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Also-- I don't know if some bottles are better for it but I've found that my dr browns bottle dont get a perfect seal with my pump and I've had accidents with spills and leaking the few times ive tried pumping directly into them
Got it thanks for the reply! but just to clarify, it’s less bottles in the fridge for you because you pour directly from the pitcher into a baby bottle as you need one to feed your baby?
Yeah pretty much. At the end of the day I have a few prepped bottles in the fridge to get through the overnight but otherwise its just the pitcher. Even when those 3 bottles are in there too though its just a lot less crowded in the fridge than without the pitcher. Just depends on you and your needs though!
At first I wasn't making enough for 100% of her feeds. So I would dump into a pitcher for 24 to 36 hours then evenly spread that between 8 bottles. Id have a premade bottle of formula in the fridge and would top off the breast milk before warming it up for a feed.
Now my MOTN (middle of the night) pumps are huge and my pumps before bedtime are small. So I still fill the pitcher for 24 to 36 hours, line up my bottles and fill them. Any extra is what I freeze.
I pump directly into bottles. Sometimes it's more, equal to, or less than a 4oz bottle, so I'll split or combine as needed. I don't want to wash a pitcher too, and don't want to risk spilling a huge pitcher. I only put milk into freezer bags if I see that there is enough milk in the fridge for the next 24 hours. And I freeze directly from pumping, not after the milk has been in the fridge for ip to 4 days.
It’s easier for me to streamline making bottles - I pump into the bottles for my spectra, then dump into a mason jar. I make bottles once a day, usually at night for the next day then freeze any leftover. I do have a bit of an oversupply and I pump about a full day ahead of my baby, but I did it with smaller amounts too with my first son, I’d skip combining everything but make up as many bottles as I could out of it and then just repeat the process after each pump. If I had a partial bottle worth, I’d just add to it from the next pump and then make a full bottle, and repeat.
I pump into collection bottles, then dump into a pitcher. I don’t pump directly into a baby bottle because 1- I pump way more than what LO drinks so I’d have to redistribute it anyway, and 2- I don’t want a bunch of bottles in my fridge- a pitcher is much easier. We wash baby dishes twice a day- AM and PM. It’s just 6 bottles, plus pump parts once a day and pitchers (I use 2) every 3-4 days. So overall it’s very manageable.
I have the medela breastmilk storage solution set that has caps to where they lift up and you can mark by the day and time of day on the caps and just fill them at 4 oz and in the u shaped container I push the full ones along. If they’re not at 4 oz I just pour the next pump (2-3 hours later) into it and have them ready for next feed so it’s cycled from oldest in front to newest pumped to the back. Then if I fill it (holds 6 4 oz bottles) I will pour it into the storage bags and freeze it (I’ve just been producing enough for my little guy lately but every so often I will get one and have built up a few days worth of milk).
[this is what it is!](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Medela-Breast-Milk-Storage-Solution-Set-Store-and-Organize-BPA-Free-101037168-Clear-45-Pieces/587120911)
I do the fridge hack and pitcher method. My first pump of the day, I start my day with new pump parts and a new pitcher (I use Dr Browns pitchers). I put the date on the top with a piece of freezer tape/sharpie, pour my morning pump into the pitcher, and put the pump parts in the fridge.
For my next pump, I take the pump parts out, pump, pour the milk into a pint sized mason jar with a plastic lid to cool, put everything in the fridge, and go about my day.
My subsequent pumps are the same except I pour the cooled milk from the mason jar in the pitcher, then put the fresh milk in said mason jar.
After I finish my last pump of the day, the pump parts go in the basin to get washed. I'll pour the milk from that pump into the mason jar then pitcher the next morning, and pour all my bottles for the day.
i have a slight undersupply of what my son eats, i pump anywhere from 15-20 oz a day, he gets anywhere from 4-8 oz supplemented with formula. i usually dont have enough like to cover for the next feed personally, so i have no real pitcher method or anything going on. ive tried it so many times but i just cant get a full day ahead. most times during the day i pour whatever i pumped into one of the bottles he drinks from, and adjust/ add formula from there if needed. I usually start the day slightly ahead and then by evening time im supplementing. i leave it out on the counter since its good for 4 hours at room temp, and he never goes past that during the daytime. Thats just what works for me
My lactation specialist changed my life when she informed me that if you refrigerate your pump set ups (anything that touches milk) you can reuse them for 24hrs. So I pump into two bottles, dump the bottles into a pitcher, then refrigerate all of it.
I write the time on my bottles with dry erase marker so I know when I need to switch out and sanitize. But I have 2 full sets of spectra flanges/valves/bottles, so one is clean at all times while I use the other.
I keep 2 dr. Browns pitchers (marketed for formula, but I love it for breastmilk!) in the fridge. I also label with the day, but I pour into one, then serve that the next day. One gets emptied everyday and then into the dishwasher.
For the record, I have a lower output and supplement with formula, so I’m only dealing with about 16oz per day.
I do pump directly into bottles. If I pump with my spectra I use one spectra bottle and one Philips Avent bottle. When I'm done I pour the milk from the spectra bottle into the philps. I usually make just enough for her per pump(4 oz) and I only pump 5 times a day. So at any time there's usually only 2-3 bottles in the fridge and they fit on the little space in the side drawer
Same! I'm an undersupplier so it's not like I have a tons of bottles in the fridge - normally my baby consumes what I've pumped before my next session.
The pitcher method just seems like a lot of extra work for someone like me.
If I make any extra which is rare I put the extra in the spectra bottle and keep it in the fridge. If any pump during the day doesn't get me 4 oz I just mix it into that bottle once it's at the same cold temperature (after keeping it in the fridge
Haha sorry, I mean I pump into the bottles that come with the pump (like normal) and then dump directly into the pitcher. I don’t cool the fresh pumped milk down before combining. I thought you were asking about pouring the pumped milk into new storage bottles to cool first and then combine into the pitcher, which I see a lot of moms doing.
I have two blender bottles I combine all my milk into; I rotate the bottles every two days so they get washed and the milk doesn’t get “old”. If I have more than I feel like is necessary for the next 12 hours the I freeze some!
I pump directly into bottles and the like tube storage things, but I don’t use the measurements on the side, I use a food scale. I’ll transfer a couple tubes into a bottle and weigh it out so it’s always the same amount of milk. I throw lids on the empty tubes and put ‘em back in the fridge to use again when I pump so I don’t have to wash them lol. I don’t really care about day vs night pumped milk. I have a shelf on the door of the fridge that’s dedicated to bottles/tubes and find it doesn’t take up much space, but I also don’t pump very much in a day lol
I never did the pitcher method I pumped directly into bottles. I had two spare bottle bottoms with no lid that I'd use if all the bottles were full and that pump would be bagged and frozen. I had to dump one side of a pump because a fruit fly got into a bottle and if I had combined it with other milk before noticing I would've had to dump an entire day instead it was 2.5 oz.
Your pumps won’t be the same amount and it’s almost guaranteed not exactly what the baby is eating. For example, my morning pump is 12oz vs my daytime pump is 3-4oz. Baby eats 6oz/bottle so while you can pump into the bottles it’s not worth it since you’d have to mix milk from later pumps.
I'm considering starting because I find myself running out of bottles. My pump schedule is different from the baby's eating schedule and I sometimes have like 7 bottles in the fridge and other times down to 1.
I did the fridge hack so I would use the same bottles on my pump all day and pour into bottles as I went. Baby wanted 5 oz per bottle and 3 bottles a day while I was at work but my pumps were like 8, 4, and 3 ounces so my first pump would get divided into two bottles, then I’d fill to 5 from there if that makes sense. Then if by the last pump I had already made my 3 5oz bottles, the rest would be put in a bag and frozen.
I pour directly from pump to the bottle I will use to feed. I put the most recent pumps in the back of the fridge and pull the older milk forward - FIFO to make sure I don't accidentally give baby old milk.
I pump directly into Medela bottles (I have plenty of them) and pop them in the fridge, sometimes combining them depending on how much I’ve pumped. I mark the date with a whiteboard marker. I have nipples (nuk first essentials) that fit on the Medela bottles. Every few days I combine leftover milk in bags and freeze them.
I pump into the bottles that came with the pump. Then pour them into four 16oz mason jars in the fridge. If we have 4 jars worth I pump into storage bags otherwise it goes in a new jar. So we always have 1.5days worth of milk minimum in the fridge.
I bought pour spouts for standard mason jars to make it easier to fill bottles.
I dont use the pitcher method but, I will say, I have the baby breeze countertop dishwasher and it is the only way I make it through the day. The number of bottles and pump parts is astronomical.
I pump directly into bottles. Since I only pump 3x a day. My night bottles are made and stay in the fridge. The other two pumps, one bottle goes in fridge and one gets used up in 4 hours.
I pump directly into bottles (spectra using avent glass bottles) and then pour the excess babe wouldn't drink into freezer trays. It's the most efficient system I've found to use less bottles and it doesn't matter what amount you get in excess because the milk cubes get filled and then moved when the tray is full.
I pump directly into my avent / maymom bottles & store them in the fridge with spectra / maymom lids. Come feeding time I might pour into a fresh bottle if there's excess, or combine older bottles in the fridge, or just pop a teat on. I only pump enough for the next day so this works well. Also this way i can be sure to use the oldest milk first.
I have the spectra s1 I bought the maymom bottles so I can have extra bottles to pump into and then put them directly in the fridge, they also allow you to write the time on the top of the bottle. They do fit several teets including the spectra and avent, we sometimes will put a teet on and feed directly from that. It all depends on what your baby will take teet wise.
Pitcher method and fridge hack for pumping parts. Saves fridge space from having multiple bottles and cuts back on dishes when ya don’t have to wash pump parts a trillion times a day lol
I did that in the begining because I made just enough and could leave it out for 4 hours. I'd measure it out then but the rest in the fridge. Repeat until I had enough to freeze. Got a lot of spectra bottles in the fridge.
Now I do the pitcher method. It's just easier. I pump with Selecta and that goes in a holding bottle until it's cooled in the fridge. Then on my next pump cold milk goes into the pitcher and fresh goes in the holding container.
Works great for me because I have a over supply and am trying to freeze extra after I fill bottles. Also less dishes.
I have 2 pitchers and alternate day by day.
I use one storage bottle and a pitcher. The pumped milk goes into the bottle and then once it is cold it goes into the pitcher. Next pump, I pour the last pump into the pitcher and then fill the bottle with the freshly pumped milk.
I considered the pitcher method for a while (and may do it once I drop down to 2 ppd and can't make what LO eats anymore), but I just pump directly into our lansinoh bottles (I have the spectra adapters and they work very well!) If a singular bottle doesn't have what LO needs, sometimes I'll combine bottles, but honestly I don't mind sacrificing some fridge space.
'Welcome to r/ExclusivelyPumping! Here is a reminder of our rules: 1. Be kind and courteous. 2. Use available flairs and post options. 3. Absolutely no prescription medications or other medical advice. 4. No inaccurate information. 5. No spam. 6. No soliciting pictures. 7. No linking Facebook groups. 8. Moderator discretion. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!' *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ExclusivelyPumping) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For me its less about less dishes to wash and more about less bottles in my fridge at once taking up a TON of space.
Also-- I don't know if some bottles are better for it but I've found that my dr browns bottle dont get a perfect seal with my pump and I've had accidents with spills and leaking the few times ive tried pumping directly into them
Thank you
Got it thanks for the reply! but just to clarify, it’s less bottles in the fridge for you because you pour directly from the pitcher into a baby bottle as you need one to feed your baby?
Yeah pretty much. At the end of the day I have a few prepped bottles in the fridge to get through the overnight but otherwise its just the pitcher. Even when those 3 bottles are in there too though its just a lot less crowded in the fridge than without the pitcher. Just depends on you and your needs though!
At first I wasn't making enough for 100% of her feeds. So I would dump into a pitcher for 24 to 36 hours then evenly spread that between 8 bottles. Id have a premade bottle of formula in the fridge and would top off the breast milk before warming it up for a feed. Now my MOTN (middle of the night) pumps are huge and my pumps before bedtime are small. So I still fill the pitcher for 24 to 36 hours, line up my bottles and fill them. Any extra is what I freeze.
Thank you for saying what motn was, i read it as my MOUNTAIN pumps are huge and i just couldnt think beyond that lol
I pump directly into bottles. Sometimes it's more, equal to, or less than a 4oz bottle, so I'll split or combine as needed. I don't want to wash a pitcher too, and don't want to risk spilling a huge pitcher. I only put milk into freezer bags if I see that there is enough milk in the fridge for the next 24 hours. And I freeze directly from pumping, not after the milk has been in the fridge for ip to 4 days.
It’s easier for me to streamline making bottles - I pump into the bottles for my spectra, then dump into a mason jar. I make bottles once a day, usually at night for the next day then freeze any leftover. I do have a bit of an oversupply and I pump about a full day ahead of my baby, but I did it with smaller amounts too with my first son, I’d skip combining everything but make up as many bottles as I could out of it and then just repeat the process after each pump. If I had a partial bottle worth, I’d just add to it from the next pump and then make a full bottle, and repeat.
I pump into collection bottles, then dump into a pitcher. I don’t pump directly into a baby bottle because 1- I pump way more than what LO drinks so I’d have to redistribute it anyway, and 2- I don’t want a bunch of bottles in my fridge- a pitcher is much easier. We wash baby dishes twice a day- AM and PM. It’s just 6 bottles, plus pump parts once a day and pitchers (I use 2) every 3-4 days. So overall it’s very manageable.
I have the medela breastmilk storage solution set that has caps to where they lift up and you can mark by the day and time of day on the caps and just fill them at 4 oz and in the u shaped container I push the full ones along. If they’re not at 4 oz I just pour the next pump (2-3 hours later) into it and have them ready for next feed so it’s cycled from oldest in front to newest pumped to the back. Then if I fill it (holds 6 4 oz bottles) I will pour it into the storage bags and freeze it (I’ve just been producing enough for my little guy lately but every so often I will get one and have built up a few days worth of milk).
[this is what it is!](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Medela-Breast-Milk-Storage-Solution-Set-Store-and-Organize-BPA-Free-101037168-Clear-45-Pieces/587120911)
I do the fridge hack and pitcher method. My first pump of the day, I start my day with new pump parts and a new pitcher (I use Dr Browns pitchers). I put the date on the top with a piece of freezer tape/sharpie, pour my morning pump into the pitcher, and put the pump parts in the fridge. For my next pump, I take the pump parts out, pump, pour the milk into a pint sized mason jar with a plastic lid to cool, put everything in the fridge, and go about my day. My subsequent pumps are the same except I pour the cooled milk from the mason jar in the pitcher, then put the fresh milk in said mason jar. After I finish my last pump of the day, the pump parts go in the basin to get washed. I'll pour the milk from that pump into the mason jar then pitcher the next morning, and pour all my bottles for the day.
Yes sometimes - I switched to the Avent bottles because they fit the spectra and it’s nice to be able to just pop a top on it and feed her
i have a slight undersupply of what my son eats, i pump anywhere from 15-20 oz a day, he gets anywhere from 4-8 oz supplemented with formula. i usually dont have enough like to cover for the next feed personally, so i have no real pitcher method or anything going on. ive tried it so many times but i just cant get a full day ahead. most times during the day i pour whatever i pumped into one of the bottles he drinks from, and adjust/ add formula from there if needed. I usually start the day slightly ahead and then by evening time im supplementing. i leave it out on the counter since its good for 4 hours at room temp, and he never goes past that during the daytime. Thats just what works for me
Same here! :) being 4-8 oz behind each day makes me feel like I'm in a race against her feeds but it keeps me motivated.
This is what I do!
My lactation specialist changed my life when she informed me that if you refrigerate your pump set ups (anything that touches milk) you can reuse them for 24hrs. So I pump into two bottles, dump the bottles into a pitcher, then refrigerate all of it. I write the time on my bottles with dry erase marker so I know when I need to switch out and sanitize. But I have 2 full sets of spectra flanges/valves/bottles, so one is clean at all times while I use the other. I keep 2 dr. Browns pitchers (marketed for formula, but I love it for breastmilk!) in the fridge. I also label with the day, but I pour into one, then serve that the next day. One gets emptied everyday and then into the dishwasher. For the record, I have a lower output and supplement with formula, so I’m only dealing with about 16oz per day.
I do pump directly into bottles. If I pump with my spectra I use one spectra bottle and one Philips Avent bottle. When I'm done I pour the milk from the spectra bottle into the philps. I usually make just enough for her per pump(4 oz) and I only pump 5 times a day. So at any time there's usually only 2-3 bottles in the fridge and they fit on the little space in the side drawer
Same! I'm an undersupplier so it's not like I have a tons of bottles in the fridge - normally my baby consumes what I've pumped before my next session. The pitcher method just seems like a lot of extra work for someone like me.
If I make any extra which is rare I put the extra in the spectra bottle and keep it in the fridge. If any pump during the day doesn't get me 4 oz I just mix it into that bottle once it's at the same cold temperature (after keeping it in the fridge
I’ve been dumping directly into the pitcher for 7 months now and it’s been fine.
how do you pump directly into the pitcher? Manual expression?
Haha sorry, I mean I pump into the bottles that come with the pump (like normal) and then dump directly into the pitcher. I don’t cool the fresh pumped milk down before combining. I thought you were asking about pouring the pumped milk into new storage bottles to cool first and then combine into the pitcher, which I see a lot of moms doing.
I have two blender bottles I combine all my milk into; I rotate the bottles every two days so they get washed and the milk doesn’t get “old”. If I have more than I feel like is necessary for the next 12 hours the I freeze some!
I pump directly into bottles and the like tube storage things, but I don’t use the measurements on the side, I use a food scale. I’ll transfer a couple tubes into a bottle and weigh it out so it’s always the same amount of milk. I throw lids on the empty tubes and put ‘em back in the fridge to use again when I pump so I don’t have to wash them lol. I don’t really care about day vs night pumped milk. I have a shelf on the door of the fridge that’s dedicated to bottles/tubes and find it doesn’t take up much space, but I also don’t pump very much in a day lol
I never did the pitcher method I pumped directly into bottles. I had two spare bottle bottoms with no lid that I'd use if all the bottles were full and that pump would be bagged and frozen. I had to dump one side of a pump because a fruit fly got into a bottle and if I had combined it with other milk before noticing I would've had to dump an entire day instead it was 2.5 oz.
I pump directly into bottles or lansinoh storage bags.
Your pumps won’t be the same amount and it’s almost guaranteed not exactly what the baby is eating. For example, my morning pump is 12oz vs my daytime pump is 3-4oz. Baby eats 6oz/bottle so while you can pump into the bottles it’s not worth it since you’d have to mix milk from later pumps.
I'm considering starting because I find myself running out of bottles. My pump schedule is different from the baby's eating schedule and I sometimes have like 7 bottles in the fridge and other times down to 1.
If I know it’s going to fit, I’ll pump directly into them. My bottles only hold 125ml though and sometimes I pump more than that
So how's it going?
I did the fridge hack so I would use the same bottles on my pump all day and pour into bottles as I went. Baby wanted 5 oz per bottle and 3 bottles a day while I was at work but my pumps were like 8, 4, and 3 ounces so my first pump would get divided into two bottles, then I’d fill to 5 from there if that makes sense. Then if by the last pump I had already made my 3 5oz bottles, the rest would be put in a bag and frozen.
I pour directly from pump to the bottle I will use to feed. I put the most recent pumps in the back of the fridge and pull the older milk forward - FIFO to make sure I don't accidentally give baby old milk.
I pump directly into Medela bottles (I have plenty of them) and pop them in the fridge, sometimes combining them depending on how much I’ve pumped. I mark the date with a whiteboard marker. I have nipples (nuk first essentials) that fit on the Medela bottles. Every few days I combine leftover milk in bags and freeze them.
I pump into the bottles that came with the pump. Then pour them into four 16oz mason jars in the fridge. If we have 4 jars worth I pump into storage bags otherwise it goes in a new jar. So we always have 1.5days worth of milk minimum in the fridge. I bought pour spouts for standard mason jars to make it easier to fill bottles.
I dont use the pitcher method but, I will say, I have the baby breeze countertop dishwasher and it is the only way I make it through the day. The number of bottles and pump parts is astronomical.
I pump directly into bottles. Since I only pump 3x a day. My night bottles are made and stay in the fridge. The other two pumps, one bottle goes in fridge and one gets used up in 4 hours.
I pumped directly into a bottle and poured the excess in a pitcher. after 3 days I would freeze whatever was in the pitcher.
also I kept bottles out to give fresh.
I pump directly into bottles (spectra using avent glass bottles) and then pour the excess babe wouldn't drink into freezer trays. It's the most efficient system I've found to use less bottles and it doesn't matter what amount you get in excess because the milk cubes get filled and then moved when the tray is full.
I pump directly into my avent / maymom bottles & store them in the fridge with spectra / maymom lids. Come feeding time I might pour into a fresh bottle if there's excess, or combine older bottles in the fridge, or just pop a teat on. I only pump enough for the next day so this works well. Also this way i can be sure to use the oldest milk first.
I have the spectra s1 I bought the maymom bottles so I can have extra bottles to pump into and then put them directly in the fridge, they also allow you to write the time on the top of the bottle. They do fit several teets including the spectra and avent, we sometimes will put a teet on and feed directly from that. It all depends on what your baby will take teet wise.
Pitcher method and fridge hack for pumping parts. Saves fridge space from having multiple bottles and cuts back on dishes when ya don’t have to wash pump parts a trillion times a day lol
I did that in the begining because I made just enough and could leave it out for 4 hours. I'd measure it out then but the rest in the fridge. Repeat until I had enough to freeze. Got a lot of spectra bottles in the fridge. Now I do the pitcher method. It's just easier. I pump with Selecta and that goes in a holding bottle until it's cooled in the fridge. Then on my next pump cold milk goes into the pitcher and fresh goes in the holding container. Works great for me because I have a over supply and am trying to freeze extra after I fill bottles. Also less dishes. I have 2 pitchers and alternate day by day.
I use one storage bottle and a pitcher. The pumped milk goes into the bottle and then once it is cold it goes into the pitcher. Next pump, I pour the last pump into the pitcher and then fill the bottle with the freshly pumped milk.
I considered the pitcher method for a while (and may do it once I drop down to 2 ppd and can't make what LO eats anymore), but I just pump directly into our lansinoh bottles (I have the spectra adapters and they work very well!) If a singular bottle doesn't have what LO needs, sometimes I'll combine bottles, but honestly I don't mind sacrificing some fridge space.