Holy COW!!

[carterandcalliesmom]

I just counted my milk stash - 500 OUNCES!!!!!! Can you believe it?? I am so paranoid about losing my supply because I did with Carter. Now, I am worried that maybe I won't use this milk up before it goes bad? She eats 15 ounces at daycare and I freeze 50 ounces per month. I don't know if I should just keep going like I am so that I can completely stop pumping at say, maybe 9 months? What do you ladies think? I have been using the milk stash on Mondays and fresh (well, the day before's milk) the rest of the week.

[BOOBLES]

I have a very abundant supply this time around too, but like you, last time, I fell short so I'm paranoid too. My dd takes the same amount your dd does at daycare, 15 oz and I have a huge freezer stash as well.

As for not pumping after a certain time, I think I would be concerned about your supply on the weekends. Maybe just cut out say the middle session and begin pulling from your stash. Just typing that "out loud", made me think that might be a good idea for me to try too! :)

How are you storing your huge stash? Right now, mine's in Gerber bags, but there are so many of them that I've stuffed them into gallon size freezer bags to keep them together. I must have 4 or 5 gallon size bags that way in my freezer now, lol! DH is an avid hunter and is not too thrilled that my milk is taking up so much valuable freezer space!

[carterandcalliesmom]

Boobles - I am storing mine in gerber or lansinoh bags also put in large freezer bags - Ihave about 10 bags full though - I used to freeze them standing and then I realized if I froze them flat I could fit more in the freezer bags - once in awhile they leak though :(
Yeah, our freezer is getting way too full! DH doesn't like it either - I don't even know what we have for food because all my milk is in the way!

[hotlama]

Maybe you could start refreshing your stash. Freeze everything that your pumping and feed your dd the frozen milk that is the oldest. This way you won't have to worry about the frozen milk going bad before you can use it.

[carterandcalliesmom]

Maybe you could start refreshing your stash. Freeze everything that your pumping and feed your dd the frozen milk that is the oldest. This way you won't have to worry about the frozen milk going bad before you can use it.


Thanks, I thought of doing that - I froze them all in 4ounce increments though - I guess DCP will have to unthaw 2 at a time and use the remaining for the next bottle? As long as it is used within 24 hours, right?

[BOOBLES]

Thanks, I thought of doing that - I froze them all in 4ounce increments though - I guess DCP will have to unthaw 2 at a time and use the remaining for the next bottle? As long as it is used within 24 hours, right?

Or you could thaw 4 per day - it would be 16 oz total, but ya know, with all that milk, what's one ounce really? I know it's liquid gold and all. Or evenly distribute that extra oz between all of her bottles. It's good for 24 hrs once it's thawed, so maybe if it was thawed in the afternoon, it could be used for her morning bottle the next day.

And I freeze mine flat also. I fold them in half and lay them flat. The huge freezer bag full of Gerber bags isn't working too well for us, lol. Last time, I froze them this same way and then stacked them in a Rubbermaid container. It was about the size of a shoe box, and I was able to fit 2 rows of frozen bags (stacked on end) in it. That was great and all, but this time around, I have too much milk to implement a system like that, lol. I need roll out file drawers or something, lol - like the card catalogs from the library back when I was in school. :) That would be perfect! HA!

But hands down - I'd much rather have too much milk than to be like I was last time, struggling to keep up w/ baby's needs from day to day. I'm not trying to make light of low supply / pumping issues at all. BTDT and it ain't fun!

[carterandcalliesmom]

I 100% agree Boobles - much rather have an oversupply than under
As for that one ounce, that really doesn't matter since I have so much - duh -she will most likely drink it :) I didn't think of that. Once in freezer ziplocs they go into my hot pink file crate - it holds a lot :)

[BOOBLES]

I 100% agree Boobles - much rather have an oversupply than under
As for that one ounce, that really doesn't matter since I have so much - duh -she will most likely drink it :) I didn't think of that. Once in freezer ziplocs they go into my hot pink file crate - it holds a lot :)

Maybe that's what I need. A crate of some sort. And then I could at least label the outside of the freezer bags. As it is now, I have no rotation system in place and would have no idea where to begin. Maybe I'll work on that this weekend! :)

[carterandcalliesmom]

I label the ziploc bags with the month/weeks and how many ounces are in it.

[Stephanie]

At one point with dd, our entire freezer was bm. I never bought anything to freeze, and turned off the ice maker so I could use that.

[carterandcalliesmom]

I guess I shouldn't have gone on about how much milk I have - I am hardly pumping anything today! Hopefully just an off day!