Pumping and BFing for a preemie

Kadyra

I'm trying very hard to stay positive. But after spending last week in the hospital with a major bleed from my previa, I feel like a ticking time bomb. Obviously the goal is to get to 36-37 weeks with this, but since I spotted from 17 weeks and had my first big bleed early at 24 weeks, I have a lot of fears for the future. 

DS was born at 36 weeks. Breastfed great from the get go. I was lucky. I pumped when I went back to work, but I couldn't keep up with his demand. He'd feed fine on the weekends when I exclusively BFed, but we always had to use formula during the week. I had to wean abruptly at 5 months due to time constraints at work (I was an ob/gyn resident). The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth about pumping.

The plan was to BF this LO too. But having a preemie is challenging for that, I know. My question is, how many of you were able to get your LO's to latch and take the breast after them being in the NICU for an extended period of time? Gestational age at birth? How long did you work at them getting to latch if they ended up able to do so? How long did you pump if LO couldn't take the breast? What did you to to keep from being discouraged with pumping or supply issues? I have a lot of fears about this. I know it's not as important in the grand scheme of things, but since I had challenges with pumping for DS, I wondered what you all went through. TIA. 

thishappyhouse

I hope your baby stays put for a long time! stay positive.. it is powerful.

 My daughter was born at 25 weeks.  She was tube fed exclusively until 35 weeks.  After 3 weeks of horrible attempts at bottle feeding (crazy choking/turning blue and down right refusal to take the bottle) they let me put her to the breast at 38 weeks.  We were all shocked when she latched right away and has been a great breastfeeder ever since. My supply hasnt kept up with her, but we have found a supplementing system that works for us.  She still needed until almost 43 weeks to consistently take a bottle but we went home breastfeeding 2-3 times a day and pumping/bottle feeding the rest.  Im confident that she could have been an EBFer if my supply kept up.  

 You just never know what these little babies will do.  The nurses were beyond shocked that she breastfed like she knew exactly what to do.  

 

haziedaze

I found that tiny steps towards my eventual goal of BF kept me positive and focused. I got as much skin to skin time as possible early on and would hold him during NG feeds. He started sucking on my skin while the feed was going in, so I knew something was clicking. We started non-nutritive feeds (put to breast after pumping) around 31 weeks adjusted. I was shocked when he latched the first time (it only lasted for a suck or two). We started with a nipple shield around 32 weeks which really helped and then he slowly but surely improved. He was breastfeeding for a full feed around 34 weeks. We did 2 bottles/day when we first got home and then transitioned to exclusive breastfeeding around 37 weeks adj.

We are the exception rather than the rule. He picked it up fast and I was able to establish a good supply pumping. I credit this to lots of lactation support, hand expression after pumping every time early on, and a NICU team that was very supportive of my attempts to BF early on. We could also push him a little because he was big and didn't have many respiratory problems after the first week. It was still a long journey and I have shed many tears along the way, but it's been totally worth it. 

Wanted you to know there are success stories out there. Don't get count yourself out yet, every drop counts! There are some amazing stories here too, including MoMs exclusively BF preemie twins! We'll all be here to support you when the time comes (of course hoping that it doesn't!)

jcsntms06

I'm praying you can hold off a few more weeks! Stay put baby!

With my first DD, she never latched to the breast. We tried several times. She was born at 33w4d and I pumped from the time she was born until 2 months. From the moment she came home from the hospital, I was supplementing with formula (I was just not making enough milk).

When DD#2 was born at 34w5d again I was not prepared to have another preemie (I thought for sure I would make it full term). She did latch on to the breast, but I still would bottle feed her my pumped milk. She was also on neosure in the hospital. When we came home, I was giving her two bottles of neosure two times a day, along with BF. I never found time to pump, along w/BFing (plus a two year old at home). I went through my stash of milk very fast. After 6 weeks I found that DD would nurse for 45 minutes and still be hungry, so I had to supplement w/half formula/half BM. I became discouraged and decided to just solely formula feed. It was a hard decision, but she's almost 5 months old and I'm just happy that she's gaining weight and healthy. I have days that I feel guilty or other people in my family make me feel guilty, but you gotta do what's best for yourself and your LO. 

Kadyra

Thank you for your replies! While I know it's not typical, I'm glad to hear some success stories. Even the struggles bring prospective. I think I'll try to come up with some plans (I'm a planner). I'm not against FF either. Had to do it to some extent uny DS was a year old. But ideally I'd love to BF. thanks again- for the well wishes too!

coastalmaine

DS was born at 29 weeks....received his food through a feeding tube, then the bottle. I pumped and he got breast milk in his tube and bottle. We are still working on breastfeeding  and he has been home a little over a month now...he is threeonths old...adjusted age just over a week. He is able to take a little over half his feeding by breast, then gets the rest by bottle. I do not try to. Feast feed every time yet....it works much better with the breast shield, but it certainly has been a struggle. I am not willing to give up yet, but must admit some days I consider just pumping exclusively and bottle feeding him. I hate pumping, so that is why we are still working at it.

Kadyra

Hmmm. Never thought about a nipple shield. One of my friends used them do I will ask her about it. Thanks!

haziedaze

Kadyra:

Hmmm. Never thought about a nipple shield. One of my friends used them do I will ask her about it. Thanks!

Nipple shields can be really helpful for some preemies. They help them create good suction and make it easier to latch when they are small. We weaned off of it around 37-38 weeks. It was annoying sometimes, but worth it to not have to pump!

Andrea0429

So I haven't made it to my goal yet, but am going thru a lot of similar feelings.  I BF'ed DS1 until 15 months and always thought that any babies we had would get BF'ed until a year.  But with twins, I'm starting to doubt that they'll be getting BM for a year.

Our twins were born at 32 weeks 1 day and were in the NICU for 3 weeks and 5 days.  Once they were feeding, the docs let me put them to the breast once a day.  The nurse/LC recommended nipple shields, more for them than me.  She always recommends them with preemies and had me start with an XS because of the size of their mouths.  The shields definitely made it easier and they were able to latch pretty well.  But it's been an adjustment now that they're home to get rid of the shields.  1 boy latches great without a shield now and the other is kind of iffy.  Sometimes we both get so frustrated with latching that it's just easier to pump and give them a bottle.  The boys are just over 7 weeks now and get both BM and formula.  They got formula in NICU to up their calories and we were discharged with instructions to continue.  My concern is whether I'll be able to pump enough once I go back to work to keep up my supply and continue to provide BM.  At this point, I try to take it one day at a time and give them BM for as long as possible.  I'm slowly working on letting go of the guilt of possibly not making it to a year and knowing that any BM I've given them has been a benefit.  If pumping is going to make me miserable, it's going to make my kids (and DH) miserable too!  Happy mommy = happy baby!  This time around I've also taken fenugreek and blessed thistle and have been drinking mother's milk tea.  The only things I did with DS was eat oatmeal and drink lots of water.

sucrets4

DD was born at 33w5d and didn't start being able to BF well until she was closer to term.  We tried in the hospital and she had 1 great feed, but couldn't replicate it.  So, I'd try to nurse and guess what she got, then DH would give her a bottle while I pumped.  She came home at 35w GA and this was our routine for a few weeks.  By the time she got around term she had much more successful BFing sessions and I started cutting down on my pumping sessions.

It sucked and was a LOT of work, but totally worth it.  Luckily, I responded pretty well to the pump, so that made it easier.  I'd say to have all your resources lined up and ready to go - the # of a LC to help, research as to what supplements you can take to help your supply, etc.

Good luck and I hope your LO stays inside for a lot longer!