If your kiddo is still nursing...

How much do you keep in your private stash before donating? My son is 6 months old, and I'd say my supply is about equal to his intake at this point...maybe a LITTLE more. I have some milk that is expiring that I need to rotate or donate. Thanks for your input! I really want to help but am concerned if my supply tanks later.

As being a person who has gone through what you are conserned about (supply greatly reducing and being a donor) I had consulted with my LC and her response to me was do what you are most comfortable in doing. She stated to me that it is best to rotate out your stock, making sure that you feel confident that the amount that you have in the freezer is equal to at LEAST 2 or more weeks supply so that if your supply tanks at any point in time if due to you getting sick or being stressed or just physical changes in your body you want to make sure that you have enough so that the decrease in supply dose not stress you more by thinking that you will not be able to provide for your baby, as it is a viscious cycle that can cause your supply to decrease even more. When I consulted with my LC this pregnancy and donated what I felt I could; which for myself was the milk that had gluten as my babies are gluten sensative. With listening to my LC and knowing my history with overproducing in the begining and then supply dropping dramatically I was able to keep enough in the freezer to keep my baby that can not handle formula on my own (frozen) milk for an additional almost 4 months, before having to become a recipient. I think that the first pregnancy is the hardest because you really do not know what your body will do and want to make sure you can provide for your baby as much as possible, after that it is easier bacause you at least have an idea of what may reduce your supply and how long you were able to breastfeed in previous children. With this pregnancy I knew that working full time affected my production and was able to go back initally part-time and my supply lasted twice as long Mary

For me, I am comfortable with keeping 100oz as part of my stash and then donating the rest. I know that it is not a ton, but DS has not had a bottle in suck a long time, plus I am still storing an extra 5oz a day right now. For for us, that is what works. But really it comes down to what you are comfortable with.