Help - preparing expressed milk bottle when out. I'm clueless!!!

[RubyrooUK]

I've got an EBF nine week old DS2 who needs to survive this evening for a good few hours while I work. He is coming with me so I can feed him before/afterwards but DH will be giving him expressed milk in bottles while I am unavailable.

I've expressed but I'm confused about how to prepare the bottles when out and about. DH won't have access to a steriliser. We will be out of the house for about nine hours.

I'm putting the expressed milk in a cool bag.

Do I fill sterilised bottles with boiled water which I pour away before use? Or just take the sterilised bottles and fill with milk when needed?

Help! I've forgotten everything from DS1. I'm a bit stressed that DS2 will be hungry and miserable and my boobs will explode.....

[YoniBottsBumgina]

Just take the milk in sterilised bottles in a cool bag :)

[YoniBottsBumgina]

9 hours is quite a long time but I think breastmilk can be out of the fridge for 12. You will probably have to express yourself once or preferably twice for your comfort. Make sure you take lots of breast pads to avoid embarrassment. Good luck! :)

[Theas18]

How old is baby? Have a hug first of all!

Why will you baby be away from you and out of the house for 9hrs? that sounds an awful long time on both sides!

Expressed milk feeding is easy. Put in the bottle (after expressing- I had loads of bottles for storage) and see whether it needs warming or baby will take as is ( sterilise bottle , put milk in, why would you put boiled water in and throw it away?). cafes may give hot water. If they are sniffy about health and safety get a pot of tea with the tea bag " on the side" LOL

Definitely need cool bag and I'd store some of the milk frozen- a 2oz bottle would thaw slowly and keep the rest cool...

I understand storage/keeping of breast milk guidance has changed since I did all this 13yrs ago eg people express at night and don't rush to stick it in the fridge straight away etc as it is naturally sterile.

[RubyrooUK]

Ah so put the milk in bottles before we go? Will they be ok even if I do that at 4:30 and they are used at 10:30?

[SpottyTeacakes]

Advice is not to thaw frozen breast milk at room temperature. I would fill the sterilised bottles at home and take in a cool bag. Sit the bottle in a jug of hot water to warm.

[SpottyTeacakes]

If it's in a cool bag it should be fine. You can keep freshly expressed milk in the fridge for a few days so a few hours in a cool bag shouldn't be a problem

[RubyrooUK]

Ok, so put expressed milk in sterilised bottles before we leave and store them in the cool bag with plenty of ice. That sounds right?

Thanks everyone. DS2 is nine weeks old and alas this is a big work event that I've been committed to for ages. I really need to go and I need to be presenting there for several hours, so it's not easy to sneak away when DS2 needs a feed or I'd just do that.

Breast pads - oh bugger, they won't look good under my dress.

[RubyrooUK]

[YoniBottsBumgina]

Well where else are you going to put it? it's not going to stay magically more sterile in another container. Unless you're expressing fresh (in which case why can't DH just bring the baby in for a feed?)

[RubyrooUK]

My brain doesn't work anymore Yoni - it's the three years without a single uninterrupted night's sleep since DS1 was born that has done for me. I really am struggling with working out what to do/take in the bottles area, hence such a daft thread.

Sadly, DH can't bring him to me for a feed as I'm on stage at an event this evening. Probably would be an exciting but not altogether career enhancing moment to stop proceedings and whip out my boobs to feed DS2 then and there.