talk to me about breastmilk fortifier

eyelovemascara

My girls have been in the NICU almost 2 weeks and now they are just "feeders and growers" so I am getting very very impatient for them to be home. Both girls can latch and breastfeed (although some days its hit or miss) and they can both take a bottle. Last night the doctor suggested that we fortify my milk in order for them to gain weight. They haven't really gained anything the past few days, but I personally think its because they aren't getting enough to eat at the breast and then weren't getting "topped off" by bottle. So we're going to do that first before trying to fortify.

Is this "fortifier" the same as formula? I'm not very familiar with it, but in my head I'm thinking that my milk should be enough to make them grow. I have no supply issues and I don't see a reason why breast milk should have to be added to a powder for them to grow. Please don't flame me for this

caitdana

Yes, The hospital has a special brand they use that usually is not sold in public but they will switch to Neosure of a similar fortier before you go home. One of my girls had a special recipe of BM and Similac Neosure (22 cal formula that we had to thicken up to 28 calories). The other could BF or take BM bottles for 7 out of 8 bottles a day and take 1 similac neosure bottle for the extra calories.

Shelley-Bean

Congratulations on your daughters!  My boys were in the NICU for 17 days, and I remember how impatient I was getting towards the end, too.  I had to fortify my breastmilk, too, with Enfamil Premature Formula. 

Basically, your breastmilk, and regular formula is 20 calories/ounce.  The premature formula is 24 cal/oz.  I had to add extra formula to my breastmilk to equal 22 cal/oz.   They were premature, and burned more calories just breathing and growing than a full term baby.  They have small stomachs, and need to have a more calorie-rich mix of milk than I could give them by breastfeeding alone.

I don't know how pre-term your girls are, but mine were born at 34.5.  They are called "late preterm babies" - they look full term and fully formed, but they still have some growing and developing to do - and therefore needed the extra calories.

I stopped somewhere between 2 and 3 months.

I know how you feel - I was gung ho to breastfeed only, but life has a way of changing your best laid plans.

Good luck!

WaitingforGrace

If they are getting bottles, I think adding a fortifier is a great tool to get them to pack on a little weight before coming home. Mine were on what's called HMF (Human Milk Fortifier) and using different amounts, they could tailor my breastmilk to whatever calorie count they wanted. I had one baby on 24cal and one on 27cal. At my NICU, a baby can't come home on 27cal, has to be 24cal or less. Also, they said HMF is for hospital use only so we came home using a recipe to add one teaspoon of enfacare (preemie 22cal formula) to 3oz breast milk. The addition of the formula to the milk made it 24cal. They are still on this fortified milk.

It's not that your milk can't make them grow, it can, but part of what a preemie struggles with is catching up in terms of weight because they are using a larger percentage of their limited calories to keep warm, eat, etc. If you fortify the milk it just makes it a little easier for them to catch up. Like when I lost 15lbs in my first trimester while pregnant, normal food would have been enough for me to gain weight, but my doctor wanted me to drink ensure to give me a little help to gain more weight.

Soon2bMrs.NeilD

Sorry I don't have any experience with a fortifier. I agree with your idea of topping them off with a bottle of BM to see if that helps. Our twins were also born at 33 weeks and I was basically pumping the whole time they were in the NICU (11 days) and a few weeks after they came home until we became "expert" BFeeders. I just want you to know it can be done and there's tons of support on here from all the women who've been there done that. I was able to BF my twins until they were 18 months.

With that said I have nothing against formula either. It is all up to you and what you want to do. Just know there's women here to help no matter what you decide.