Hurricane Harvey is making landfall just south of Houston in the next day or so, which is leaving people scrambling to prep their homes for potential flooding and prolonged power outages. Mamas of babies face a particular set of challenges when it comes to dealing with the aftermath of a big storm and one scenario that would bring any pumping mom to tears: losing her stash of frozen breastmilk. Here are 5 tips to help you save all that liquid golden when the power goes out.

1. Pack that freezer full! The more that is in your freezer, the longer it will take to thaw. We keep gallons of water in our deep freeze to help it stay cold when the power is out.
2. Move your milk to the center of the freezer. Just like defrosting a big roast, the middle is the last part to thaw out.
3. Don’t open the freezer! No matter how tempting it is to just peek in to see how your milk is doing, keep that door shut and the cold air in.
4. If you have a generator, use it. If you don’t have a generator, and didn’t have time to prep your freezer by filling it up and moving your milk, see if a neighbor with a generator will loan you some freezer space.
5. A fully loaded, unopened deep freezer will keep your milk frozen for 4-7 days without power. Once the power is back on, so long as they’re are any ice crystals left in your milk, you are safe to refreeze.

Also remember to be sure you have enough diapers on hand for a week and plenty of clean clothes. Those are the things only a mama thinks of.
Also, buy some wine. Always have wine.