Preemies
If you are now EBF, come in...
I am just looking for some mommas who switched from pumping/bottle feeding to breastfeeding successfully after the NICU. This.is.HARD!!
I saw a lactation consultant this afternoon and DD latched beautifully and her post-nursing weight was great (as much as I'd give in a bottle). Then, I get home and the next feeding was a nightmare. I was in tears and DD was screaming her head off. She finally latched but with the help of the nipple shield. I feel like the consult was a fluke and we'll never get there. I ended up giving a bottle for her last feeding and pumping.
Any tips or "atta girls" for me??
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Re: If you are now EBF, come in...
You are doing GREAT! Stay dedicated. My LO would only nurse with a shield and after EBF for a month or so, I had to stop for other reasons. Had he been able to latch properly just ONCE, I would have probably kept on trying. She will get there, you will get there.
ATTA GIRL!!
Keep it up! You're doing great. My son was born at 26 weeks, and we spent 70 days in the NICU. It took a LONG time to get it, but we got there.
Don't be afraid to use the nipple shield. That was the only way he'd latch for awhile. And, he'd always have the most trouble latching in the evening - between, say, 7p and 10p. It was his "witching hour."
I'd also recommend avoiding waiting until your daughter is super-hungry. Even now, my son has trouble latching on when he's starving, and he's 6 months old!
There were definitely times when he was crying, I was crying, and it just wasn't working. He still has tough feedings occasionally.
Have you tried a "special needs feeder"? Medela makes them, and they have a small one for preemies. We used it and really liked it. It helped my son learn how to nurse.
Another thing that my lactation consultant suggested was, if he got too hungry, give him a little bit of milk by bottle to "take the edge off," then offer the breast. We didn't try that, but you might want to give it a shot.
Don't feel bad about giving her a bottle and pumping! There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. For my son, it just "clicked" one day, and I'm sure you'll have the same experience.
Breastfeeding is SO hard-especially for a preemie. You are doing awesome and should feel great about trying so hard. It is entirely possible to work toward EBF, there are lots of success stories on this board.
My best tip? Keep trying. Offer your breast at every feeding, give her some time to try and then when she (or you) is getting too frustrated you can introduce the bottle again. Some feedings will be better than others but eventually you'll get there. I know the shields have helped a lot of women here too.
My DD is pretty much EBF now-she came home on both bottles and BFing. She still gets about one bottle a day because its the only way we can get her to take her vitamins and DH likes to feed her. I pump whenever she gets a bottle. But even though she's usually a great eater, she still has days (like today!) when she spends a lot of time screaming at my boobs rather than eating. So...take it slow, have lots of patience and it will work.
I know Urbanflowerpot will post here too-she has a great story and I'm sure she will have more tips.
Our precious girl, born at 27 weeks.
Hang in there!!! It is SOOOO worth it! Five months later we're nursing like champs (okay, DS is WAY better at it than DD) but it is SO EASY now! I'm so glad we stuck with it.
I also vote for the nipple shield! Both of mine had to use it in the beginning then I weaned them off of it by starting the feeding with the shield and removing it half way through. It only took a week or so to get DS off and DD used it on and off for a few weeks. I also would let my mom or husband give them a bottle from time to time so I could get a little extra sleep, so if its just not working for you guys that feeding, give the bottle and don't feel bad, then get back on the horse for the next go round.
I think ours got a few bottles a day fortified with neosure and their iron and vitamins mixed in when we first got home. I then got a scale ($50.00 on amazon, so worth the peace of mind, to me) so I could watch their weight gain myself and we weaned off the fortified bottles after a while as well.
All I can say is I HATE washing bottles and pump parts. And while I still wash pump parts, it is so nice to pull out a boob when they're hungry, no waiting for the bottle to warm, no clean up, just voila: boob juice!
Girl, you're singin' my song! DO NOT GIVE UP! If this is something you want, it is something you can have. You may lose your mind..........but that always comes back, eventually.
It took me 3 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day for him to have his first bottle-free day. He was nipple confused to the max. We were in NICU for 50 days, home for two weeks, then back in NICU for 8 days. I was swimming with LC's. I saw a specialist finally and she was a gift from God. I was starting to think they were a bunch of hooey. I will cut to the chase - this is what we got & how it's worked for us. You'll need a lot of time on your hands and total, utter devotion.
Slouch down on the coach, cozy chair, whatever with your shirt & bra off. Let LO wiggle around and try to get to a nipple. Encourage this, do it as much as you can. Do it all day & all night if you can. I started watching Grey's Anatomy & I've just tried to shift my focus to that so I don't go nuts from stress.
Like PPs have said, don't be afraid to use your nipple shield! DS was too little to latch so that's why we started & we used that the whole time til he came home the second time - DS ditched it - he shoved it off every time I tried & then he'd latch. If that hadn't happened I'd still be on it.
With nipple confusion often they can latch, but don't know how to suck. They can hang out & look just like they should, nursing away, but not taking in close to enough milk. It takes time, and a crazy amount of patience. I noticed that if I laid on my side he felt more cozy & my arms didn't get tired. I'd let him comfort suck, try, whatever, just hang out. FINALLY (!!!) he started to suck & we'd skip bottles. Then we'd go overnight with him just nursing slowly, getting through the whole night. Then we got to a day with no bottles - I panicked and gave him one thinking I'd fill his belly with more...then I read that that was a mistake (So That's What They're There For - best!!). So I bit the bullet and didn't cave...............and we did it. We finally did it.
It's one week later now & tonight he lost suction - I was so tempted to give him a bottle (he had one yesterday while I was out - I was losing my mind!) but I didn't. He cried, I cried, but then he got back on track. If their diapers are wet & pooping like usual you are good - and your pedi will let you come in and weigh whenever you want to be sure LO is gaining.
YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!
You can, it's just a matter of time and re-training. I can't say that enough.
If you need to PM me - I'll share whatever I can - just leave a note on the board that you've sent me something because otherwise I never check. The ladies on here are the best cheerleaders in the world.
Sorry this is jumbled, but LO is stirring & we have to keep on keepin' on!
PS My specialist told me after at our follow up (three days EBF) not to put anything else in his mouth for at least two weeks so he could readjust. She also said he may reject bottles in the future.
PPS We even went out for the day & he BF in public under his cover. I was so proud!!!
LOL you know it
<-- that was me last week - I swear it's like OP took words straight from my brain!
and if it wasn't clear in my fast-typing post, I'm not saying starve LO, just always offer breast & give it a good go before bottle. There were times I'd cry and need to leave the room, have DH hold him, and just breathe.
My DD was born at 33w5d, too! and she was 17".
It definitely took her awhile to get the hang of BFing. I would try to nurse at every session and then DH would give her a bottle after. A few weeks after we brought her home, she finally got it. Just KEEP DOING what you're doing and don't give up! DD was the same way with having a great session and then not doing well. Remember that it's soooo much work for them, so just give her some time.
And if this further inspires you, DD rejected bottles altogether around 3m!! She's still nursing 1-2x a day now and it's still my favorite time of day.
GL! You can do it!
BFP(4) DD2 born 2.14.13 @ 35w5d due to pPROM