Seeking advice from successful breastfeeders!!

ShopperKristi

My boys came home from the NICU a few days ago and we are trying to find our groove with feedings.  During the day I let each of them nurse for 15 minutes then offer breastmilk in a bottle which they usually finish.  Once I am done bfing and bottling I pump for 15.  This whole process takes about 1-1.5 hours and I am really nervous about doing it by myself when my husband goes back to work.  For their three night feedings we are doing bottles.  I would really love to be able to breastfeed exclusively but they would each take 45 minutes if I let them and there aren't enough hours in the day!  So if you were successful, what was your routine like?  Did you bf on demand or limit their time then supplement with a bottle?

GypsyEsq

I BF on demand and follow the baby's lead on how long they want to nurse.  Tandem feed when possible and pretty much just watch for feeding cues.  It's tough but it's only for a little while - already at 6 weeks they are more efficient and I'm spending less time topless.  I pump after the first a.m. feeding so DH can give a bottle to each baby every day (to prepare when I go back to work).

Jen0204

I've heard that as your babies get closer to term they'll get much better at breastfeeding, so hopefully in 2-3 weeks they'll become more efficient at it.  Can you tandem feed?  If that works then maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let them nurse for 45 minutes since it's just 45 minutes total and not 1.5 hours. 

Good luck!

Annabelle7

I BF my son for about 19 months.  For the first three months I felt all I ever did was feed him, so I can't imagine what it's like with two (I'll know in the winter!)  He would take 40 minutes to eat cause he would constantly fall asleep, and then I would have to prop him up for 20 minutes so he wouldn't spit up.  Back at feeding an hour later.  It was exhausting.  It was hard, but it does get so much better and easier. 

copilot

I also would bf on demand, but would always nurse them together. So if one wanted the boob, they both got it. One of my NICU-ers was fine with nursing exclusively as soon as he came home. The other took about 2 months to get there. It was exhausting but I was determined. I just took it one feeding at a time and tried to stay confident that it would all work out. It did. Once the not so good nurser was getting a little better, I would try to not pump/offer a bottle after every other feeding and see how that went. Then I tried not to for a few feedings in a row. Eventually we got there. They are 20 months now and I still nurse them!

ShopperKristi

Thanks for the feedback ladies!  I haven't tried tandem much because I feel like it takes two hands for one because they are so little and have a hard time staying on by themselves but eventually I would Love to do it that way to save time!  I think once I get more comfortable with it all it will be easier... I hope!

ColleenS629

For the first two weeks, I was BFing Baby B, bottle feeding Baby A (BM) and pumping and it took 1.5 hours each feeding day and night. The ONLY reason I was doing that was because Baby A wouldn't latch. After 2 weeks, I had just about lost it and called an LC. She got me tandem nursing and that is the only way I was able to survive. I BFed on demand but when one demanded, they both got it. I didn't limit their time and I didn't supplement with a bottle.

ETA: I had to use nipple shields to get them to tandem feed for a few weeks. I needed two hands to support and latch each baby without the shields so when DH was home, I would latch the first baby, he'd hold that baby's head while I latched the second baby, then I'd hold both of their heads for the feeding. When it was just me, the shields allowed me to just support their heads and they latched on their own. 

MrsOjoButtons

We BF on demand.  Our first week home, one of my babies wouldn't latch, so I nursed one baby, then pumped and bottle fed the other.  Life got easier when I stopped pumping and could tandem nurse.

Yes, 40-60 minutes to nurse.  It was exhausting, but temporary.