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freezing breastmilk in icecube trays...? and other questions

Conni - posted on 09/29/2009 ( 3 moms have responded )

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How do you keep the icecube trays sanitary for the use of storing breastmilk? I mean other than washing them of course but I find that when I try to get ICE out of the icecube tray the ice cube breaks apart and some stays stuck in the tray..very frustrating and would be even more so frustrating if it were valuable breastmilk being stuck in the tray. So any tips on that because I'm curious and might start doing it because the bags are just sliding around in my freezer and getting mixed up according to the dates on them!

BOTTLES....what is the best bottle to use for a breastfed baby? I go back to work in about 3 weeks and want to start looking into purchasing bottles. Any recommendations are welcome!

Conni

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3 Comments

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Lucy - posted on 09/30/2009

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I prefer the milk storage bags it's easier than a tray as they're readily sterile and you dont have to bang the milk out just put the bag in the fridge and let it defrost like that. Now gettin bubs to drink a bottle.......I'd love to know, i've been trying for 6months to no avail!

Hannah - posted on 09/29/2009

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I use these type of trays: http://www.pearlekids.com/Baby-Cubes-Foo...



I LOVE them! I pour the breast milk into each individual cube which holds 1 oz each so when we go to thaw and use them, we easily know the volume needed to put in the bottle and defrost. They have individual lids which helps compared to some trays which have one lid for the whole tray. This allows me to freeze as much as I need at a time vs. filling up just 1/2 a tray and waiting for it to freeze before I add more. It's really convenient. I fill up a bowl with warm water, submerge the cube for like 2 seconds and then they just pop out without breaking or sticking and I put the cubes into a freezer bag so I can reuse the trays. I just wash and dry the cube after I use them. I suppose I could sanitize them each time. I have some sanitizing bags (Medlea Microsteam Bags - Target - $5) that I use for my pump parts and since these cubes are dishwasher safe they could withstand sanitizing or boiling.



Our daughter took to the bottle really easily. She first used the Medela bottle/nipple that came with my breast pump. I had purchased Playtex Ventaire Natural Shape Wide Mouth bottles. The angled shape helps prevent air bubbles which helps prevent gas and spitting up. I'd read something good about wide mouth bottles, too, but cannot remember off the top of my head what the benefit was. Our daughter took to that bottle/nipple well also now. Quite seamless from breastfeeding.



I'd recommend you start giving your baby a bottle for one feeding a day now so that they will get use to using a bottle. Best of luck!

Carla - posted on 09/29/2009

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you can buy icecube trays for milk that stores 1oz at a time in sticks that are easy to transfer to a bottle still frozen. They are covered too to prevent freezer burn. I only use ice cube trays for food then transfer it to freezer bags when frozen, I find it easier to transfer them soon after they have frozen as they dont stick to the tray as much.



As for bottles I recommend Breastflow bottles by First years. They are the only bottle my son will take and they suckle on them the same way as the breast to avoid nipple confusion. I also recommend that you start trying a bottle per day ASAP as it can take them a while to get used to it. I've been trying my son for weeks and he will only take it very reluctantly.

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