. The lactation consultant advised against it. Just wondering what others experiences might be.
We've always given our babies pacifiers from day one and never had an issue. My babies have all been great nursers though and I don't have any milk production issues.
Post by twobananas on Jun 28, 2016 15:47:52 GMT -5
This time around they made us sign a form in the hospital talking about how bad a pacifier could be before giving one to us. I thought it was pretty ridiculous.
Can anyone comment on nipple confusion. Currently DS is doing great BFing. In the hospital, we gave him a pacifier one night not knowing and he liked it. The lactation consultant advised against it. Just wondering what others experiences might be.
Not the case for us- he goes from the boob, to multiple types of bottles/nipples & two types of pacis like a champ. In my experience in EI. Nipple confusion is a thing, but not so for the majority of kiddos.
Can anyone comment on nipple confusion. Currently DS is doing great BFing. In the hospital, we gave him a pacifier one night not knowing and he liked it. The lactation consultant advised against it. Just wondering what others experiences might be.
So far we haven't had any issue with nipple confusion. The LC at the hospital advised us to breastfeed followed by supplement, and they've also been using pacifiers. They latch no problem, tank their bottles, and use the pacifiers successfully for comfort.
TTMA nursing friendly tops. I've realized I have too few. Where can I find cute-ish options for summer? I'm open to both nursing-specific shirts and "regular" ones that are easy to pull down/unbutton.
Target has basic v-necks and scoop necks in about ever color that pull down so easy without stretching out. They go on sale for 3/$24 a lot. I'll be buying more next time so I can stop rotating the same three.
I may own every color of one of the v neck styles.
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