I fully support breastfeeding but there has got to be a better way of transport than these flimsy bags! I almost always have at least one baby using the bags and they leak. Yesterday I had a couple bags in the fridge in a bowl and they leaked and as the milk melted it overflowed the bowl. Today I see milk has leaked again and is all over the bottom of my fridge.

And the thawing, and warming. It is so much easier to just mix formula in warm water! But my biggest complaint is the bags. They are messy to pour into the bottles too!

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Can you ask DCM to bring it already in bottles? She could thaw it at home and then fill the bottles in the morning for the day. BM is good for 24 hrs after it's fully thawed as long as it is in the fridge.

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You have two options:

1) request frozen BM in advance (and deal with that annoyance but no leakage!)

or

2) Request the milk be put in plastic or glass containers only for sanitary reasons.

It shouldn't be that difficult to comply with or else purchase plastic storage bottles yourself and write it off at tax time

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My dcm's tend to use Target brand bags and I haven't had a leakage problem yet. And I don't have an issue with pouring in the milk; once it's thawed and warm (I warm it in the bag) I open it and pour it into the bottle from a corner. No drips, leaks, or spills. Works perfectly every time.

But if it bothers you, request that milk be sent in bottles only.

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I used the Medela ones and never had a problem. I agree with seeing if you can have DCM bring the milk in bottles.

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Is mom over filling the bags. The ones I used to use were the Lancôme ones and they are only suppose to be filled with 6 oz max. I had issues with the leakage also when I filled them up all the way. It never specified on the box that they are not suppose to be filled up that full. I contacted the company and that's what they said.

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OOh!! I was just complaining about the same thing! I hated one type of bag, and I can't remember which ones they were. They leaked at the bottom, were hard to pour into the bottle, heaven forbid you try to pour it one handed. THe mom switched to another brand, and they were SO much better. She switched to a brand called "The first years". The first years are easier to pour, and you don't have to squeeze it in the middle to create a pour spout.... the first years have a built in pour spout.

I am pretty sure the ones I hated were called Lanisho. (or something along those lines) They were blue...that is all I really remember.

She also used Medella, and I liked those better too.

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Lansinoh! I meant! Lol

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Yes, they are the Lansinoh bags! And yes she fills them FULL - each bag has 8oz in it! Maybe that is the problem. Then she brings a plastic bag full of them and they are all clanking together.

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LOL..Me too.. I knew I was remembering it wrong.

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I've pumped literally thousands of ounces, and tried probably 6 brands of bags. The Lansinoh ones are my FAVORITE! Out of hundreds of bags, I think I maybe had 3 leak? But I wouldn't fill them with more than 6 ounces. Usually I just did 4-5 (so one bag = one bottle).

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I think sometimes I would just get a bad batch. She bought them in bulk, and i'd have 11 leak, and then for the next few weeks, none would leak, then another group would leak.

I'd feel so bad too, because it's not like formula or regular milk that is leaking into this hot tap water.. it was way more precious, and I'd only lose some of it, I still felt like it was a huge waste.

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I do like Silver and warm milk in the bag and then pour the milk into a bottle.

I haven't had leakage issues but just in case, I put each bag into a larger baggie and thaw in water so the baggie catches anything that leaks.

Someone from the forum suggested it and it solved my issue.

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I was just about to suggest this! sometimes frozen milk can cause the bag to leak when thawed. I bet it would also help if she only did 4oz bags as well. But putting them in a bigger ziplock to thaw is a good idea.

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I had a DC mom that would do that to me, too. I told her that she would have to bring milk for the day Pre-bottled and it worked great. You don't need to do any extra work- just send the dirty bottles home so they wash and refill ( just make sure to have a little formula for the baby JUST IN CASE . That's what I did when my girls were in DC- I never expected the DCP to handle my milk or wash bottles- they're busy enough!

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They can only bring it in bottles to my house also. I keep an emergency bag in the freezer though. I rinse the bottles and send them home. The pouches are a pain to me.

Laurel

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I have to emphasize! I'm breastfeeding my son, and I hate pumping and storing breast milk in those bags. I rarely feed him from a bottle--it's just so much easier and nicer to nurse--but when I have to go out for awhile, I leave my husband with the pumped milk. It always spills whenever I'm pouring it when it's in bags!

You could request the mothers to bring breast milk already in bottles or in storage container bottles. I totally understand the leaking and spilling issues!

Plus, I think pouring milk from a bag into a bottle has the potential to become unsanitary because your fingers get all over the top of the bag as you open it and carefully pour the milk out... I always am concerned about sticking a finger into the milk by accident. I wash my hands first, but sticking your finger in someone's drink is gross no matter how you look at it...

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I'm just putting in my 2 cents, but I would make sure you ask the dcp if its ok if you give their child formula if you run out of bm during the day. As a mother who breast feeds, I'd be uber pissed if someone did that to my child without asking me.

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I agree.
You would likely never see me as mad as you would if you 1. fed my child formula or 2. vaccinated my child. Those two things will send me off the deep end.

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This is what I do too. They bring in premade bottles each day (breastmilk either poured in a regular bottle or a bottle with the plastic drop in liner already in it). I have them bring one bottle worth of frozen milk that I keep here, just in case.

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Yes, I agree. In my case it was the DCG's formula- I would never give formula w/o permission, nor do I supply it! I forgot I also had a couple of extra frozen bags in the freezer, just in case

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My moms always double-bagged the milk and I thawed it in a ziplock baggie. If the inner bag didn't leak I'd give the outer bag back to the mom to use again (as an outer bag, not one the milk goes in.)

My issue was that if I wasn't super careful I'd squeeze the bag or it would unbalance and I'd spill the milk all over.

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That's probably the problem. I LOVE Lansinoh (when my clients bring them and when I have used them myself) but like others have said, you can't put more than 6oz in them.

I do this also. I have the clients bring me the bags already frozen and pop them in the freezer here at home. Right before I need to thaw them I also put them in a plastic sandwich baggie and then pop that into a bowl of warm water until it thaws all the way through. Then I just pull out the bag of breast milk and pour the milk into the bottle. Easy peezy. I prefer clients bring the bags over them bringing the milk in bottles (like Medela bottles that attach directly to the breast pump) because they take up so much room and are clunky and it takes longer for the milk to thaw.

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I understood what you meant.

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