Breastfeeding provides many benefits to both mother and baby, however many new moms are unsure how to express and store their milk when they can not be with baby. Check out the following guidelines on how to store your breast milk safely for baby.

It’s important to know that breast milk storage guidelines are very different than what you may hear from friends about formula. Breast milk is more than simply a food or beverage… it is a living organism.

Expressing and storing breast milk to feed a baby while her mother is away is great for nursing moms, but it must be done properly to maintain the freshness of the milk.

Expressing Breast Milk

A nursing mother can express breast milk using a breast pump or she can express her milk manually. For most women using a breast pump will not only be faster, it will also yield a higher milk supply.

How do I store my breast milk?

You can freeze and/or refrigerate your pumped (or expressed) breast milk. It’s important, though, to store it in clean and sterile bottles with screw caps, hard plastic cups that have tight caps, or nursing bags (pre-sterilized bags meant for breast milk). Also make sure to put a label on each indicating when the milk was pumped (as shown on picture below). You should not add fresh milk to milk that is already frozen.

Choosing a Breast Milk Storage Container

There are many pre-sterilized breast milk storage containers on the market.

Some breast milk containers hook directly up to a breast pump and do not require transfer to another unit, for example the Avent VIA breast milk containers.

Other containers resemble ziplock bags and a woman will have to express milk into a bottle and then pour the milk into the bag. These bags may work better for breast milk that is going to be frozen than that which will be stored in a fridge.

How long can I store my breast milk?

For healthy full-term infants:

You can store it at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours (at no warmer than 77° Fahrenheit, or 25° Celsius)

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days at 32°–39° Fahrenheit (0°–3.9° Celsius)

You can store it in the freezer (be sure to leave about an inch of space at the top of the container or bottle to allow for expansion of the milk when it freezes)

• for up to 2 weeks in a freezer compartment located inside the refrigerator

• for 3 to 4 months in a freezer that’s self-contained and connected on top of or on the side of the refrigerator and is kept at 0° Fahrenheit (–18° Celsius). But be sure to store the milk in the back of the freezer, not in the door)

• for 6 to 12 months in a deep freezer that’s always 4° Fahrenheit (–20° Celsius)

My frozen breast milk changed color. Is this OK?

Breast milk that’s been frozen or refrigerated may look a little different from fresh breast milk, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone bad. It’s normal for breast milk to look slightly blue, yellow, or brown when refrigerated or frozen.

Tags: breast milk, breast milk storage, Breastfeeding
Posted by Nelson | No Comments »

Are you having difficulties on how to position your baby while breastfeeding? I hope I could provide a little help on this post. I’m going to talk about the breastfeeding positions by showing you some of the breastfeeding position pictures, and also a video showing proper breastfeeding positions.

Getting comfortable

Making sure that you’re comfortable, relaxed and that baby is correctly attached can help to make breastfeeding easier and more enjoyable. Try to feed in a chair that offers good back support; use cushions or pillows to prop up your arms; and if necessary, rest your feet on a telephone book or footstool. It’s also good to experiment with the different feeding positions, shown below, until you find one that works for you and baby.

Breastfeeding position pictures:

1. This is the classic ‘front hold’ or ‘cradle position’
   Sit in a chair with armrests or stack several pillows under your arms. Rest your feet on a footstool to take pressure off your lower back. Hold your baby on your lap so she’s lying on her side, with her face and tummy facing you. Tuck her arm under your arm and gently move her so she’s resting on your forearm. Your hand should support her back and bottom. Line her nose and mouth up with your nipple. Encourage your baby to latch on as described above.
2. The ‘underarm position’ shown above is also known as the ‘footy hold’
   This position works well if you had a Cesarean section. Sit in bed (or a comfortable armchair) and wedge a pillow behind your back; place another on your lap. Position your baby next to you on the side you are nursing from, cupping the back of her neck in the same hand. Position her legs so they are tucked between your arm and your side, toward the back of the bed. Encourage her to latch on as described above.
3. The ‘lying down’ position
   This is an ideal position for nursing in bed, either during night time feedings, or if you’ve had a cesarean or episiotomy and sitting up is uncomfortable. Place one or two pillows under your head. Place your baby on her side so she faces you, cradle her in your arm, and position her so her mouth is directly in front of your nipple. Pull baby in close to you and follow the latch-on technique described above.

Other positions

1. The first picture above shows how to breastfeed twins. In the first few weeks, it may be easier to feed twins separately. However, once you’ve got the hang of it, you can try feeding them together using the ‘twin hold’.
2. If you feel uncomfortable or self-conscious when breastfeeding in public, drape a light muslin wrap over / nursing cover your shoulder so it covers your breast and baby.

Breastfeeding Positions Video

Below video guide you how to position your baby while breastfeeding.

Proper Breastfeeding Position — powered by eHow.com

Tags: Breastfeeding, breastfeeding positions, twins
Posted by hoho | No Comments »

Go Back to Work and Continue to Breastfeed?  Yes, You Can!

Going back to work after having a baby can be challenging!  If you are planning to breastfeed, you may also be worried about how you will find time to pump at work so that your baby can have your milk for the next day of childcare. But don’t worry. With some advance planning, it is possible to combine work and breastfeeding successfully.

How will you combine breastfeeding and working?

1. Get Support From Co-workers and Your Boss

It is important to let your co-workers know that you plan on pumping breast milk when you return to work after your baby is born. This will help your coworkers to understand why you are taking frequent breaks during the work day. Before each pumping session let someone know where you will be going so no one will come looking for you while you are pumping. The best way to prevent someone walking in on you while you are pumping is to make it clear where you are and what you are doing. If you are still nervous about having someone walk in on you while you are pumping you can put a discreet note on the door letting your coworkers know that you are taking a break inside. Besides, you can explain to them that breastfeeding benefits everybody. Breastfeeding makes baby healthier & it lowers healthcare costs for everyone which you doesn’t have to apply leave. It benefits your boss and it’s good for co-workers because someone doesn’t have to cover for you.

2. Keep Up Milk Production

Start “stockpiling” milk by expressing and storing it about two weeks before going back to work. According to the Human Milk Bank of America, milk will stay good in the refrigerator for up to eight days, in a refrigerator freezer compartment up to six months and in a separate, deep freezer for up to one year.

3. Choosing a Hospital Grade Electric Pump

The first thing you have to do if you want to successfully provide your newborn with pumped breast milk while you are at work is to rent or buy a hospital grade electric breast pump. Hand pumps will not allow you to express the amount of milk you need to keep up your milk supply and will quickly tire your hands. Hospital grade pumps are expensive but when you consider the high cost of infant formula it is far cheaper in the long run. A hospital grade pump will help you to keep up your milk supply while you are working and will help to quickly empty your breast, making overall pumping sessions shorter.

4. Figure Out Where and When to Pump

When and where you pump depends largely on your work setup. If you have a private office, you can simply close the door to pump. This is the easiest scenario for fitting in three or four sessions in a day. In Malaysia, there is hardly to have a lactation room in the office. When you plan on pumping, make sure that it is a private area, preferably with a locking door, and is conveniently located for frequent pumping sessions. It is important that you feel comfortable with the location that you have chosen. Don’t nurse in a bathroom – you wouldn’t want to eat your lunch there and it’s not a sanitary place to make baby food.

5. Storing The Milk

Bottles or containers are needed to store the breast milk in at work. After you’ve finished pumping, put the milk in the tightly closed containers and store in the refrigerator. You can also put the milk in the freezer or in a cooler if a refrigerator/freezer isn’t available at your workplace. Breast milk will not spoil immediately. There are all sorts of white cells in the human breast milk that keep the bacteria from growing. If you will be transporting it within a couple hours, it is all right to keep it in a cool place until it is time to take it home or to your baby. Some women put their milk in the freezer at work so it is partially frozen by the end of the day–then there is no need to chill it additionally on the ride home and it can go into the refrigerator when they get to the house. Or some mothers prefer to use a cooler or an insulated bag to transport the milk from work to home.

If the idea of pumping at work doesn’t appeal to you, many experts recommend creative solutions for keeping your baby breastfed longer, such as having your baby brought to work on your lunch break, or combining formula and breastfeeding.

Are you a breastfeeding working mom? What’s your experience? Let’s share it here!

Tags: breast milk, Breastfeeding, electric breast pump, working mom
Posted by hoho | 1 Comment »

Are you pregnant and trying to decide whether breastfeeding is right for you and your baby? I’ve already talked about how breastfeeding benefits your newborn, but do you know breastfeeding provides substantial benefits to the mother as well?

The followings are some of the breastfeeding benefits for mom:

• In response to the baby’s sucking, the mother’s body releases hormone oxytocin that makes her uterus contract and get smaller. If a woman does not breastfeed, her uterus will remain slightly larger than it was before pregnancy.
• Many mothers also get emotional benefits from breastfeeding because of the closeness of this interaction with the baby and from the satisfaction of helping to nourish their babies. Mothers who breastfeed immediately after the birth quickly develop a strong bond with their baby.
• It may offer protection against some cancers such as breast, uterine and ovarian. Studies have shown that the risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced by almost 50% in breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding for 12 to 24 consecutive months can reduce your risk of developing uterine cancer by almost one third.
• It may also help to increase bone density, preventing osteoporosis when breastfeeding ceases.
• Breastfeeding can aid weight loss after birth. Breastfeeding can burn up to 500 calories a day, which can help you lose those extra pregnancy pounds. Breastfeeding mothers showed significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and more fat loss by one month postpartum when compared with formula-feeding moms. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have an earlier return to their pre-pregnant weight.
• Breast milk is free - reducing or eliminating the cost of formula (in the thousands per year).
• Benefits child spacing. Since breastfeeding delays ovulation, the longer a mother breastfeeds the more she is able to practice natural child spacing, if she desires. How long a woman remains infertile depends on her baby’s nursing pattern and her own individual baby.
• Breastfed babies are sick less thus reducing health care costs to family in doctor office visits, prescriptions and hospitalizations.
• Breastfeeding is usually easy and convenient. Breastfed babies are very portable and you have instant, pre-warmed, ready-to-serve food wherever you go.

Tags: Breast Cancer, breast milk, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding benefits, lose weight after pregnancy, osteoporosis
Posted by Nelson | No Comments »

On previous post, you’ve learned about the importance of breastfeeding and some of the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby.

Have you breast fed before? If not why? Check out the following video to learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding your baby:

Video Content:

• Breastfeeding benefits for baby
• Why should I breastfeed?
• When should I stop breastfeed?

Tags: Breastfeeding, breastfeeding benefits
Posted by hoho | No Comments »

Welcome to AnythingMaternity.com! On this first post, I would like to talk about an important topic, which is Breastfeeding.

Why is breastfeeding important?

You have spent nine months nourishing your precious baby in your womb, why start feeding your baby infant formula when you have your own wonderful breastmilk?

Every parent wants to give their child the very best. When it comes to feeding babies, there is nothing as good as breast milk. Do you know the advantages of breast milk? Your breast milk is organic and tailormade for your baby. Breast milk is the ideal baby food. It has the perfect combination of proteins, fats, carbohydrate, and fluids that new-born babies require.

Benefits of breastfeeding should be enough to encourage mothers to want to breastfeed their newborn and for all health care providers to strongly encourage breastfeeding.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby?

• The colostrum your baby receives in the first few days, and the breastmilk that follows, contain antibodies that provide resistance to infection. Until your baby has had time to build up its own immunities, mother’s immunities will be shared with him/her through her breast milk.
• Breast milk is an important factor in promoting the best possible development of babies. It is well recognised that breastfed babies have better development of their eyesight and speech.
• The unique combination of fatty acids and other components in breast milk contribute to optimal brain development, so lack of these in artificially-fed babies may result in lower intelligence.
• Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from childhood cancers, eczema and asthma. And if a breastfed baby does get ill, the illness is often less severe than it would otherwise have been.
• Breastfed babies will also have some protection against conditions like juvenile diabetes, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. There is good evidence that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS or ‘cot death’) is less common in breastfed babies.
• Breastfeeding can protect your baby from developing allergies. Several studies have found that breastfeeding for six months or more makes it less likely that your baby will go on to develop food or respiratory allergies.
• Advantages in long-term health: Many studies have looked at the possible long-term health benefits of breastfeeding. There is now good evidence that, on average, the following health problems in later life are less common in those who had been breast fed compared to those who had not:
  • Obesity and overweight
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol level
  • Eczema
  • Diabetes
  • Leukemia
  • Asthma

Do you know there are also many benefits of breastfeeding for the mother?

Tags: allergies, breast milk, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding benefits, eczema, SIDS
Posted by Nelson | No Comments »