Introduction and a Question

emu0013

Hi, I wanted to introduce myself as I have been lurking for the past 8 weeks. DH and I have been together 13 years and married for 5 years. It was a struggle to get pregnant and took us 18 months and we used fertility meds and became pregnant on a break. My pregnancy was rough, initally my beta's didnt double, and I had quite a bit of bleeding my entire pregnancy. I had pre term labor at 29 weeks and it was able to be stopped with Magnesium Sulfate and I got the steroid shots. We met with a perintologist at that point who determined that my amneomic fluid was low, and my baby was measuring small 11th percentile. I was put on bed rest. At 29 weeks we started twice weekly stress tests and once weekly perintology appointments to have a bio-physical profile done, in addition to my weekly OB apt. We went in for our perintology appointment at 33 weeks and she was measuring in the 2nd percentle for size.  He wanted to try and get me to 34 weeks. We went for our perintology appointment at 35W4D and right away I knew from the U/S Tech that something wasn't right. She said she was going to get the doctor. He came back and said I had no amneomic fluid and we needed to deliver immediately. I had an emergency c section an hour later. My little peanut was 4lb8ounces, and was 4lb3ounces when we were released. She actually spent only a few hours in the NICU, the doctor said the steroid shots I had at 29 weeks helped to develop her lungs. She did well with her feedings and after first day, she did well with her temperature and was able to come home with us. She is doing well and is up to just over 7 lbs and we just were recently able to pack up her Premie,  clothing she is now wearing her newborn clothes at 8 weeks! I am excited to get to know some of you.

 My question, my little peanut eats great, but really slow. Sometimes it takes her close to an hour to eat 2-2.5 ounces. I use the Avent 4 ounce bottles and have switched from the #1 nipple to #2, it helped a little. I am EP'ing, and feeding her bottle feeding her because initally nursing exhausted her and I have flat nipples and with her size it just wasn't going well.

 

Thanks!!

urbanflowerpot

Congratulations on your little girl! How fortunate - in so many ways.

Easier said than done, but try not to worry if the pedi isn't. Preemies are slow eaters and tucker easily. If you are going to want to switch from EP'ing, though, you might want to see a LC/let her try once/day and spend kangaroo time. That's a much harder thing to switch over to. If not, that's cool, too - just wanted to throw it out there.

Welcome to the board  

emu0013

urbanflowerpot:

Congratulations on your little girl! How fortunate in so many ways.Easier said than done, but try not to worry if the pedi isn't. Preemies are slow eaters and tucker easily. If you are going to want to switch from EP'ing, though, you might want to see a LC/let her try once/day and spend kangaroo time. That's a much harder thing to switch over to. If not, that's cool, too just wanted to throw it out there.Welcome to the board :nbsp;

Thanks for your reply! Unfortunately I go back to work in 3.5 weeks and I'm totally freeing out that she is going to starve at daycare because they aren't going to take so much time to feed her. Her pedi is happy with her weight gain and we were able to stop the weekly weight checks about 2 weeks ago.

I did see a LC who was helpful, I was going to try and nurse but then felt like with going back to work maybe I should just pump. Thanks again!

emu0013

urbanflowerpot:

Congratulations on your little girl! How fortunate in so many ways.Easier said than done, but try not to worry if the pedi isn't. Preemies are slow eaters and tucker easily. If you are going to want to switch from EP'ing, though, you might want to see a LC/let her try once/day and spend kangaroo time. That's a much harder thing to switch over to. If not, that's cool, too just wanted to throw it out there.Welcome to the board :nbsp;

Thanks for your reply! Unfortunately I go back to work in 3.5 weeks and I'm totally freeing out that she is going to starve at daycare because they aren't going to take so much time to feed her. Her pedi is happy with her weight gain and we were able to stop the weekly weight checks about 2 weeks ago.

I did see a LC who was helpful, I was going to try and nurse but then felt like with going back to work maybe I should just pump. Thanks again!

MeatballEsq

First, congrats on your little one and how well she did at birth! I remember you from TTGP My little guy was a really slow eater at first (born 34w4d) and it seems like the bigger he has gotten the faster he has eaten. I did bump him up to the level 2 nipple like you did too. I actually thought he finished the Avent bottles the fastest too (more than Tommy Tippee or Doc Browns), so no advice there sorry!

jcsntms06

Congratulations and welcome to the boards.