breastfeeding in NICU?

PiperS

I'm so afraid my babies will end up in the NICU as many twins do. I'm tiny and my ob doesn't think I will carry passed 34 weeks. Anyway if they are in the NICU can I breastfeed them? If I have to pump and bottle feed will they ever learn to latch? I exclusively bf my dd for 15 months and it's so important that my twins receive the same benefit.

MandaS08

It depends on their size, ability to suck ect, but I was able to practice bf once a day with the babies and then I pumped for them.

PiperS

Thanks for your response, Manda. How were they once they were released from the hospital. Did they breastfeed easily or prefer a bottle?

ShopperKristi

I had the same experience and the issue didn't end up being able to latch or not but the logistics of it. I had to nurse each individually which took a loooong time be ause they were weak suckers so I breastfeed each one for up to 30 min, bottle fed or tube fed (another 30 min) then pumped for 30 min so the whole process took 2-2.5 hrs and the we did it every three hours so it was just never ending! I ended up exclusively pumping for six months. I hope you have success, if you are determined to do it at all costs, it is most certainly possible!

jocie2581

@PiperS Thanks for posting this question.  I too am anxious about my boys ending up in the NICU and how that effects breastfeeding.

twobytwomom

Depends on their gestational age/size/how they are doing. I was able to BF all 4 of mine after a couple of days in the NICU, and until then, I just pumped. With my girls, I never had to supplement and didn't have any problems. I went on to BF them sucessfully until 5 months. 

JTA2426

As PP have said, it totally depends on your babies. I delivered my twins at 34 weeks and we spent 10 days in the NICU. Both boys received bottles of pumped colostrum first, then we worked on latching and feeding starting at 4 days old. I made it clear that it was important to me and I got lots of help from the CLC. If your babies end up in the NICU, make sure you make it very clear that you'd like to BF as soon as possible. They should cooperate! Good luck!

carrotcake06

I had my boys at 34w and they spent 13 days in the NICU. My labor and delivery were crazy [emergency c/s under general due to A's prolapsed cord] and I didnt get to see or hold them for 14 hours after they were born.

The first or second day, I got both of them to latch individually for what the NICU called "non-nutritive sucking" which essentially was practice but not meant to replace a feeding. I pumped for 30 min every 3 hours around the clock and got ZERO for 3 days. The NICU forced me to start supplementing which crushed me. But it had taken 5 days for my milk to come in with my first, and I successfully BFed him for 20 mo, so I just kept pumping.

Every time I'd see them, I'd try to get them to latch. My A was way better than my B, but it was absolutely fascinating to watch him learn suck/swallow/breathe over the course of a week or so.

I finally caught up to their feeds around a week and a half. After I was discharged, I spent my days in the NICU. I made a deal w the nurses that I'd nurse for 15 or 20 min and then they'd put half their feed in their feeding tube. I would nurse each individually and then pump. It was time consuming, but it's the NICU and all you really want to do is fill time until your babies come home.

Towards the end of their stay, I started to tandem feed them and not use the feeding tube at all. I again made a deal w the nurses that as long as they gained, this was okay. All other feedings were bottle feedings.

Today, we EBF [tandem BF]. We were supposed to fortify BM bottles w formula for half their feeds, but that sounded like a pita so I just nursed them an when they gained at their weight check 2 days later, I got the official okay to just nurse. Two weeks later, They gained over a pound each and are averaging over an ounce a day.

I credit the vast majority of my confidence with successfully BFing my first for so long. All I had to do this time was get tandem down and I had a great NICU nurse that taught me. We still do bottles - one every other day or so - but that's more to keep them used to it as I'll be going back to work.

Sorry that turned into an absolute novel.

yinyang124

I delivered my boys at 34 weeks. I was allowed to put them to breast 1 time/day when they were in intensive care. When they moved to the feeders and growers nursery, I was encouraged to put them to breast as much as possible. They always fell asleep before a letdown, but I still tried. At home, I pumped every 2 hours. At the NICU, I put them to breast every 3 then pumped after. My guys had a particularly difficult time getting the hang of feeding though, bottle and breast. However, once we were home, they were champs. They were discharged with orders to feed them two fortified bottles of bm/day. After 1 month, they both started refusing bottles. I exclusively nursed them until 7 months when I chose to wean.

ETA: My boys spent 20 (baby and 27 (baby A) days in the NICU.

pizzo84

My girls were in the NICU for 8 weeks. I pumped for them the entire time ( and for 9 more months after that...) I had the opportunity to start trying to breastfeed them around 4 weeks, but only once a day. Even 8 weeks later when we were discharged home it was only recommended that I breastfeed them once a day, and do bottles of EBM the rest of the time. It is a big regret of mine that I didn't push to breastfeed more in the NICU, and didn't work on it as much when we got home. The girls had extreme feeding problems and I was so consumed by that, but when I look back I wonder if breastfeeding would have worked out. Good luck on keeping those babies cooking!

bumpuser924057

My twins were born at 37w3d, and one was in the NICU for eight days (first for blood sugar and then for apnea), while the other was in my room and was discharged with me. The NICU twin spent almost a month on formula bottles while I BFed the other, because he wouldn't latch and I didn't have the time/energy to pump while taking care of both babies and a two year old. Right at about 4w PP, he started getting stronger and staying on the breast longer, and now at six weeks both babies are almost exclusively BF, with a small supplement bottle here and there or when I have to leave them with someone. It can be done, but it takes some determination and time.

Ruthie04

I wouldn't be terribly worried about a NICU stay due to your size. I am 5'1" and made it to 36w with no PTL issues (until my water broke early!) or NICU time.

My boys had IUGR and were 4.5 lbs at discharge, so we had to supplement 2x/day with Neosure for their weight. Both of my boys had significant latch issues and I had horrific pain and bleeding issues due to those problems. It also resulted in a supply drop and I was never able to EBF. I nursed and pumped to 7.5 months, but it was never pain free. I met with a LC multiple times, but even she encouraged me to quit. I so wish I had located a twin friendly LC. I think someone who was willing to push me and really problem solve would have made all the difference. That's always my #1 piece of advice- find a great LC with twin experience!!

Mrs. Alice

My twins were born at 28 weeks.  They didn't start BFing and taking bottles until they were 6 and 7 weeks old.  Since they were very early preemies it took them a few weeks learn how to eat 100% without an NG tube.  The NICU I was at was BFing friendly so they learned BFing and bottle feeding similtaneously.  I had to use a nipple shield with them for a couple months because they had difficulty staying latched on, but overall they took to BFing pretty well.  Once they came home I was able to EBF with the exception of giving 1-2 bottles a day for fortifying and giving them their iron supplements.  I was able to pump and BF them until 12 months old.

kgs0505

i mostly pumped for them, but absolutely you can bf in the nicu. the nurses are very supportive. i actually had one of them show me what to do. they were so small at first that we weren't that successful. they also were really hard to get a proper latch even with a bottle because we were fighting with their tongue placement for several weeks. but they got mostly breastmilk after a couple days then, we tried feeding from the breast when i was up for it. eventually they would eat either from bottles or me no probablem and readily switch from formula breastmilk or a mix of both. they were pretty easy in those regards.

PiperS

Thanks for all of your responses. I feel much more confident now. There are so many things to worry about when pregnant and being pregnant with twins adds a whole new list of worries. I'm thankful for this board

Jen0204

My hospital was very BFing friendly and they worked really hard with me on it.  The girls spent 9 days in the NICU and we were there for all but one or two feedings each day.  The nurses would have me start with trying to BF one, then I would pass her off to H to bottle feed, then I would try to BF the other and would bottle feed her, then I would pump on a hospital grade pump that they supplied.  The girls had trouble latching and either the nurses would help try to get them latched or they would call an LC down to come help me.  I had huge supply issues (that resulted in me never being successful in BFing or pumping, unfortunately) and the nurses were always so eager to give advice when I asked and be supportive and encouraging.  I honestly think that if I had ever been able to get my supply to come in and build up I would have been successful and it would have largely been because of the help, encouragement and support that I received in the hospital.