slow flow nipples.

JakesBride07

So with our son we are attempting bottle feeds again. What seems to be happening is that he is getting too much milk at one time and he is not sure what to do with it when he gets a mouthful. If its just a little bit he is fine. So I talked this over with the Neo this morning and she agreed to try a slow or preemie flow nipple.

Great...just one small problem the hospital no longer stocks slow flow nipples and they won't let me supply them. So now we have to try and somehow limit the flow without giving him too much air.

jcsntms06

Can you request them from the head nurse? I'm surprised that the hospital isn't doing everything in their power to help Blake with his feedings. If that means a slower flow nipple, they should provide that. I'm sorry your having to deal with this.

njdcgirl

That seems just crazy to me! (that they won't let you bring them in!?!)

We were going to use Dr. Browns at home, and they let us bring in those so we could practice with them - they won't let you bring in bottles with their own nipples?

I don't get it.  Sorry you have to deal with this.

JakesBride07

Yes crazy it is. Makes no sense to me. They will only allow disposable hospital provided bottles and nipples.

witt0198

That's absolutely rediculous. Do they need you to show them how to wash dishes? If they're going to make you use theirs, the feeding in a side lying position did help my Evan control the flow, the extra milk he couldn't handle could just run out the corner of him mouth that way instead of make him feel like he's drowning when it piles in the back of thier throat. It's the only idea I have to help. When he BF's do you use a nipple shield? The LC told me that would help slow the flow a little bit while nursing. That and maybe pumping off a bit before he nurses so the let down isn't as big/fast. Maybe he'll end up better at nursing if they won't allow different bottle nipples.

Lilystar82

JakesBride07:

Yes crazy it is. Makes no sense to me. They will only allow disposable hospital provided bottles and nipples.

That is seriously asinine. We were also allowed to bring in the Dr.Brown's bottles with the preemie nipple in order to help them. Ugh, your hospital does not impress me! I feel awful you have hit so many unnecessary hurdles.

Lilystar82

JakesBride07:

Yes crazy it is. Makes no sense to me. They will only allow disposable hospital provided bottles and nipples.

That is seriously asinine. We were also allowed to bring in the Dr.Brown's bottles with the preemie nipple in order to help them. Ugh, your hospital does not impress me! I feel awful you have hit so many unnecessary hurdles.

witt0198

One other thought, could you ask for a referal to whoever handles feeding difficulties for them? One hospital we were at it was the speech therapists, and at another it was the occupational therapists. At both hospitals whomever handled the difficulties had the stash of nipples to use for infants and the power to write an order for it to be used.

kaylaaimee

find out if there is a speech therapy dept and request they come do feeding therapy w/you. they can often do the order for special nipples.

i would talk to the head of your unit. if they wont let you bring them - which is crazy, they told me to buy NUK nipples and I just took them home and washed them - they need to order them for you. our hospital stocked slow flow disposable nipples, nicus SHOULD. i wouldn't let it go, if they refuse then keep going higher. 

JakesBride07

I think a huge issue here is that aside from all of that this NICU is staffed by another hospital as in these doctors are essentially contracted from the level IV NICU in the area, so they want to do things differently then the protocol here.

Often times the doctors are more advanced then the hospital seems to be. They did check with both the OT and ST and they said they can't get them, because its against protocol. The Neo promised she would work on it for me still.

The nurse who has them both today worked with me a lot more and had a lot more patience then even some of my favorite nurses and we were able to get Blake to successfully take his whole bottle :-D at his 6 pm feed.

lemen99

I agree with getting a speech therapist in and raising a stink.  They need to be able to order these.

WaitingforGrace

With our DD who had some issues/spells with being overwhelmed with feedings we used a slow flow nipple in a side lying position and also pacing. The combination of the side lying and pacing helped TONS. The speech therapist is the one who wrote the orders for this and the nurses had to do it every feeding. Maybe try the side lying and the pacing with their nipples? Pacing is just where you don't let them suck more than 5-6 sucks without swallowing or breathing. If they do, you pull the bottle out/ tip it away so they can't get anymore. And with the side lying, it's super important to make sure their entire body is turned and not just their head. Their shoulders need to be in line with their neck. We found swaddling helped with this since it was a more rigid frame to hold.

We still have to use side lying and pacing in combination with the Dr. Browns preemie nipples and she's now 2 weeks actual. Just in the past week has she started to get better and take a bottle the "normal" way without gagging/choking/stopping breathing.

miesl

That's nuts.  Lactation brought me a haberman to try (it sort of helped).  Speech therapy brought us a Doctor Brown's wide neck.  It worked miracles.  Side lying with that bottle is what got DS spell free and home.

I would ask who you need to talk to about that policy.  It's not in your baby's best interest, and it certainly isn't a standard policy for NICUs.