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Why freeze his milk?
Reconciling breastfeeding and working life is a particularly suitable option if you want to continue to enjoy this wonderful relationship with your baby while giving him the best possible milk. However, mothers deplore that they are encouraged to wean baby when returning to work. Some mothers anticipate the recovery by freezing their milk in particular. Because the freezing remains the best way to store breast milk for a long time. Ideal for example if the baby is looked after by a nanny or in a nursery a few hours a day.
First step: expressing your milk
The first step is to express your milk. Some people use the expression “expressing milk”. Rest assured, we are talking about the same thing. Before expressing and freezing your milk, two small precautions are in order : Wash hands thoroughly and ensure that all equipment used (breast pump and storage containers) is thoroughly washed, rinsed and sterilized.
Everything is ready ? It’s time for practical work. There are two possibilities to collect your milk. The easiest way is to use an electric or manual breast pump, depending on your needs. This system, modeled on Baby’s sucking, creates a rhythmic suction.
The most experienced will be able to try to express their milk by hand, before freezing it. The technique relies on pressure and massage of the glands surrounding the areola of the breast, performing a circular motion. This method requires a little practice. Do not hesitate to ask for a little help from the midwives or nursery nurses in the maternity ward.
Freezing breast milk: how much should I express?
It is difficult to estimate precisely how much milk your baby is consuming at the breast. A few weeks before the resumption, the ideal is to express, in one or more times, enough milk to make reserves. At the time of adaptation in a nursery or with a childminder, you will assess how much milk your baby drinks in a day and you can adjust your readings accordingly. All that remains is to store the milk, equivalent to a bottle, in a storage jar or bag, with a view to freezing. What to simplify the mission of the dad or the nanny at the time of the bib ‘.
If you are expressing your milk in anticipation of returning to work or traveling, plan as many bottles of breast milk as there are feeds.
Practical tip : do not fill your bottles to the brim, but only three-quarters full. Under the effect of freezing, the volume of milk increases.
What is the point of expressing your milk?
Expressing milk has many advantages. It not only allows prevent or relieve engorgement in case of “overflow”, but also to pass the baton on to another person. Dad can then participate in breastfeeding and get up at night to give a bib ‘of your milk.
Do not hesitate to anticipate and freeze baby bottles, in the event of an impromptu outing or sudden fatigue.
Alternating the bib ‘and the breast does not necessarily interfere with breastfeeding, as long as your lactation remains optimal and you have a baby who knows how to suck well. Some mothers opt for mixed breastfeeding (infant milk and breast), and continue to breastfeed in the morning, evening and weekends. They use this method as a first step towards weaning.