Can intake my frozen milk to the hospital for baby number 2?

[Dk1234]

So first off I make huge babies and my milk didn't come in until like 5 days with my first. I had to supplement with formula because my son got extremely jaundice and reached dangerous levels and lost a whole pound. Spent a week in the hospital,awful experience. As a precaution, I thought I would maybe take some EBM I have frozen to the hospital if I feel like I need to supplement this time. This isn't a supply issue, I'm not worried about that, ill still nurse and this is strictly to flueh out the jaundice should be need it so I don't need formula. The milk has been kept in a stand alone deep freezer and will be 7 months old. I was nursing my son but pregnant at the time it was pumped. Should I use it? Can't be worse than formula right?

 

[missk1989]

Im not 100% but i think your milk is different in the first few months. Id check with your midwife it might be ok in which case it probably is better than formula.

 

[Dk1234]

Yes your milk changes so that why I'm wondering. I figure since donor bm is still considered better than formula if this would be the same. It's just like donor bm from the babies actual mother right?

 

[Dk1234]

I would still give them the breast and colostrum his is strictly if I had to supplement

 

[readynwilling]

i would say if you are nursing and they are getting colostrum that way, that your frozen breast milk is better then formula for supplementation. I have no clue about hospital rules tho - i would double check just in case (about taking it in to hospital) but i couldn't fathom why not - i would just hate to see you pull some thaw it and take it and have some nurse tell you no

But very wise use of frozen BM if you ask me!

 

[Dk1234]

I don't even think I'd ask to be honest. I know it isnt against the safety rules because when we had to go in for jaundice I had pumped for the first time and got some and took it in with me and they put it in the fridge. But, I don't want to have to explain to someone why I don't want to use formula and all that who doesn't understand bfing. I have a little cooler with an ice pack and ill just have my mom or mil bring it if I need it.

 

[angelandbump]

My hospital told me to disregard all my pumped frozen milk after 3months... But when just looking online there is mixed reviews regarding the time most say up to 3months but others say up to 6months.

I would mention it to your midwife because I think it's a fab idea! X

 

[fieryphoenix]

I think its an awesome idea! I'd bring it along, can't hurt to be prepared

 

[readytotry]

I think 7 months is too long so check with dr/midwife. Have you had any feedback as to why your milk came in at day 5 last time?

 

[Dk1234]

Milk storage guidelines for a stand alone deep freeze are 12 months. I still give it to my son and it smells fine and he takes it with no problem. My milk took a long time because my son was jaundice and couldn't wake up properly to nurse. I'm hoping if this baby is the same I can supplement a bit in the beginning to avoid all the issues we had the first time. I have no issue win supplementing I should've done so sooner last time I just would rather supplement with bm if I can rather than formula.

 

[Here_we_go]

It doesn't hurt to be prepared but this lil one might not need any help this time around. My son was a poor nurser while in the hospital and had jaundice. It took a while for my milk to come in as well but I can't quite remember how long. He was a fairly good size baby as well (8lbs 4 1/4oz). He latched on straight away and would feed for 10-20minutes before passing out. I was never sore at all.

My daughter was a tiny lil thing (6lb 15). At first she wasn't interested at ALL in eating. I figured it was going to be like my son, struggling to keep her up long enough to eat. She wouldn't even attempt to latch but that night, YOWSER!!! She would nurse anywhere from 5-25 minutes every 5-10 minutes all night long. I believe she was trying to kill me She had a super shallow latch But by the end of the second day my milk was in! I was really surprised. I'm sure the constant nursing helped but I think her being my second played a part as well.

Maybe you'll have a better time of it with this lil one

 

[Dk1234]

I hope so and This is strictly a what if scenario. I am just wanting to know if I can do it should I need to. My babies are like 10 pounds and 5 days without milk was too much, he was nursing every 3 hours but he would fall asleep after 5-10 mins and we spent another 30 trying to wake him up. I will just be smarter this time. I was so against supplementing because I had always heard colostrum is enough even for big babies. Well, for most that's probably true but is much rather supplement earlier this time that spend a week in the hospital with dangerous jaundice levels again.

 

[confused87com]

i was so paranoid something bad would happen during my second c section and i was adament that no formula should be used, so the midwife in my preop suggested i express some syringes of colostrum before having the baby and bring it with me frozen. i managed to express loads but still forgot it. my c section did go wrong and luckily my baby girl was capable of waiting an extra hour but it would have been nice to have. if they suggest this i cant see why not use your other milk, maybe just dont mention how long its been frozen for

 

[cat lover]

really interesting question. i think it would be great but would check that its ok from a safety point of view with your midwife x

 

[Dk1234]

We don't usually have midwives here. I have a pediatrician but I think I'm about as versed on bfing as be is

 

[Rachel_C]

I would do it It would be so much better than formula.

I would also not worry so much. I think a lot of it is very different second time round. Like you, I had a big first baby and she ended up jaundiced and dehydrated in hospital, advised to supplement with formula etc. I was feeding her every 3 hours... but I didn't know that's not very normal newborn behaviour. Newborn behaviour without being too sleepy from jaundice is more like every 3 minutes . With my second LO, I was totally paranoid about jaundice and she was jaundiced but only to normal BF baby levels, well it never got bad enough to check. I made sure to feed her as often as she would take it for the first few days and definitely at least every 2 hours until she was peeing a lot. No supplementing needed

 

[susannah14]

I would also do it. You probably won't have to supplement very much but it definitely would be better than formula. You're right, in a deep freezer the milk is good for a year.

 

[AC1987]

Sounds like a good idea to me But I will hope your 2nd baby doesn't get jaundice

 

[Dk1234]

Thanks!!! I hope not too and I plan on lumping some after feeds to make my milk come in sooner, I don't know if it'll help but it can't hurt. I wasn't able to get any colostrum from lumping last time so I have up, didn't know the act itself helps. I'm much more confident and informed this time. I don't foresee big issues. I will also be doing some preventative stuff for thrush because that was worse than the jaundice holy crap if I ever hear that word again it'll be too soon