Page 35 - What to Expect

During your stay

If expressing at the hospital, write your name and date on the containers
and freeze in the Unit’s freezer straight away. If expressing at home, write
your name and date on the container and freeze your breast milk at home.
When you next visit the hospital, wrap the frozen milk well in newspaper
or place in a chilly bin or a container suitable for transporting frozen goods
and transfer to the Unit’s freezer as soon as you arrive. Remember to put
your milk in your freezer bag with your name on it!
You will be given a pamphlet on storage of breast milk both for home and
hospital when you are discharged. Make sure you have this information
before going home. You will be able to notice the colour change from the
heavy cream yellowish colostrum to the thin bluish white of regular breast
milk when you first express. Place the most recently expressed milk to the
back of your freezer bag as this will ensure the colostrum rich milk is used
first.

If your baby’s need for milk is greater than your current supply, the Unit
staff may discuss with you the need for your baby to be supplemented
with an infant milk formula. For the majority of babies, tolerating infant
milk formula is not a problem. If you or anyone in your family has an allergy
to milk products, talk to your baby’s nurse or doctor about this. If you don’t
want to give your baby formula or have your baby bottle-fed, then talk
about this with the staff.

What do I need to know about bottle-feeding?

If breast-feeding doesn’t happen for you and your baby, don’t worry about
it. This is a very stressful time and trying to express or breast-feed under
such circumstances can sometimes be just too much. While breast milk is
the best food for your baby not all mothers want to, or are able to, breast-
feed.

If you or your baby are not happy with breast-feeding, the stress involved
with persevering may be too much heartache for both of you. It is your
decision whether to breast or bottle-feed. If you have decided to bottle-
feed your baby you shouldn’t feel guilty that you aren’t giving your baby
the best. A happy and contented environment is what is best for your
baby, and that means a happy mother.

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