Pumped breastmilk is good at room temperature for 8-10 hours.

Don't worry- your baby won't eat spoiled milk, anyway

ETA: From http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/storagehandling.html:

STORAGE
Human milk has been found to have properties that protect it from bacterial contamination which allow it to be stored longer than was previously thought. Guidelines for breastmilk storage are as follows:

Freshly expressed breastmilk may be kept at room temperature for up to 10 hours (colostrum or milk expressed within 6 days of delivery can be stored 12 hours at room temperature).

You look awesome mama!

Breastfeeding is more than a lifestyle choice — it's an important health choice. Any amount of time that you can do it will help both you and your baby. There are many benefits of breast milk for mothers, babies, and others.

Benefits for Babies, Moms, and Families
Breastfeeding is normal and healthy for infants and moms.

Breast milk has disease-fighting cells called antibodies that help protect infants from germs, illness, and even SIDS. Infant formula cannot match the exact chemical makeup of human milk, especially the cells, hormones, and antibodies that fight disease.
Breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of these health problems: In Infants: In Moms:
Ear infections
Stomach viruses
Diarrhea
Respiratory infections
Atopic dermatitis
Asthma
Obesity
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Childhood leukemia
Sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS
Necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in pre-term infants
Type 2 diabetes
Breast cancer
Ovarian cancer
Postpartum depression (PPD)

Studies are still looking at the effects of breastfeeding on osteoporosis and weight loss after birth.

How small is a newborn's tummy?

Photo courtesy of La Leche League International

Breast milk is different from infant formula. Colostrum, the thick yellow first breast milk that you make during pregnancy and just after birth, will give your baby the best start at life. It is known as "liquid gold." It is very rich in nutrients and antibodies to protect your baby as he or she first enters the world. Although your baby only gets a small amount of colostrum at each feeding, it matches the amount his or her tiny stomach can hold. A newborn stomach is only the size of a large marble at first!

Your milk changes over time to meet your baby's needs. Your breast milk that begins to be made by the third to fifth day after birth has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein that is needed for a baby's growth. It will be a thinner type of milk, but just as full of all of the nutrients and antibodies for your baby.

For most babies, breast milk is easier to digest than formula. It takes time for their stomachs to adjust to digesting the proteins in formula because they are made from cow's milk.

Premature babies do better when breastfed compared to premature babies who are fed formula.

Additional Resources
For more information on infant formula safety issues, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

When you breastfeed, there are no bottles and nipples to sterilize. Unlike human milk straight from the breast, infant formula has a chance of being contaminated.

Breastfeeding makes your life easier. You do not have to purchase, measure, and mix formula. There are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night!

Breastfeeding can save you between $1,160 and $3,915 per year, depending on the brand of formula.

A mother can satisfy her baby's hunger right away with breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding requires a mother to take some quiet relaxed time for herself and her baby, helping them bond. Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm, and comforted. Breastfeeding mothers may have increased self-confidence and feelings of closeness and bonding with their infants.

Breastfeeding during an emergency can save lives.

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Benefits for Society
Breastfeeding saves on health care costs. Total medical care costs for the nation are lower for fully breastfed infants than never-breastfed infants since breastfed infants typically need fewer sick care visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations.

Breastfeeding contributes to a more productive workforce. Breastfeeding mothers miss less work, as their infants are sick less often. Employer medical costs also are lower and employee productivity is higher.

Breastfeeding is better for our environment because there is less trash and plastic waste compared to that produced by formula cans and bottle supplies.

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The U.S. Surgeon General Recommends Breastfeeding
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that babies be fed with breast milk only for the first six months of life. This means not giving your baby any other food or drink — not even water — during this time. Drops of liquid vitamins, minerals, and medicines are, of course, fine, as advised by your baby's doctor. It is even better if you can breastfeed for your baby's first year or longer, for as long as you both wish.

Solid iron-rich foods, such as iron-fortified cereals and pureed vegetables and meats, can be started when your baby is around six months old. Before that time, a baby's stomach cannot digest them properly. Solids do not replace breastfeeding. Breast milk stays the baby's main source of nutrients during the first year. Beyond one year, breast milk can still be an important part of your child's diet

Aside from all this useful information, I breastfed

So-called "baby food" mush is not healthy. The vitamins are all processed out of what once was nutritious food. It also tastes somewhere between awful and vile. If a baby is *ready* for food, there is no reason not to give actual food instead of mush. If the baby isn't ready for food, there is no reason to give *anything* other than breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding should *never* hurt. It can be uncomfortable for some women the first few days, but more than just a bit of pain is a sign of a problem. Fix the problem, no more pain!! If you have pain when nursing, talk to a local La Leche League Leader (see sources section below). Her help is *free* (although she'll undoubtedly welcome a donation to the organization).

For some BUT some women also feel the need to eat a lot (and I mean need literally. It can really drain you sometimes) while BFing so it counter acts it.

Congratulations on your twins!

I completely understand what you are going through. I needed to pump my breastmilk while my 35week gestation son was in the NICU for 3 weeks. However for the first 4 days I would only get 1-2 drops of colostrum after 20 minutes of pumping! It may not seem like a lot, but give that colostrum that you are getting to the nurses; even a little bit will help. My milk took about 5 days before it came in. And it was a week before I felt like I was actually getting a respectable amount.

You really need a more powerful pump than a manual one. Especially as you are getting your milk supply started. With as much as you will be pumping you need a powerful one. A manual one will take you about an hour to get out of one breast what you can in 10 minutes with a hospital grade one. Plus you can pump both breasts at the same time. Ask the NICU nurses or the hospital's lactation consultant where you can rent one today! Also sometimes your insurance will pay for the pump rental while your twins are in the hospital if you get a prescription for it from their pediatrician or neonatalogist.

To bring in your milk by pumping, you have to pump at least 8-12 times a day for 10-20 minutes (this means waking up in the middle of the night.) I know it seems like a lot, but it can be harder to stimulate the milk supply when pumping and not breastfeeding. It is important to drink a ton of water. Also I found that taking fenugreek capsules and blessed thistle (not milk thistle) from health food stores helped to increase my supply once the milk started flowing.

Please don't get discouraged. It is difficult enough to breastfeed and then when you add having your dear babies in the NICU it is even more frustrating. Just know that even if you aren't able to produce what you think is a lot of milk that even little amounts will help your little babies. Good luck!

i know how you feel when you say you want him back in your belly, i wish my lil Sophia was in my belly too, i LOVED having her in there<3 i had her 2 weeks ago, and it feels like i just had her yesterday!

you look awesome!! great job with the weight loss

You look great!!