Can I mix freshly expressed breast milk with older breast milk? Mixing freshly expressed breast milk with already cooled or frozen milk is not advised because it can rewarm the older stored milk. It is best to cool freshly expressed milk before combining it with older, previously cooled or frozen milk.
You can combine it! You can combine individual pump sessions from different times or days together, or pool all of your milk over a 24 hour+ period. Pooling breastmilk is an easy and safe way to combine milk from different pump sessions over a day or two!
The International Milk League and Alba Lactancia Materna mention that if you can mix breast milk from other days or sessions. As long as both milks are at the same temperature and that the mixture is used within 24 hours.
Milk from different pumping sessions/days may be combined in one container – use the date of the first milk expressed. It's a little unclear what the VeryWell article means, exactly. It says it is okay to mix milk you pumped on the same day, but not different days.
As long as the freshly pumped breastmilk is sufficiently chilled, it can be added to a bottle of milk pumped earlier that day and even to refrigerated milk from a pumping session the previous day.
If you pumped both breasts at once and the total amount of milk will fill one bottle no more than two-thirds full, you may combine the contents in one bottle by carefully pouring the milk from one sterile container into the other. Don't combine milk from different pumping sessions when pumping for a high-risk baby.
If you're pumping for a freezer stash or to store milk for a future separation from your baby, try pumping shortly after you finish nursing – maybe 15 to 30 minutes. That way, your body will have an hour and a half or so to replenish breast milk for your next nursing session. More on combining pumping and nursing here.
Women are often advised not to combine breast milk from different pumping sessions. For citing reasons such as increased bacterial contamination and temperature differences. This advice can lead to excess worry and more work for those who are trying to breastfeed their babies.
However, if you are following the schedule and no milk is coming, keep going. This is an essential step in signaling to your body to create more milk. While some breastfeeding parents see a difference in just a day or two, you may find it takes several days or a week to see a significant increase in breast milk supply.
It is not safe to reuse breast milk that has been left out longer than 2 hours. Dispose of it if this is the case. Breast milk should never be re-refrigerated or re-frozen.
Feeding Expressed Breast Milk
Breast milk does not need to be warmed. It can be served room temperature or cold.
The most basic pumping position involves sitting down with your shoulders set and your back straight. Ideally, you'll want to do this in a comfortable, padded chair with armrests to help support you while holding your breast shields in place.
Exclusive breastfeeding is not for everyone.
The most common reason for exclusive pumping is when your baby is not latching as they should. Latching is how the baby fastens onto the breast while nursing. Your lactation expert may advise you to pump every few hours or as your schedule allows.
Avoid going longer than 5-6 hours without pumping during the first few months. When pumping during the night, milk yield tends to be better if you pump when you naturally wake (to go to the bathroom or because your breasts are uncomfortably full) than if you set an alarm to wake for pumping.
If, after feeding your baby, you're left with half or a quarter of a bottle, you can reuse it, but only if you're going to do so quite soon. The CDC advises reusing leftover breast milk within two hours of the last feeding. If it's longer than two hours, you should throw it away. Do not freeze and reuse later.
Aim to spend 15 to 20 minutes hooked up to the pump to net a good amount of breast milk (some women will need 30 minutes or more with the pump, especially in the early days). Pump until the milk starts slowing down and your breasts feel well-drained. Be sure to clean the breast flanges after every use.
Pumping more often can help stimulate breasts to produce more milk. Moms can try pumping both breasts for 15 minutes every two hours for 48-72 hours. Then moms can return to their normal pumping routine. Pumping for longer than 30 minutes may not be beneficial.
It can take some babies anywhere from a few hours up to 48 hours to start breastfeeding. What's really important to remember is that the first hour is often known as the “Golden hour!” This is because the first hour after birth has been shown to be important in initiating your milk supply for now and the future.
If your supply should drop, simply increase the number of times you pump. You may also find that you are able to get enough milk even if you reduce the length of your pumping sessions. Some women find that 10 – 15 minutes is long enough.
Breastmilk at night
For most mothers, breastmilk will gradually increase in fat content throughout the day. During the evening, young babies often cluster feed, taking in frequent feeds of this fattier milk, which tends to satisfy them enough to have their longest stretch of sleep.
Iron in milk peaks at around noon; vitamin E peaks in the evening. Minerals like magnesium, zinc, potassium and sodium are all highest in the morning.
Breast milk tends to be extra watery first thing in the morning because milk has been sitting in your breasts for awhile as you and your baby sleep at night.
Your breasts feel softer
This happens as your milk supply adjusts to your baby's needs. The initial breast fullness reduces in the first few weeks. At around 6 weeks, breast fullness is completely gone and your breasts may feel soft. This is completely normal and has no effect on your milk supply.
Try not to go longer than about six hours without pumping if baby is eating during that time. That means, don't skip more than one breastfeeding without pumping. Note: If baby is sleeping longer stretches at night, you should be sleeping those stretches, too.
The maximum volume of milk in the breasts each day can vary greatly among mothers. Two studies found a breast storage capacity range among its mothers of 74 to 606 g (2.6 to 20.5 oz.) per breast (Daly, Owens, & Hartmann, 1993; Kent et al., 2006).