HELP! Trying to BF a "preemie"

christie.h

My best friend just had her baby on Sunday. DD is 3.5 weeks early, 5 lbs 9 oz, and the hospital is calling her a preemie. She is 100% healthy, and my friend is trying to BF, but DD is barely latching and if she does she doesn't suck.

The hospital made her give DD bottles every 1.5 hrs because they said her blood sugar was low and they couldn't let it drop any further. My friend kept nursing every 1-3 hrs and would give a bottle every 3.

After successfully BFing two boys, I am trying my best to help her. I have showed her how I BF my DS, gave her some tips and tricks, and have been trying to give her tons of support. Her family seems ok with her plan to BF, but not really encouraging since they all FF.

When she tries to hand express, no colostrom comes out. I showed her how to roll her nip between her thumb and fingers and she doesn't even get a drop. I told her to do this many times a day to try to stimulate her milk.

The pedi told her to keep nursing every 1.5 hrs, but I don't think he realized that the baby is not sucking. DD will suck on a pacifier and bottle, but not a breast.

My friend has also tried using a nipple shield - no success. She's also tried putting a little formula on her nipple to "trick" baby.

It just seems like DD is so small and tired. She's barely awake and her little mouth is so small. I told my friend that when DS was a baby I had to undress him, sometimes put a cold washcloth on him, rub his back, tickle his cheeks - anything to keep him awake.

My friend is getting pretty frustrated, and I fear that either she will give up or her milk just won't come in. 

I'm thinking that she needs to start pumping to stimulate her breasts so her milk comes in. It is only day 3, but really the baby hasn't sucked at all so there has been no stimulation.

Now that she is home, I have given her 100oz of my stash to supplement with instead of formula. 

She sees the pedi and LC again today, but I wanted to hear any ideas you all had too. 

Any help and suggestions are very welcome! 

 

ETA: My friend went into labor naturally and delivered vaginally if that matters at all. 

ksulli

No real suggestions on how to help more, but you're being a great support system for her. She's really lucky to have you. I also wanted to say day 3 is still really early, my milk didn't come in until at least day 5, so she may just need to wait it out, although the lack of colestrum is odd. Hope the LC is helpful!

RachelMA30

This sounds like exactly what I went through with my first even down to the age and exact weight! It was a tough road and I was pressured to supplement for the same reasons. I held my guns and put the baby to breast basically 24/7 for 2 weeks and after that I had plenty of milk and she figured it all out. But, not to say that my nips were destroyed and it was a fight between the two of us. She was always naked when nursing in the beginning. It also helped to make her cry a bit and when she would wail thats when I planted that tiny mouth on my breast. My milk didn't come in until day 5 either. Pumping might help stimulate but baby to breast is the fastest way. Although when you can't for the life of you get the babe to do it is a hopeless situation in that moment. The LC should be able to give lots of valuable tips and if not find one that will!!!!! You are being a great friend for helping I wish I had had that support with my first it would of made a lot less tearful times!!! Good luck to you and her in this endeavor.

mamababyrn

First off, you are being a great friend. Having a 'late preterm' baby can be very challenging. The suck/swallow/breathe reflux does not truly develop until 37 weeks, so these babies can have a lot of difficulty breastfeeding. 

She needs to continue to try to put the baby to breast as much as she can. Try using an SNS (supplemental nursing system). It is essentially a small tube you place next to the nipple so the baby can get volume from the breast instead of a bottle. You can do this without a shield, but it is easier with one.

She needs to start pumping. It is recommended that anyone with a baby <37 weeks pump even if there baby is a good breastfeeder. The suck often is just not strong enough to get the milk to come in. 

The hospital did the right thing in providing formula to increase the blood sugar problem, but they should have provided your friend with lactation support as well. Remember that right now the most important thing is for the baby to eat, no matter how that happens. Your friend will be exhausted trying to breastfeed, pump, and feed the baby on such a demanding schedule. Just continue to be there for her no matter what she needs. 

ShandaLea

My DD was born at 37w0d and weighed 5lb7oz.  I had NO colostrum and she would only suck like one time when I'd try to bf.  My milk finally came in on day 5 and I've been pumping ever since.  Slowly she has learned to suck more but her latch still is horrible but I am fighting through.  Have her try to start pumping and hopefully once her milk comes in the baby will smell it better and atleast attempt even if its not a good latch/attempt

starkbaby22

ChristieAnne:

My best friend just had her baby on Sunday. DD is 3.5 weeks early, 5 lbs 9 oz, and the hospital is calling her a preemie. She is 100% healthy, and my friend is trying to BF, but DD is barely latching and if she does she doesn't suck.

The hospital made her give DD bottles every 1.5 hrs because they said her blood sugar was low and they couldn't let it drop any further. My friend kept nursing every 1-3 hrs and would give a bottle every 3.

After successfully BFing two boys, I am trying my best to help her. I have showed her how I BF my DS, gave her some tips and tricks, and have been trying to give her tons of support. Her family seems ok with her plan to BF, but not really encouraging since they all FF.

When she tries to hand express, no colostrom comes out. I showed her how to roll her nip between her thumb and fingers and she doesn't even get a drop. I told her to do this many times a day to try to stimulate her milk.

The pedi told her to keep nursing every 1.5 hrs, but I don't think he realized that the baby is not sucking. DD will suck on a pacifier and bottle, but not a breast. --- Sounds like nipple confusion to me..

My friend has also tried using a nipple shield - no success. She's also tried putting a little formula on her nipple to "trick" baby.

It just seems like DD is so small and tired. She's barely awake and her little mouth is so small. I told my friend that when DS was a baby I had to undress him, sometimes put a cold washcloth on him, rub his back, tickle his cheeks - anything to keep him awake.

My friend is getting pretty frustrated, and I fear that either she will give up or her milk just won't come in. 

I'm thinking that she needs to start pumping to stimulate her breasts so her milk comes in. It is only day 3, but really the baby hasn't sucked at all so there has been no stimulation.

Now that she is home, I have given her 100oz of my stash to supplement with instead of formula. 

She sees the pedi and LC again today, but I wanted to hear any ideas you all had too. 

Any help and suggestions are very welcome! 

 

ETA: My friend went into labor naturally and delivered vaginally if that matters at all. 

Lisadi

 Have they checked for tongue-tied? Does the baby need the frenulum snipped?

 Pretty sure they would have already checked, but couldn't hurt to bring it up.

 

SushiNoMore

I agree with the statements above about pumping.  She should start doing that but offer the baby the breast all the time, too.  I had a preemie, and he eventually figured out breastfeeding.  It took awhile, though, and, in the meantime, she should be working to establish her supply.

SushiNoMore

Oh, and she might want to rent a hospital-grade pump.  That's what I did, and it worked really well.

I'm so glad you're being such a great support to her!