Hi all. I have been breastfeeding for 5 months. I had to order a pump recently because I am going to have surgery to get my wisdom teeth removed (they are just killer with the pain right now. the xray showed they were impacted and are starting to make my teeth go crooked). I have to wait like a month or more for the surgery though ugh.

Anyhow, I've got to pump breastmilk for DD for when I have the surgery so DH can take care of her while i'm in the hospital (i have to be put under) Probably also enough for a few days after in case I am on medication that she can't breastfeed with. I have expressed a little before and fed her in a bottle but never really froze a lot or built up a supply that needs to last at all. she has no problem with bottles though occasionally i will express into a bottle and feed her that way so she is used to it so she isn't freaking out when i have the surgery and dh has to give her a bottle.

I've done some research for freezer bags, but i really don't know which ones to buy. A lot of reviews i've read say the gerber ones really tend to leak. So I am leaning towards the medela CSF bags or the Lansinoh ones with the double zipper. But I would like to know what bags worked for you all, which ones leaked and which ones didn't etc. Also easy to use since I will have to rely on my DH to do everything, and he tends to get overwhelmed with baby stuff if it is too complicated, LOL. I just don't want bags to leak or burst since we will be depending solely on them for at least a day or two ,more if i am on serious pain meds.

Anyway yeah... breastmilk freezer bags anyone? thanks

First prayers to you for your sugery and the pain you in now, ouch.

I pumped in the first 6 months quite a bit, one reason my daughter was a premie and in the NICU for some time.

I had and really ended up only using the Gerber zip bags and had very few if any problems with a leak. And I pumped A LOT and stored A LOT. I stored it in my regular refridge freezer for 3 months and the big chest deep freezer for 6 months. But I used bottles where I didn't use the bag itself, I poured it into a bottle.

Good idea getting your daughter use to bottle a little now too. They can sure be stubborn little ones if you suprise them with something they aren't use to.

Good luck with your upcoming surgery on your teeth.

I pumped at times just so that my hubba could feed Maddy, so she was used to it...I had surgery and had to pump lots...I used the Gerber bags and they worked...but I did notice that there was a little problem with leaking...I probably filled about 30 bags for my surgery and after...and probably 3 of them leaked...so not a huge amount...but it was enough to set us back and have to go to formula for a lil while.

I actually never had problems with the Gerber ones leaking. I pumped some and dispensed the milk in the bag immediately after, froze them and ran warm water to dethaw and no problems. Gerbers are cheaper than the Medela or Lansinoh. And, if you are concerned about leakage, just put the gerber bag in a regular ziploc bag when you dethaw it and there shouldn't be an issue. Good luck and God bless you with your surgery. I hope it goes well for you!

i used the lansinoh freezer bags, and i also used the avent disposable bottles so i could just put the defrosted milk and bag right in the bottle. i stored milk in the fridge freezer for 3 months and inn the deep freeze for 6 months. because i had a supply issue i too was always pumping. when i stopped nursing we had enough stored up to last at least 2 more weeks.

Hey! these are what I used and found them much cheaper than bags, or the avent containers. Granted I did have to use the avent bottle to pump in and then pour into these containers, but these are what I used for storage only.

yeah, they're "pee cups" but they're sterile~

http://cgi.ebay.com/Specimen-Container-with-Screw-Cap-Lot-of-100-4-oz_W0QQitemZ5668490067QQihZ007QQcategoryZ36440QQss PageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow, pee cups. I can't say I was expecting something like that! LOL

Gerber bags work just fine. What I did was pour the milk into an ice cube tray and frooze. I also put the trays in a ziplock freezer bag for sanitary reasons. One cube was approx. 1/2 an oz.

Make sure to keep the milk in the deep freezer--will stay longer. Also make sure to cool the freshly pumped milk to room temp prior to putting in fridge or freezer.

Breastmilk will be ok out for 6-8 hours.

This is info I got from my LLL.

Praying for you!

I used the Gerber bags and they worked awesome. I sat them upright in the door of the fridge, and when I had a lot of extra I put them in the chest freezer.
I used a sharpie to write the date and ounces.

DH liked the Gerber ones because they fit nicely in a coffee cup so you can dethaw them (cause you can't microwave breastmilk) in the sink under a little running water. He never had problems with them, and he's definitely 'kitchen challenged'.

I pumped with our son and Gerber bags worked wonderful. He never actually took a bottle for me. But when he was in the NICU the nurses would give him it when he needed it.

I also used little bottles. I am not sure who makes them. I actually got them from the hospital. They were the best. I pumped a ton of milk. My mom gave my DS a bottle and he flipped out. So I would suggest what Renee said & try to give it to her now. Actually let DH give it to her.

Are you going to continue nursing after surgery? Is it outpatient. You probably want to be sure you have your pump.. !

I will keep you in my prayers !

Thanks for all your advice and experience everyone, I really appreciate it. :) It is so nice to have people I can ask questions to, sometimes i feel like I do not know what i am doing as a new mom LOL

*shrug* maybe the Gerber bags are fine...the only time that they leaked for us was when my mother-in-law watched her....weird! :lol:

I used the Lansinoh bags and I never had any leak. They were great. I just laid them flat in the freezer and I dated them so I would use the oldest first.

When ready to use, you can run them under warm water and they thaw quick since I laid them flat.

Good luck!

I pumped and froze some of my breastmilk for ds before I went back to work - I froze the milk right in the Avent bottles we'd bought - I always left space at the top for it to expand when it froze. We never had any leaks or any problems.
When we needed to thaw the milk I would move it to the fridge the night before so it would be ready in the morning.

Hello! Sorry to hear about your teeth, really, I dislike dentist more than any proceedure, sitting in the chair makes me shake!

Anyway, although it has been a few years, I regularly froze my milk for times when my job took me out of town for a few days in a row. It was easiest for my husband and child's caretaker if I froze it directly in the bag that goes into the bottle, then put a piece of plastic wrap on top and covered with the bottle ring. It never leaked in the freezer. Then it could go directly into warm water for baby, add the nipple and wha la. Hope that helps.

I pray your surgery goes well and your recovery quickly.

I used the gerber baggies and really liked them.

It was easiest for my husband and child's caretaker if I froze it directly in the bag that goes into the bottle, then put a piece of plastic wrap on top and covered with the bottle ring. It never leaked in the freezer. Then it could go directly into warm water for baby, add the nipple and wha la. Hope that helps.

Wow that is a good idea! And they want you to spend money on a one step storage system... ha! :D

I used both Gerber and Lansinoh baggies. It pretty much just depended which was in stock... usually it was Gerber. I was pleased with both of them. [baby]

Well I used Gerber, Medela, and Avent disposable and they all seemed fine. The Avent disposable bottles did crack and start to leak but the gerber worked out great. So all the best in your surgery!

I used the Gerber ones and had one out of the entire box leak, but that could have been because I dropped it while it was frozen. I am sorry to hear your teeth are being so pesky. Know that you are in my prayers as are your family and doctors. Keep us posted.

I was an at work pumper for 5 months, so I went through my share of bags...LOL! I used the Lansinoh ones. I only ever tried other ones that were samples I was given. I liked the Lansinoh ones....never had any probs with them, and they are pretty darn strong, and like another poster said, you can lay them flat, and they do thaw pretty quickly. I also put a lot of milk into bottles. Gerber makes "storage" bottles, they are only a few dollars for 4 with rings and a disk so that you can use them for the freezer. Dh likes these because he could just put the nipple on them, put them in the bottle warmer, and poof, time to feed!

Since you aren't going to be long time pumping, I am sure anything you use will be sufficent for that short amt of time. I would go with a better brand if you plan on storing milk even after your surgery for random times though.

Also, I wanted to encourage you to read up on breastfeeding and meds. I had my gallbaldder removed when DD was 3 months old, and I only had to pump and dump once after surgery, to get the anesthesia out of my system, but I nursed her in the recovery room a few times before we went home...and continuously after that. I was on an IV antibiotics at the hospital and Percocet after for pain, and DD never had any probs. Lots of docs say to pump and dump for a day or two, but really there is no reason, unless your DD has had prior probs with meds. I think they say that for their (the docs) protection, but the amt of meds that actually go to your DD is so small, and what she may get won't harm her. But like I said, I would read up on it for yourself, and make a decsion with DH about it. I also had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth removed, and as long as you don't pull the clot out of the wound, the recovery is actually pretty easy....way easier than gallbladder surgery. :-D I pray your pain isn't too bad until surgery...and I pray your surgery goes well!!!

Blessings,
Amber

Thanks for the tips about surgery. I believe the our health nurse has a big book about medicines and breastmilk, so I will find out what i've been given and ask her what the book says ;) thanks

Any word on when you are getting your surgery? How's the pumping going?

Amber

the pumping has been quite a challenge. I had to order new shields for the pump because my nipples were too big for the standard one so that set me back a bit.

otherwise it's going good

I am having surgery in january... I am a little afraid about it because i've never been put under for surgery before, but I am sure everything will be OK, as it's a routine surgery etc. Right now we are waiting for our insurance pre-approval which should come by next week.

I am glad things are starting to go well!! I wouldn't worry too much about being put under...it's actually kind of fun....LOL! I have been put under 5 times, and usually they give you something to make you relax first and I always feel so good and giddy! Then I usually taste something in my throat and next thing I know I am waking up. They probably won't do the whole putting you under like they do for regular surgery, say for an appendectomy or what not, but still, to you it will be over in a second...it's so weird! Make sure you are given good pain relief before you leave. Don't be shy if you have pain...they are there to make you comfy....;-)

Amber