Guidelines for protecting your hard work and precious supply!
We’ve all heard the saying “Don’t cry over spilled milk.” Well, this brings on a WHOLE new meaning when a breastfeeding/pumping mom spills, or wastes, even ONE drop of that precious elixir! Pumping is hard work and the liquid gold that is obtained from hours of letting a piece of machinery suck the ever-living life out of those mammary glands WILL be protected as much as a mom protects her child!
That’s all well and good, until Mother Nature, who, ironically, is the one responsible for providing this precious food, comes along and causes your electricity to go out ... making protecting your supply stash a little tricky ... and stressful. Think ahead and you can outsmart the old girl .....
6 Tips for Preparing Ahead
Find a generator, first and foremost. If you have one, great …. You probably don’t need to read any further! But stock up on gas and remember, NEVER use a generator indoors.
Freeze containers of water. Ziploc bags or plastic containers will do the trick. Leave room for expansion as the water freezes. These “blocks” of ice will take longer to thaw.
Fill up empty freezer space. A full freezer will hold it’s temperature for approximately 48 hours, while one that’s half full, about 24 hours.
Keep the freezer closed. Open the doors to the freezer as little as possible.
Move your breast milk to the center of the freezer, away from the walls, and surround it with other frozen items.
Dry ice is a great option if you find that you need to store your milk in a cooler. Once packed, cover the cooler with a blanket to keep the cool in. Just like a freezer, a full cooler will stay cold longer than one with empty spaces.
Once you get that blessed electricity humming again, check your stash.
If any of the milk has COMPLETELY thawed, it needs to be used within 24-48 hours. If your baby is a preemie, or has a weakened immune system, you should heed the 24-hour timeline.
If the bags have partially thawed, but still contain ice crystals, you can refreeze.
Keep Calm and Breastfeed On!
XOXOXO
The Breastfeeding Guru