8 Weeks And Tired of This

lildayzees

Today marks the 8th week since my son was born (at 29 weeks gestation) and we're still in the NICU.

It is definitely wearing me down.

It doesn't help that they told us last week that he would most likely be home by week's end.  Well, we're still there.

 It also doesn't help that a nurse introduced herself to me the other day by saying, "Wow!  Your son has been here for a long time!" 

He regressed on his bottles, and he still requires at least one or two tube feeds (or partial tube feeds) a day.

The other day I tried BFing for the first time and they tube fed him beforehand in preparation for it.  Doesn't that seem counterintuitive?  If he needs to take all bottles before he comes home, why can't I just skip the BFing and just pump so we don't have to tube feed him?

I'm just tired.  My 17-month old DD hates going to the hospital, and I dread the days that I have to bring her with me.  I'm ready for DS to come home and for us to start our family of four under one roof.

Thanks for being an avenue where I can vent.

 

Mrs. Alice

I'm sorry - those last few weeks of anticipation are sooo hard.  I agree that gavaging him before BFing doesn't make any sense.  Have you met with a LC?  If you plan on BFing him at home, it's probably a good idea to introduce it now while he is learning.  I was able to do a mixture of BFing and bottles for my boys to discharge.  I believe they had to have at least a good 15 minute BFing or complete most of their bottle and gain weight. 

Missa_g

Those last few weeks I felt like my boys would never get the hang of eating. Big hugs to you and I hope y'all get to go home very soon.

DrRx

I'm sorry.  It can get so frustrating at the end with the feeding.  We spent almost 12 weeks and you really start to lose your patience at the end.  I hope that your family soon gets to all be under one roof.  ((hugs))

Bluebird2318

I'm right with you. My DD was also born at 29 weeks and today marks the 8th week for me as well. It really is getting old, as much as I like the nurses. She has really been taking off on her bottles, and I'm really hoping with all I've got that she won't regress, because she is SO close. I have had that feeling about BFing as well, even though I KNOW she needs the practice. Have you spoken with them about maybe letting you try BFing first and then offering a bottle after 10-15 minutes? I did that today and the nurse estimated that DD took ~10 mL at breast and was still able to finish her full 35 mL bottle afterwards. My nurses don't tube feed unless it's a last resort or she is clearly in a deep sleep at the time of her feeding. Really hoping for you and your LO that everything works out and you are home together soon.

lwmooney87

I can certainly relate to you, although it's been over a year, I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I remember sitting in the NICU crying and crying because she wasn't going home yet. Other babies that were younger and smaller than her were going home but she wasn't because she didn't take enough of her bottles and they would tube feed her. What worked for us was... I came in one day and the nurse said that Reagan had pulled out her own feeding tube, so she decided to leave it out and see how she ate without it. (I later found out that the nurse took the tube out herself because she was convinced it was the reason she wasn't taking all her bottles and a lot of the nurses were lazy and just tube fed her) Anyway, she ended up taking all her bottles from then on and she went home two days later. It was a miracle and I can't thank that nurse enough. I'm not sure what it was but it's like it just clicked for her. I also talked them into on demand feeding. I felt like she just wasn't hungry sometimes when it was "time" for her to eat and then other times, it seemed like she was hungry and it wasn't time yet. So, they agreed to let her do this as long as she gained weight and she did. So, those are the things that helped us get out the door quicker.

Good luck! I hope he gets to come home soon! I know it has to be hard on your DD as well.