16 Replies
The reason why we keep breast milk is so that you can have a break! Imagine being the only person who can provide your baby with food? It's good to have some spare milk so that once in a while you can have a good night sleep.. its going to be really tiring after giving birth. At least daddy or parents or parents in law can help once in a while. Being a first time mum you never know how you will cope with the new baby and all.. having some spare means you have a back up.. You see online all the mummies with so much extra milk! But in reality, low supply is so common!!! You never know which category you're going to be in since you're a first time mummy.. pumping means telling your breasts to produce more.. after pump, you can't possibly throw the milk away right? But yes, you might not need to buy first cause some hospitals(eg tmc) give breast milk storage bags in their hospital bags...
Your hubby has a point, coz all my excess breastmilk store in the freezer only use for bathing LO and feed her during the transition to fresh milk. My LO was direct latch all the way since birth. However he also has to know that, even though LO might be direct latch, you will still need to pump or express out the excess when LO is sleeping or not hungry to latch when your breasts are “full”, to prevent engorgement and also the more frequent you clear the breastmilk from your breasts be it LO latch or pump or hand express, your breasts will produce more breastmilk. Bathing LO with your excess pump/hand express breastmilk is also very good for LO’s skin.
For me, I expressed it if baby didn't drink. This is for me to keep and store the milk for my baby go to infant care. I would express as much as possible as when baby enrolled to infant care, they drink at least 3timenper day and each time will be like 80ml or more. If you do have excess milk which your baby didn't drink and you would like to discard, you could use it to make breastmilk soap bar... Personally, I suggest to store the milk. Breastmilk really save a lot of money! Can you imagine how much could you save if you could breastfeed baby until baby turns 2years old...
For me is my supply dipped a lot after my confinement nanny left. I have no time to pump, ended up when I returned to work. My yield for each pumping is 60-120 max. Now my LO grew up, he drank about 130ml each feed. Totally not enough for him. Has to depend on frozen milk. And is running out soon, I find it a waste to give up Breast feeding so early..
You need to pump regularly to keep the supply up. Plus keeping breastmilk in freezer will allow your helper or even husband to help feed the baby when you are resting. Furthermore, once you return to work, you will have to store EBM. Also, you may have good supply (more than what LO will drink) until it stabilizes over the months.
My main reason to keep a freezer full of BM is so my baby can still drink BM when I'm back to work. Otherwise will need to start FM at 4 months. If you're not working I guess it's not compulsory
You have to pump to prevent engorgement. No one can help you to feed the baby if you don't pump it out. You will always have to be with the baby if you breastfeed exclusively. You cannot work.
So that I can have someone else feed the baby if I’m busy or overseas. Also, if I happen to be very sick and cannot breastfeed, there’s a stash to tide over while I pump and dump.
You can bathe your baby in your excess milk for any skin issue 🤞 pump out your milk to prevent engorgement & keep your supply stable. There will be growth spurts stages in them too.
if u don't have milk supply in storage, the baby will stick to you, you will not be able to go anywhere without the baby (if u exclusively breastfeeding without any FM)