TILTHW- thaw breast milk in advance

Things I learned the hard way- Consider taking the frozen breast milk for the next day (or 24 hour period) out of the freezer to thaw in te refrigerator overnight. This can cut thawing/warming time by more than half.

TILTHW- Freezing breastmilk

Things I Learned The Hard Way- If you freeze breastmilk in bags, lay them flat while freezing them.  If you don’t have solid racks in your freezer, just place a small piece of cardboard on the rack and lay the bag on top to freeze.  Flat bags are much easier to store, take up less freezer space, and they freeze and thaw much more quickly, saving valuable time when you have a screaming hungry baby in your arms.  Most standard size breastmilk storage bags fit perfectly inside old plastic CD storage bins in the freezer.

TILTHW- Don't spill the breastmilk when pouring from the bag

Things I Learned The Hard Way- If you store your breastmilk in bags, pouring them into the bottle at feeding time can sometimes be a hassle.  If the milk is frozen, thaw, then turn the sealed bag upside down and cut off a small corner of the plastic bag.  This allows you to safely pour the milk directly into a bottle without spilling any (even while holding a squirming baby).

TILTHW- Save money on nursing pads

Things I Learned The Hard Way- If you plan to nurse, consider buying re-usable cotton nursing pads.  They are also very easy to make your own with layers of terrycloth, microfiber fabric or absorbent fleece sandwiched between outer layers of plain woven cotton.  The disposable type can trap moisture and give many mothers rashes or sensitize the skin, making nursing very uncomfortable.  Cotton pads allow the skin to breathe.  Safety pin the cotton pads together or put them inside a mesh delicates bag before you wash them so you always have a pair, and wash them with your infant’s clothing in a mild detergent (Dreft, All Baby, etc).  Don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets because they can increase the risk of skin irritation.