Forum home Archived Birth Clubs My baby was born in May 2011

expressing.. all the questions lol

ok so I have just expressed my first bottle and realised I have no idea what I'm doing, so I have a few questions...



1. How much would I need to express per feed for a 5 week old? (I realise this would vary baby to baby but just an average idea..?)



2. How long is it useable for when keeping it in the fridge?



3. How would I reheat it when I'm ready to use it? microwave? or just let it warm to room temp?



4. I'm using Tommy Tippee closer to nature, bottles and pump, is the milk ok stored in a bottle and a full lid? (not the bottle lids, the proper ones if that makes any sense?)

Replies

  • I also, would like answers to these questions!! Can you keep it in the bottle in the fridge? Am expressing using tommee tippee too and feeding with MAM x
  • OK I will try my best - feel free to correct me anyone else!



    1. How much would I need to express per feed for a 5 week old? (I realise this would vary baby to baby but just an average idea..?) They say that between 4 wks and 12 wks babies usually will take 24-36oz of Bm in a 24 hr period, so at 5 wks I would think between 26 and 30oz a day would be about right split by the number of feeds - although it's not an exact science of course as each babe is different!



    2. How long is it useable for when keeping it in the fridge? If you leave it a room temp it's good for about 4-6 hrs, in the fridge it is good for 5-7 days as long as it's not in the door of the fridge and if you warm it to room temp from the fridge you can't refrigerate it again, so make sure you use it or you will need to chuck it out after 4 hrs out of the fridge. If you freeze it it doesn't contain all of it's 'goodness' still but it is good for up to 6 months in a deep freezer - once you thaw it though you cannot refreeze it and if you thaw it at room temp you cannot refrigerate it either so thaw in the fridge if you want to keep it in the fridge for a bit.



    3. How would I reheat it when I'm ready to use it? microwave? or just let it warm to room temp? You should never microwave BM, if you want to heat it quickly in it's bottle run it under a hot tap (making sure no water gets into it) or stand it in a hot cup of water for a few minutes, babies will normally drink it a room temp though so it doesn't need to be really warm and if you can predict their feed within a 4 hr window then take it out of the fridge and put it on the side to get to room temp! If you are at a friends house or a restaurant I strongly recommend predicting feed time and getting it to room temp yourself or asking them for a cup of hot water to warm it in as most people will put it in the microwave or not handle it as hygienically as you would. Remember though if you heat it , even to room temp, you can't put it back in the fridge so decant what you need from a bottle in the fridge into a feeding bottle and put the left overs back in the fridge otherwise if your babe doesn't drink it all it will go to waste - you can always top up after a feed with a little extra from the fridge but you can't put it back. Also if you start to feed babe and he/she decides they don't want it if they have put their lips on the teat and sucked then you can only keep it 1 hr and then it has to be thrown out.



    4. I'm using Tommy Tippee closer to nature, bottles and pump, is the milk ok stored in a bottle and a full lid? (not the bottle lids, the proper ones if that makes any sense?) Yes you should be able to store those in the fridge but it normally says on the packet, I don't use these bottle though. I think you mean a closed lid not the teat right, as yes you should store it with the screw on lid on it!





    Hope that all helps - ask if you need any more help!

    BoB.
  • Thanks BOB, that gives me a clearer idea, really appreciate that xx
  • One last question lol, if I'm Struggling to express Enough for A full feed how long can I keep adding to the same feed for?
  • I don't quite understanding the question??? I usually store all my expressed milk in the fridge in marked up containers stating the time and day I expressed then add to them as I pull them from the fridge - is that what you mean? I wouldn't add to them before you need it or mix different temperatures of milk; meaning I wouldn't express at 1pm and add it to the 9am expressed milk already in the fridge unless I pulled out the 9am milk and warmed it to room temp then I could top it up with the 1pm expressed milk and feed it to babe. I hope that was the question!
  • Thanks BOB yes that's what I mean, it wad taking me a while to get enough last night and I was wondering how long I could sit there doing it x
  • Oh and by the way between 1am and 4am is a really good time to express as you will get the largest amount of the day then! If you're up of course image
  • Yes I agree with BoB I just can't express in the evening, my milk stores are soo low! Think it's because you do so much in the day and during the night you produce more when you sleep as all your body has to do is produce milk lol!
  • Hmmm, went to the fridge, I expressed yesterday morning and popped it in the fridge, went back to the fridge today and it has split!! Very upset as have been unable to express this morn :? I'm not finding this business easy....
  • Split??? Was it in a bag? I don't use the bags I use the plastic bottles that attach to my medela - that would be really annoying to lose your 'liquid gold' :x
  • Oooh this is really helpful just about to start expressing! Thanks BoB. xx
  • I used a pot with a lid that came with my tommee Tippee electric expresser, yes, I am very annoyed :evil: maybe I left it too near the front of the fridge image
  • Did it get too cold and maybe start to freeze? It shouldn't have done that! I am like a bodygaurd as far as my milk goes if someone even goes near the fridge I tell them to watch the milk! :lol:
  • Hmmm, methinks I need a thermometer in the fridge image . So far so good I have designated a space in the fridge, and bought freezer pots to see if it's better to freeze it! Very strange tho....
Sign In or Register to comment.