Even before my first was born, I knew I wanted to breastfeed him for as long as it was possible. Although I had my share of struggles with breastfeeding all my kids in the early days, they all turned out to be successful journeys and most importantly; happy kids.
My Biggest Fear
One of my biggest fears was returning to work.
I didn’t feel ready to stop breastfeeding. Besides, I didn’t know what I was going to do when the time arrived.
I read so much about pumping before going back to work and I found a lot of information very useful.
And so, while on maternity leave I decided to try and build up a freezer stash.
How I Went About It
During a breastfeeding class I attended, they stated that you’d only need to produce enough milk to fill one or two bottles to send to day-care.
But this was going to be my first day back at work and I needed to ensure I had more than that just in case anything happened to my supply.
It’s not an essential step but if you feel anxious it may help.
Building a freezer stash isn’t a necessity on your return to work, but I’m a worrier and I like to know things are in order if anything should go wrong.
It was a huge comfort for me knowing that we’d be prepared if there was any dip or struggle to produce.
Now, I thought I’d share some hacks of what I’ve learned.
Let me help you build the freezer stash of your dreams. I’ve also spoken to some friends who have done the same to get a better insight into different methods.
Tips for building a breast milk freezer stash
Two weeks before I was due to return to work, I made sure to have at least 100 ounces of milk in my freezer. That way, any extra was always a bonus.
1. Don’t over-pump in the first 5-6 weeks
You don’t want to end up with a huge oversupply.
So, it’s best to wait until your baby is 5, 6 or even 7 weeks old.
Your supply will begin to understand demand in the early weeks, hence it’s best to wait until that supply is exactly the right amount before start pumping.
A lot of moms wait until night-time to pump if they have a decent sleeper. However, I was not one of them.
I wanted to get as much sleep as possible.
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