# Pumping into, freezing and feeding in glass bottles?



## daisymommy (Dec 13, 2003)

Hi all! I am planning on breastfeeding my newborn when he arrives, but I also pump occasionally and freeze the milk for when I might be out and Daddy or Grandma takes care of the kiddos.

I just bought Medela bottles, because it's what I used the last two times, but I'm thinking of returning them and going with the glass Evenflo bottles I hear so much about. But I'm wondering, aren't they awful heavy hanging off the pump? I'm afraid of the added weight.

And I have never frozen in glass, so I'm a bit scared of that. I can't just stick one in a mug of hot water to thaw out can I? How long does it take to thaw out a 4oz. bottle of breastmilk? Overnight in the fridge? Or do I leave it on the countertop?

Since I'm breastfeeding, and these nipples (on the Evenflo) are so narrow, I'd then have to pour it into a second glass bottle, like Born Free, correct? I wish I could just pump and store in a wide mouth glass bottle, and feed from there. But I haven't figured out a way yet. Too bad Avent doesn't make glass!

Help me figure this all out please!


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## Ruthie's momma (May 2, 2008)

I used Evenflo Classic Glass bottles with DD and I highly recommend them! If you have to use bottles, these are completely safe, easy to clean, very durable and super inexpensive. And, most importantly, perfect for breastmilk!

*Of course, because these bottles are made of glass, they are heavier than the average bottle (I quickly got used to their weight). Plus, they do fit directly onto Medela breast pumps.

*When freezing BM, allow a little extra room for expansion (as water crystals have more space between their component molecules). This way, you won't have to worry about a crack developing in the glass bottle (and losing any precious BM!).

*I used only 8 oz. bottles and would thaw them in the 'fridge overnight. I am sure that slowly warming the glass bottle in very warm water would be just fine, as well.

*DD was fed from these bottles, also. Despite all of my problems with developing and maintaining my BM supply, DD never had a problem switching between being nursed by my breasts and an Evenflo silicone nipple.

So, I was able to use the Evenflo Classic Glass bottle to pump, store and feed BM to my DD.

HTH!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I worked out of the house when DS was an infant so I pumped regularly and he got fed bottles. I never used the wide-mouthed bottles with him; we used the nuk nipples which fit on regular "standard" bottles. If your baby likes those nipples, it makes things easier.

You certainly CAN stick a glass bottle in a mug of hot water to thaw out. I froze in a variety of materials- at first in plastic bags, but later in rigid plastic and glass bottles. I handled the glass and the rigid plastic in exactly the same way. Leave an inch at the top of the bottle before freezing, thaw in the fridge overnight or in a mug of hot water for 5 or so minutes (I'm not sure how long it took since, if I was home, I'd be nursing.)

I recomend freezing in 2 or 3oz portions, to minimize waste. Few breastfed babies will take an entire 4oz at once. IMO, the best bottles for freezing the milk are the ones that come with formula or juice already in them. I used to buy juice in those little baby bottles, have my older kids drink the juice, and then wash out the bottles to use for EBM. They hold 4oz, but they don't have extra space at the top like the 4oz bottles you buy in the store (that actually hold 5 or 6 oz.) These smaller bottles hold 3oz perfectly for freezing and feeding, and come with solid lids (not the rings meant for nipples that you then need a little circle thingie when you seal it.) Some brands now come in plastic rather than glass, but the organic baby juice still comes in glass.


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## daisymommy (Dec 13, 2003)

Awesome! I'm actually getting excited about not using plastic bottles, like I conquered the system or something









So, you say I can put the frozen bottle into a mug of warm/hot water and it won't shatter?! Really?!

And I never thought it would be possible to feed my baby out of these bottles, but that's encouraging to know I could try it! I just saw that they make silicone wrappers that fit the outside of these too, in case I drop one. Yeah!

Thanks ladies!


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## kriket (Nov 25, 2007)

i've read that glass isn't best for BM. one sec let me find where i read that

nak

eta found it, read it in the 'what to expect' book so... take it with a grain of salt like most of their advice

Quote:

"Plastic containers are better than glass for collecting and storing breastmilk, not only because glass is breakable, but also because disease-fighting white blood cells in mother's milk have been shown to cling more to glass than to plastic, making them less available to baby


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Moving to the Breastfeeding forum


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

I pump into the plastic bottle & then pour into the glass - because of the weight issue. I figure the 5 minutes in the plastic is ok.

I did originally freeze in the glass bottles but dh really hated it because it takes SO long for the bm to defrost (we don't use bottles often so he has a tough time figuring out timing & amounts - lol). Now I freeze in the little bags designed for bm. Because I can freeze them flat they defrost in a cup of hot water in just a couple of minutes.


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## Lusa's Mom (Sep 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kriket* 
i've read that glass isn't best for BM. one sec let me find where i read that

nak

eta found it, read it in the 'what to expect' book so... take it with a grain of salt like most of their advice

Don't have time to find the link, but on the la leche league website search freezing breast milk. Unless info has changed since last fall the info was storing BM in the fridge is best done in plastic because the antibodies cling to the glass, HOWEVER, in the freezer the antibodies release from the glass.

I pumped and froze ahead BM for the first 7.5 months for my DD. I had to go back on meds and had to cut BFing shorter than I wanted to. I chose small jelly jar sized mason jars and ice cube trays. The ice cubes were labor intensive and are a pain to defrost. They do fit into the evenflo bottles, but only about 4-5, which barely makes 4 oz. The mason jars are easy to defrost overnight in the fridge. I can shake them up to redistribute the fat and also, I can pour what she needs and leave the rest in the fridge for the next feeding.
I love the evenflo bottles. DD is 9 mo and is still using the slow flow #1 nipple that came with them. It gives her more time to suck and she is content.
I am glad not to worry about any plastic leaching.

Good luck!


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## daisymommy (Dec 13, 2003)

Yep, your right about the antibodies and "good stuff" clinging to the glass, (I've read it many places) which is why I initially wasn't going to use it. But then I read that that after 24 hrs, it released back into the milk. So, 24 hrs. after freezing, or after sitting in fridge, all the goodies are back in the milk.

Also, in our case, baby will be getting a bottle maybe 1-2x a month, max. I figure that even if my baby drinks the milk immediately after I pump it, 1-2 feedings a month out of all the hundreds he will be getting each month isn't enough to worry about. But I would think about the plastic each time. Just me!


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