We know breast milk storage can be confusing, so here is a more conservative approach that you can also go by (and easily remember): 4 hours at room temperature and 4 days in the refrigerator!
"Something I recommend to moms is the 5-5-5 rule," Pawlowski says. "Try and use milk within five hours at room temperature, five days if in the refrigerator, and five months if in the freezer."
The 4 S's refer to four key concepts for children to develop secure attachments. Within this framework, helping children feel “seen,” “safe,” “soothed,” and “secure” may help them become trusting and confident adults.
The 5 "As": Acceptance, Affection, Appreciation, Approval, and Attention: The Journey to Emotional Fulfillment.
What are the “3 Golden Hours”? The 3 Golden Hours refer to the immediate hours after a mother gives birth. It's so important that mothers are given the opportunity to be skin to skin with their babies during these 3 hours to breastfeed their baby and form that immediate bond.
The breastfeeding magic number
Your “magic number” is the number of times you need to empty your breasts per 24 hours in order to keep your supply robust. On average, your magic number is 8 (hence the recommendation to breastfeed every 3 hours).
If your baby is healthy, gaining weight, and seems content after most breastfeeds, they're getting what they need. Babies who are feeding well can take anywhere between five minutes and 40 minutes at each feed.
In an average fifteen to twenty minute breast milk pumping session, most moms express between . 5 ounces and four ounces of breast milk total. Some moms called “superproducers” are able to express four to eight ounces of breast milk per pumping session, but that is definitely not standard.
For a full-term infant, production should increase to approximately 12 to 24 oz of milk per day (baby will consume 2 to 3 oz every 3 to 4 hours).
If you choose to drink, avoid breastfeeding until alcohol has completely cleared your breast milk. This typically takes 2 to 3 hours for 12 ounces (355 milliliters) of 5% beer, 5 ounces (148 milliliters) of 11% wine or 1.5 ounces (44 milliliters) of 40% liquor, depending on your body weight.
Many mothers find the first two to three weeks of breastfeeding to be the most challenging. This is when mothers may be tempted to stop due to ongoing challenges. Most mothers who persist find that the rewards are gratifying and long-term, for both themselves and their babies.
Some mothers feel a tingling or pins and needles sensation in the breast. Sometimes there is a sudden feeling of fullness in the breast. While feeding on one side your other breast may start to leak milk. You may become thirsty.
Inadequate weight gain is one of the strongest indicators that a baby is not getting enough milk. After seven days, your baby has fewer than six wet diapers and four stools per day, her urine is dark yellow or specked with red, or her stools are still dark rather than yellow and loose.
The maximum volume of milk in the breasts each day can vary greatly among mothers. Two studies found a breast storage capacity range among its mothers of 74 to 606 g (2.6 to 20.5 oz.) per breast (Daly, Owens, & Hartmann, 1993; Kent et al., 2006).
Pumping sessions should be ended once you feel empty and milk stops flowing. This is usually after 2-3 letdowns and around the 20-minute mark. The length of time can vary depending on several factors. Pumping sessions may last anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes.
So… the rule of three refers to time - ie 3 hours, 3 days or 3 months. 3 hours: If you pump and plan to use your breastmilk straight away, you can leave it out at room temperature for 3 hours.
Four to six weeks
This period is the most critical time for building baby's immune system. As your little one grows, your breast milk adapts to their needs, providing nutrients that are perfect for their developmental state.
The 120 minute rule is that, generally speaking, when you are exclusively pumping, you want to spend at least 120 minutes (2 hours) per day pumping.
Ultimately, if your baby has reached its birth weight and you're pumping enough milk during the day, it's okay to sleep eight hours without pumping at night. Keep in mind there is an adjustment period for your body as it begins to acclimate to the decrease in overnight milk removal.
Feeling safe, seen, and soothed leads to the fourth S, security, which is based on predictability. Again, it's not about perfection. No one can parent without making mistakes. Rather, it's about letting your kids know that they can count on you, time and again, to show up.
The major determinant of the infant's pattern of attachment (secure, avoidant, ambivalent, or disorganized) appears to be the quality of care the primary caregiver(s) provides.
Another way to understand how attachment is created through communication is by looking at the ABC's of the attachment process: attunement, balance and coherence.