building a freezer stash

[ladyelmo1]

I agree with the pumping after the first morning feeding. I always started as soon as my milk came in, both to relieve some severe engorgement and to build a substantial freezer stash, but I work out of the home. If you have a ridiculous freezer stash you can typically find some way to donate it, if it gets out of hand, but it is a good insurance policy to have. My supply took a significant hit when I came down with PPD last summer after baby #4 and I was able to supplement with my own frozen milk and avoid formula.

[diana51]

I would say don't wait until 4-6 weeks unless you already know you are prone to oversupply. It is so much easier to really build up a freezer stash if you take advantage of the time before your supply regulates to add in a pumping session. As long as you don't go crazy and only pump one time each day it shouldn't get out of hand. The other thing is that in the first few weeks you are aren't nearly as busy so it is a lot easier to find time to pump. When you are ready to cut out that pumping session your body will adjust pretty quickly. With my first I waited until 8 weeks to start trying to build a stash and I was never able to get more than 20oz ahead of my baby, this time I am able to keep 50oz in the freezer and would have been able to get more had I thought I needed it.

ETA: With my last baby I was really stressed out trying to keep my supply up and not run out of frozen milk. 20 oz in the freezer was what I had when I went back to work, that didn't last me long and I ended up supplementing soon afterwards.

[scrapandsewon]

Originally Posted by ladyelmo1 I always started as soon as my milk came in, both to relieve some severe engorgement and to build a substantial freezer stash, but I work out of the home. .

I don't work outside of the home, but, I also start pumping as soon as my milk comes in. Hard lesson learned after baby #1. I didn't start pumping with her until the engorgement was out of hand. With #2 and every one since, I start pumping as soon as my milk comes in, each time resulting in sixteen or more 5 oz bottles in about 12 hours. Then, in order to get my supply under control, depending on baby, if baby only nurses from one side, the other gets pumped, and usually have to pump in between feedings. This way, by six months old, my supply is normal, and I can get away with only pumping in the evening occasionally. When I didn't do it this way, like with my first two, I had huge oversupply issues.