I didn't want to say anything until it was official but Caroline came home yesterday! We had done false starts and stops with discharge because they wanted to see two consecutive days of weight gain but she's home with us now and doing great!
Feeding continues to be a struggle because we are breastfeeding with a bottle supplement 4x per day plus four fortified breast milk bottle feeds. I feel like my whole life is pumping and BFing but hoping she can transition to more effective BFing soon.
That's amazing news @lemieuxk! I'm glad Caroline is finally home!
I feel you on the pumping and BFing constantly! We have been struggling as well with trying to figure out this whole feeding thing. We have it down to about 3 bottle feeds at night and BF during the day. I will occasionally give her a bottle during the day if we are out and about because we just don't have BFing down well enough for me to be comfortable to do it in public with her yet.
Yay for baby Caroline! So glad she got to come home @lemieuxk! Feeding can be a frustration for non-preemie moms so you are definitely not alone on this The progress then regression is so frustrating. We were on track for discharge within a few days, since Harrison had 2 Brady free days and was at about 75% feeding by mouth. Then he had his circ and spent most of 2 days sleeping afterwards so his feeding percentages went way down and he had 1 Brady overnight. Today, he has done 100% by mouth so far, so hopefully we are back on track. He was 3 weeks yesterday, with his gestational age at 37 weeks. The docs say it could potentially be another week.
Awww @chef'swife thay must be so frustrating. I hope Harrison is home soon and that the doc is being overly conservative saying another week. I think the last days are the hardest in some ways.
@ColeBug89 How did you know at first that she was getting enough from breastfeeding? I don't know how I'll know when to stop supplementing after
We are still trying to figure it out, but for the most part she falls asleep and will detach herself when she's full.
Also, at first it would be an hour to 1.5 after a feeding and she would be extremely hungry again. That's how I knew she wasn't getting enough at first. Now she will go about 2.5-3 hours which is the space between her bottle feeds. This morning she actually went 4 hours so she must have gotten a lot!
The LC I talked to at support group last week said typically 20 minutes of full on sucking is the ball park for a baby to be full.
I'm interested in seeing how so many NICU policies vary so much between hospitals. It sounds like most of you had bottles presented first, while they had us nursing for almost a week before they would introduce a bottle for Harrison. I was told from the first day that all discharge instructions here are for 4 fortified bottles per day until baby reaches 10 lbs and our pcp feels we can discontinue the bottles. I'm sure a lot is based on each attending physician's preferences but still interesting to see the differences and how all still yield the same outcome of healthy babies.
@chef'swife Thats interesting! DD was given a bottle first, we didn't even attempt BFing until about a week ago. But then again, her main reason for being in the NICU was due to her feeding so I really wanted to make sure she had bottle feeding down before we tried breast.
Our hospital didn't really give us a guideline as to how long to continue fortified bottles. DD's pedi recommended we could go down to just night feedings at her 2 week appointment. She just had her 1 month check up this afternoon and when I told her pedi she gets about 3-4 fortified bottles per day, he seemed fine with that.
My nicu was very pro breastfeeding and integrated it before offering the bottle. They wanted to do 2 fortified bottles a day but 6 BFing sessions was too much for my LO and she wasn't gaining consistently. I actually felt a little frustrated at times because her not being able to transfer milk as well as a term baby felt like a barrier to discharge at times. They wanted her to primarily BF but she just couldn't get enough calories that way yet. I'm hoping to transition to ebf eventually but it's hard because I worry about how much she's getting.
I saw the pedi for the first time today and he kind of shrugged, seemed okay with whatever I thought best as long as she continues to gain weight.
Do you all have VNA coming out for follow up support and weight checks upon discharge? We do, but I don't really know what to expect.
@lemieuxk When DD was discharged, we had a nurse come for home visits 2x a week for 2 weeks. The nurse would just check her vitals, height, weight, etc. We will also have at least 1 visit with early intervention services depending on how she is developing with milestones and such.
Kole's biliruben levels are still slightly elevated but he can come off the lights and move to an open crib tonight!! Yay! He also needs to continue to work on bottle feeding. He has been taking 2-3 full feeds a day so far and I keep encouraging the nurses to let me try at each feeding. We really hope that he can take off with bottle feeding this week, I want to go home so badly.
@chef'swife our NICU offers bottles first. They will encourage you to feed how you want to though, exposing to breast or bottle as much as you like. For now, we have opted to do bottles and I pump all milk for him. We found it to be less frustrating for him right now and then we know exactly how much he is eating. We decided once we are home and bottles are going well then we can work on learning to breastfeed.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
Before delivery, the NICU nurse practitioner came in to ask a ton of questions and one was whether or not they could start him on a bottle or if I was EBF. I agreed to the bottle but I'd be curious what the routine would be if I had said no.
When we were discharged, we had to see a pediatrician the next day and then go for a 1 week follow up. August was 5lbs 6oz the day after discharge and 5lbs 9oz one week after. The pediatrician determined that was enough progress that we could hold off on any addition appointments until his 1 month.
We had had two good days of BFing (only 1x a day), and it gives me hope that we could eventually move to BFing full time but I'm scared to add more to our current schedule. Man, I am sick of pumping.
@ohstars I'm glad to hear you've had two good BF days!
Today was a rough day for us for BF. It may have just been a combination of events today. DD had a doctor's appointment today and was super cranky about that. She also got a bath beforehand and she hates getting out of the bath. So I think she just had too much going on. She wouldn't latch on and was getting super frustrated. I ended up giving her more bottles than BFing today. At least tomorrow's a new day!
For those of you who are home now and doing bottle feeding with BM, how is that going? I'm trying to anticipate how to schedule pumping and then feeding.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
@paigeed When we first came home DD was still bottle only so I pumped after each feeding and then every other feeding as my supply increased. I'm still trying to navigate when to pump while also BFing, but I do pump after her nightly bottle feeds. I try to squeeze in 1-2 pump sessions during the day but it's getting more difficult as DD BFs more.
@paigeed - I'm doing mostly bottle feeding with BM and BF 1x a day. My bottle feedings take 1hr. I change him and feed him a bottle from my previous pump session (I was told BM can sit out for 4hrs and we feed every 3hrs). Usually that takes ~20min. Then I get him wrapped and back to bed and pump for another 20-30min. I am super lucky and found my old pump parts so I have 4 sets, which is a game changer. DH does a huge hand washing in the AM and PM for me so I can go 4 sessions without washing in between.
If you're already home instead of washing your set everytime you can just keep your pieces in the fridge between pumps so you only have to wash them daily.
Sorry I've been lurking in the lurkdom but between running back and forth to the nicu and people texting me I haven't had as much time to really read and be responsive.
With my guy they did bottle feeding before breast to make sure he didn't aspirate. We were able to start nursing when the feeding tube and cpap were out. He already seems to be a lazy eater and will latch and suckle a few times but then pass out. My engorgment isn't helping the situation and pumping isn't yet emptying my breasts. Last night he was cleared to eat whatever he wants and I asked them to please call me when he started cuing so I would run over and nurse. No one called me. I'm super fucking annoyed now.
Welcome Perra! I was going to page you over here but I figured you'd come over when you were ready. Creepy internet hugs.
Can you do do an extra long pump on lower suction to try and empty the boobs? I say lower suction just because it might help preserve the nips.
I have clogged ducts again today and I woke up for the 7am feeding with horrific stomach cramps. Looks like I have a stomach bug. Even almost 3 weeks post partum, retching to puke with a c section incision is a special kind of hell. I'm hoping things settle down soon so I can pump out my clog but for now I can barely sit upright.
Oh man even pooping sucks I can't imagine hurling right now @ohstars. How has your BP been? Mine is still lingering on shitty. I'm released today but my 4am was 145/97
have you tried a warm compress and rubbing it out while you nurse or pump? I'm scared to lengthen my sessions because my oversupply has already kicked in. My body may hate making babies but my boobs are ready to feed the whole neighborhood.
Im currently snuggling my guy and waiting for them to come draw blood for billi levels. Fx they're low enough to go home.
@ohstars that schedule sounds like one I could follow. How does it work in the MOTN for you? Does YH do bottles while you pump so you can sleep? I'm sorry you are sick today. I hope it passed quickly. Rest up!
@PerraSucia that is highly annoying they didn't call you. Does your NICU. Have rooms available to room in with your baby? Ours has 3-4 you can use right before going home to practice overnight feeds. Maybe you could ask about that today.
Last night they moved Kole to an open crib!! Yay!! He's on room air, regulating his own temp and now my "wimpy white boy" just needs to take all his feeds by bottle. The nurse last night encouraged me to still try BF once a day while I have the support of lactstion consultants but I'm hesitant. I know I should take advantage of that while I'm here but I feel like Kole gets so worn out from trying it that then he doesn't take a bottle... which is a huge setback in going home. So I'm more on board with bottling only until he has more of them down consistently, then trying BF again.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
@PerraSucia I'm so sorry no one called you, I would be so mad if it was me! I have a lazy eater as well (at least on the breast, she takes bottles like a champ). Just like your LO, mine will latch and then just have a few sucks. She's been getting better over time though and does this less frequently than when we first started.
@paigeed Yay for an open crib! It sounds like Kole is making good progress! Also, it's totally ok to introduce BFing when you are ready! DD was nearly 3 weeks old when I felt we were ready. Like you, I wanted to make sure she had bottle feeding down before trying the breast.
Anna was syringe and tube fed for the first few days. On the third day I was able to put her to the breast. She kind of sorta opened her mouth but never really latched on. Then it was mainly tube/bottle feeds for the first week. Then I was able to nurse her daily once she was out of the isolette. Our hospitals are pretty pro breast too which is awesome and the LC comes to our room daily to see how we are doing. Even yesterday she popped in to see how Anna was doing. When I am there she is just breastfed. So most of the day she takes just breast and then only bottles at night. I was so worried that there would be some sort of nipple confusion and she would't take to the breast after getting the hang of the bottle but she has no issues with that at all. I am so thankful for that!
I am so jealous yet happy about all of the babies who are home now!!! Go baby's go!!
Anna has been brady free since the 17th so as long as she behaves today and tomorrow she can go home Monday. I am trying not to get too excited because she was also supposed to go home Friday (yesterday).......
@perrasucia - I left the hospital with borderline bp but no drugs and had terrible headaches for a week before I saw my ob and requested meds. I'm now on 60mg procardia and after a week my headaches are finally gone and my bp is 120/70. I would request meds if you are borderline because I feel so much better now that my pressures are finally lower.
@paigeed - while DH was off work he would do the diaper and feeding during the MOTN and I just pumped. Now that he's back to work I'm flying solo, but trying to adjust. I pump at 8pm and then go to bed. DH feeds at 10pm. And I sleep from 9pm-1am as my long sleep. So I do 1am and 4am alone, then I sleep from 5am-8am and DH does the 7am feeding. Buut...I hesitate to recommend this schedule only because it seems like every time I do that long sleep from 9-1, I get clogged ducts. I'm usually able to pump them out after a few pump sessions, so right now I'm continuing to roll the dice because I'm so damn tired.
ETA - I think I'm done puking, fingers crossed. But my back and core muscles are so sore I have trouble standing up straight. Thank god it's Saturday so DH is here all day to take care of the boys while I'm recovering.
@paigeed Does your hospital allow non-nutritive breast feeding sessions? For us, they had me start with non-nutritive feedings to introduce DS to the breast, but ensure he met his calorie needs. I would put him to breast and then they would start his NG feeding at the same time. So he learned to latch and suckle, begin to associate the breast with a full tummy, and didn't get frustrated with trying to bf with no reward if he wasn't getting anything from the breast. Any milk he got at breast at this time was in addition to his full feeding from the NG tube. After the LC and nurses saw he had a good latch and could hear good swallows we started timing how long he was productively nursing and then estimating his needed NG supplement for feeding. This part was mostly trial and error- if I timed him at 10 minutes then we'd give him about 1/2 to 2/3 of his full feeding by tube. If he woke up hungry before his next feed time we increased the supplemental feeding. If he spit up from being overfull then we dialed back the supplement. We were pretty much good with our estimates each time and he maintained great weight gain.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
@paigeed that's really cool they have nicu sleeping rooms. Here if you're still a patient they graduate to your room but otherwise you just take them home.
@paigeed How are things progressing with Kole? Hope he is doing well and close to leaving the NICU.
Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been checking recently, it's been. Whirlwind of a week and a half. 2 weeks ago we were being told we could go home in2 days. We did all the discharge stuff and were ready to go and then BAM! We get a call at 3 am saying "Kole is okay, but he had an SVT (tachycardia) and his heart rate shot up to 300 bpm." It only lasted a few minutes, but he wasn't responding to ice or gagging to make it go back to normal. They were thisclose to giving him meds that would stop and then restart his heart. Then it went back to normal. Needless to say we weren't discharged. They did a follow up EKG and echocardiogram but both were normal. He was put on heart meds (propranolol) to normalize the heart rate and keep it in normal range.
Finally last Saturday we were able to take him home! He has to have the heart meds every 8 hours though. I have been working on BF this week since I was only pumping while he was in the NICU. It has been challenging but I think we are finally doing ok. Or we are both getting better at it each day at least. TB won't let me post his coming home outfit it was cute though.
How are you all doing? Is everyone home now? Feeding well? Growing?
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
@paigeed welcome home! I actually complained to the hospital about their nicu / breastfeeding support. I feel like the nicu is so busy keeping your baby from just not being dead that they miss the preparing you for life out of the nicu too.
@paigeed That sounds terrifying! I'm so glad he's home safe with you.
I feel as though preemie/nicu moms are set up to fail when it comes to BFing. At my nicu there was intense pressure to breastfeed but little support. They wanted me nursing 6x a day and pumping 8x. I was in tears within a day. My babe is 39+1 adjusted and still doesn't seem to totally have the hang of getting enough milk at breast alone. The nicu sent us home on a feeding plan but no info about how/when we could start to modify it to make it sustainable. I just felt like a failure every time feeding was discussed and now we are stuck in this cycle of "triple feeding" by pumping, nursing, and bottle feeding. It's tough but I'm determined to make it work.
@lemieuxk I hate the triple feeding. All week I feel like I've been crying and so frustrated with it. Then I decided to stop pumping as much and see why would happen and now I feel like I have an oversupply. Like my boobs hurt ALL the time and nipples feel like fire. I really do hate feeding right now. I thought BF was supposed to be so "wonderful, and full of bonding." Last night I literally told my baby "just open your mouth! You need to eat!!" I don't want to be tied to a pump 24/7, but I also just don't know what to do for my sanity. I feel like some kind of bad mom to not enjoy BF my child. It's true though, I feel secluded (having to pump or feed by my self when company is over) and frustrated when we have setbacks or he nursed every 2 hours.
I feel feel like there should be a paper when you leave the NICU supporting you on how and when to adjust feeding and pumping to meet your goals when you go home.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
Another thing I learned about the NICU after we got home was that you can't call and talk to the Doctor's again. Apparently they will not give medical advice over the phone. One night (and I feel awful and embarrassed even admitting this) I was so exhausted from lack of sleep and trying to remember nursing times, pumping times, his medicine times, my medicine times, etc. that he got his heart medicine twice. It is supposed to be every 8 hours and he got it at 6pm and then again at 10pm. I FREAKED out, crying, scared that his heart would stop because it was too much medicine. I called the NICU hoping to talk to the Doctor's I know and the nurse refused to let them talk to me. I just started bawling. Then I called the hospital here and the on call doctor and they told me "well we just monitor their heart rate. Come to the ER if you want, or not." Like wtf??? So I stayed up until his next dosage was due to watch and make sure he was okay and still breathing.
Parenting is fucking emotional and hard. I feel so guilty and bad about that incident it's not even funny.
4/15--TTC #1 12/15--IF testing 3/16--Dx Unexplained IF Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP. 4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI. Cancelled-no response 5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered. No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out septate uterus. 6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery. Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17 Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome Chart Stalk Me
Re: All Things Preemie/NICU
Feeding continues to be a struggle because we are breastfeeding with a bottle supplement 4x per day plus four fortified breast milk bottle feeds. I feel like my whole life is pumping and BFing but hoping she can transition to more effective BFing soon.
I feel you on the pumping and BFing constantly! We have been struggling as well with trying to figure out this whole feeding thing. We have it down to about 3 bottle feeds at night and BF during the day. I will occasionally give her a bottle during the day if we are out and about because we just don't have BFing down well enough for me to be comfortable to do it in public with her yet.
@ColeBug89 How did you know at first that she was getting enough from breastfeeding? I don't know how I'll know when to stop supplementing after
Also, at first it would be an hour to 1.5 after a feeding and she would be extremely hungry again. That's how I knew she wasn't getting enough at first. Now she will go about 2.5-3 hours which is the space between her bottle feeds. This morning she actually went 4 hours so she must have gotten a lot!
The LC I talked to at support group last week said typically 20 minutes of full on sucking is the ball park for a baby to be full.
Our hospital didn't really give us a guideline as to how long to continue fortified bottles. DD's pedi recommended we could go down to just night feedings at her 2 week appointment. She just had her 1 month check up this afternoon and when I told her pedi she gets about 3-4 fortified bottles per day, he seemed fine with that.
I saw the pedi for the first time today and he kind of shrugged, seemed okay with whatever I thought best as long as she continues to gain weight.
Do you all have VNA coming out for follow up support and weight checks upon discharge? We do, but I don't really know what to expect.
Kole's biliruben levels are still slightly elevated but he can come off the lights and move to an open crib tonight!! Yay! He also needs to continue to work on bottle feeding. He has been taking 2-3 full feeds a day so far and I keep encouraging the nurses to let me try at each feeding. We really hope that he can take off with bottle feeding this week, I want to go home so badly.
@chef'swife our NICU offers bottles first. They will encourage you to feed how you want to though, exposing to breast or bottle as much as you like. For now, we have opted to do bottles and I pump all milk for him. We found it to be less frustrating for him right now and then we know exactly how much he is eating. We decided once we are home and bottles are going well then we can work on learning to breastfeed.
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
When we were discharged, we had to see a pediatrician the next day and then go for a 1 week follow up. August was 5lbs 6oz the day after discharge and 5lbs 9oz one week after. The pediatrician determined that was enough progress that we could hold off on any addition appointments until his 1 month.
We had had two good days of BFing (only 1x a day), and it gives me hope that we could eventually move to BFing full time but I'm scared to add more to our current schedule. Man, I am sick of pumping.
Today was a rough day for us for BF. It may have just been a combination of events today. DD had a doctor's appointment today and was super cranky about that. She also got a bath beforehand and she hates getting out of the bath. So I think she just had too much going on. She wouldn't latch on and was getting super frustrated. I ended up giving her more bottles than BFing today. At least tomorrow's a new day!
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
Sorry I've been lurking in the lurkdom but between running back and forth to the nicu and people texting me I haven't had as much time to really read and be responsive.
With my guy they did bottle feeding before breast to make sure he didn't aspirate. We were able to start nursing when the feeding tube and cpap were out. He already seems to be a lazy eater and will latch and suckle a few times but then pass out. My engorgment isn't helping the situation and pumping isn't yet emptying my breasts. Last night he was cleared to eat whatever he wants and I asked them to please call me when he started cuing so I would run over and nurse. No one called me. I'm super fucking annoyed now.
Can you do do an extra long pump on lower suction to try and empty the boobs? I say lower suction just because it might help preserve the nips.
I have clogged ducts again today and I woke up for the 7am feeding with horrific stomach cramps. Looks like I have a stomach bug. Even almost 3 weeks post partum, retching to puke with a c section incision is a special kind of hell. I'm hoping things settle down soon so I can pump out my clog but for now I can barely sit upright.
have you tried a warm compress and rubbing it out while you nurse or pump? I'm scared to lengthen my sessions because my oversupply has already kicked in. My body may hate making babies but my boobs are ready to feed the whole neighborhood.
Im currently snuggling my guy and waiting for them to come draw blood for billi levels. Fx they're low enough to go home.
@PerraSucia that is highly annoying they didn't call you. Does your NICU. Have rooms available to room in with your baby? Ours has 3-4 you can use right before going home to practice overnight feeds. Maybe you could ask about that today.
Last night they moved Kole to an open crib!! Yay!! He's on room air, regulating his own temp and now my "wimpy white boy" just needs to take all his feeds by bottle. The nurse last night encouraged me to still try BF once a day while I have the support of lactstion consultants but I'm hesitant. I know I should take advantage of that while I'm here but I feel like Kole gets so worn out from trying it that then he doesn't take a bottle... which is a huge setback in going home. So I'm more on board with bottling only until he has more of them down consistently, then trying BF again.
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
@ohstars I hope you feel better soon!
@paigeed Yay for an open crib! It sounds like Kole is making good progress! Also, it's totally ok to introduce BFing when you are ready! DD was nearly 3 weeks old when I felt we were ready. Like you, I wanted to make sure she had bottle feeding down before trying the breast.
I am so jealous yet happy about all of the babies who are home now!!! Go baby's go!!
Anna has been brady free since the 17th so as long as she behaves today and tomorrow she can go home Monday. I am trying not to get too excited because she was also supposed to go home Friday (yesterday).......
@paigeed - while DH was off work he would do the diaper and feeding during the MOTN and I just pumped. Now that he's back to work I'm flying solo, but trying to adjust. I pump at 8pm and then go to bed. DH feeds at 10pm. And I sleep from 9pm-1am as my long sleep. So I do 1am and 4am alone, then I sleep from 5am-8am and DH does the 7am feeding. Buut...I hesitate to recommend this schedule only because it seems like every time I do that long sleep from 9-1, I get clogged ducts. I'm usually able to pump them out after a few pump sessions, so right now I'm continuing to roll the dice because I'm so damn tired.
ETA - I think I'm done puking, fingers crossed. But my back and core muscles are so sore I have trouble standing up straight. Thank god it's Saturday so DH is here all day to take care of the boys while I'm recovering.
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
@Kashy17 I am so happy for you and your family! I'm glad Anna is finally home!
@kashy17 - yay!! Welcome home!!
Finally last Saturday we were able to take him home! He has to have the heart meds every 8 hours though. I have been working on BF this week since I was only pumping while he was in the NICU. It has been challenging but I think we are finally doing ok. Or we are both getting better at it each day at least. TB won't let me post his coming home outfit it was cute though.
How are you all doing? Is everyone home now? Feeding well? Growing?
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
I feel as though preemie/nicu moms are set up to fail when it comes to BFing. At my nicu there was intense pressure to breastfeed but little support. They wanted me nursing 6x a day and pumping 8x. I was in tears within a day. My babe is 39+1 adjusted and still doesn't seem to totally have the hang of getting enough milk at breast alone. The nicu sent us home on a feeding plan but no info about how/when we could start to modify it to make it sustainable. I just felt like a failure every time feeding was discussed and now we are stuck in this cycle of "triple feeding" by pumping, nursing, and bottle feeding. It's tough but I'm determined to make it work.
Also, I agree with BFing issues! I actually made the decision to EP with my DD because it was just not working out with BFing.
I feel feel like there should be a paper when you leave the NICU supporting you on how and when to adjust feeding and pumping to meet your goals when you go home.
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me
Parenting is fucking emotional and hard. I feel so guilty and bad about that incident it's not even funny.
Married 6.22.13
Hoping for a Herd Linky
12/15--IF testing
3/16--Dx Unexplained IF
Clomid + Ovidrel + IUI + Progesterone cycle
Cancelled due to cysts. Started 3 weeks of BCP.
4/16--Cute Ute! Clomid+Ovidrel+IUI+Progesterone TI.
Cancelled-no response
5/16--Hemmorhagic cyst and other cyst discovered.
No medicated cycle. MRI scheduled to rule out
septate uterus.
6/16--Septum discovered. Consultation for surgery.
Surprise BFP 6/8/16--EDD 2/13/17
Kole David--1.7.17--Tiny but Mighty, born at 34+5 after HELLP syndrome
Chart Stalk Me