New mom of a 34 week preemie

katiedidthat

Hi everyone!  I just delivered my son today at 34w 2d due to PPROM.  He was 5lbs 8 oz.  Right now he's in a level 3 NICU on CPAP and still retracting a lot so they said we might have to do surfactant soon.  I'm hoping to breastfeed (I nursed my older son until 13 months and 20 weeks pg with this LO) so any tips are appreciated!

Bluebird2318

Congratulations (again, since we are on the same BMB)! Surfactant is great and should really help his lungs out. Barring any complications I don't see why they wouldn't let you try breastfeeding very soon! I think DD was around that gestational age when we first started trying. It's possible that your son might not have the energy to do a full feeding from the breast at first, so a nurse may recommend finishing his feed through a line but that is okay and not something you need to worry much about. It may or may not happen, but it's very normal for a preemie. I know you mentioned that you have experience breastfeeding, but there should be a lactation consultant available at the hospital for tips and tricks if you have any latching issues due to your son being a preemie.

Pips09

Congrats on your baby!

carrotcake06

Congrats! My boys are 34weekers and weighed 5lbs and 5lbs 8oz. My water broke as well.

I tried latching them the first time I met them but neither needed breathing assistance. One of them took to it right away and the other clearly had not yet developed suck/swallow/breathe yet. I tried to bf them at least once per day but it was all non-nutritive for the first week and a half or so. Both really took to BFing after the 35w mark and eventually I got the NICU to count BFing as a full feed.

I BFed my oldest for 20 mo and it all flooded back the first time I tried BFing the babies.

Congrats again!

MinaE01

Welcome and congratulations! Your baby boy is a great size! I hope you get to try BFing very soon and that he gets the hang of it quickly!

nblondheim

Congratulations and welcome! I had my twins at 30 weeks 6 days due to pprom weighing 3 lbs 7 oz and 3 lbs 12 oz. We spent 27 and 32 days in the NICU. I hope your NICU stay is short and uneventful!

jmjacquemin

Congrats. My LO was born at 34w1d at 4lb 5 oz and spent 5 days on CPAP. I was able to try BFing 1-4 times a day after she was off CPAP until she came home after 15 days. I pumped and had to fortify 3 bottles a day until she was 2 months and then fortified 1 bottle a day until 3 months. She is now 5 months old and we EBF with BM bottles when I am at work. It was a long road and I had an oversupply to get in check but after BFing clicked with her around her due date we have been good to go since them. Just remember to never give up on a bad day.

mmooki

Congrats! Dd was born at 33w3d and wouldn't latch in the beginning. I didn't get a lot of bf support in the nicu, but one fabulous nurse gave me a nipple shield the day before we came home and dd latched! She spent 12 days in the nicu and we nursed until she was almost 22 months! We never did wean off the shield, but it worked for us.

maribelleNS

Congratulations! Great weight wishing you a short nicu stay!