how long does it take your LO(s) to eat?

Journey33 · October 2012

Just wondering if the lengthy feedings are a product of being preemie. My girls are 3.5 weeks old-they were born at 35 weeks exactly. They eat roughly 2.25 oz of breastmilk (bottlefed) and it takes 50 minutes each... so in the middle of the night, I feed them one at a time and then I have to go pump for 25 mins.. its so exhausting.

Is this normal? I thought about changing the nippleso that it comes out faster but Im afraid it will be too fast for them.

Thoughts??

emu0013 · October 2012

My DD was born at 35W4D and was taking an hour to an hour and 15 min to eat about 2 ounces. at 4 weeks I changed the nipple to #2 and she didn't spit up at all and was a tiny bit faster. Just about a week ago, I switched to #3 becusae she was starting daycare this week and I was afraid she was going to starve. She now takes about 20-25 min to eat 2 ounces and doesnt spit up. Honestly, I think her pacifier has also helped with her sucking. Good Luck!

Journey33 · October 2012

emu0013:
My DD was born at 35W4D and was taking an hour to an hour and 15 min to eat about 2 ounces. at 4 weeks I changed the nipple to #2 and she didn't spit up at all and was a tiny bit faster. Just about a week ago, I switched to #3 becusae she was starting daycare this week and I was afraid she was going to starve. She now takes about 20-25 min to eat 2 ounces and doesnt spit up. Honestly, I think her pacifier has also helped with her sucking. Good Luck!

Thanks for responding! What kind of nipple/bottle are you using? Im not familiar with the numbers.. We were using the similac disposable nipples because they fit the medela bottles. I tried swithching to born free but it was too fast.

TIA!!!

emu0013 · October 2012

Journey33:

emu0013:
My DD was born at 35W4D and was taking an hour to an hour and 15 min to eat about 2 ounces. at 4 weeks I changed the nipple to #2 and she didn't spit up at all and was a tiny bit faster. Just about a week ago, I switched to #3 becusae she was starting daycare this week and I was afraid she was going to starve. She now takes about 20-25 min to eat 2 ounces and doesnt spit up. Honestly, I think her pacifier has also helped with her sucking. Good Luck!

Thanks for responding! What kind of nipple/bottle are you using? Im not familiar with the numbers.. We were using the similac disposable nipples because they fit the medela bottles. I tried swithching to born free but it was too fast.

TIA!!!

I am using the Avent nipples with the 4 oz bottles currently.

2bunnbunns · October 2012

DS and DD were born at 33 w 5 d and it took forever for them to eat and they ate every 3 hours in the beginning. I want to say it took close to an hour and a half for them to both eat 3 oz of formula. It took a while to get better, I want to say right after my due date they started picking up speed with their eating. I think I changed the nipples when they were 2 months old. I tried a little bit before but DD choked and got angry. It does get better. What really helps is when you can feed both of them the bottles at the same time. For me that didn't happen until they were 3.5 months old..then I could leave the house for a bit.

Journey33 · October 2012

2bunnbunns:
DS and DD were born at 33 w 5 d and it took forever for them to eat and they ate every 3 hours in the beginning. I want to say it took close to an hour and a half for them to both eat 3 oz of formula. It took a while to get better, I want to say right after my due date they started picking up speed with their eating. I think I changed the nipples when they were 2 months old. I tried a little bit before but DD choked and got angry. It does get better. What really helps is when you can feed both of them the bottles at the same time. For me that didn't happen until they were 3.5 months old..then I could leave the house for a bit.

How did you feed both bottles at the same time? using a boppy? This makes me so hopeful!!

ShopperKristi · October 2012

I was just going to say the same thing - feed them at the same time!!! My husband and I can both feed them at the same time (although we have different methods). I sit in the corner of my couch where we have sort of a chaise lounge with my legs kind of frog-style and two pillows kind of in between my legs then lay the babies in front of me on the pillows and hold both bottles. My husband actually uses the twin My Brest Friend to lay them on and bottle feed both of them - he got more use out of it than I did (ha!). When we need to pause to burp them they both just have to take a little break. Sometimes they cry because they want to keep eating but if they don't burp they spit up! You can do it mama! Just find a method that works well for you. I've also heard of some people using boppies or bouncy seats and sitting in front of them that way. If it saves you almost an hour it is totally worth a couple awkward feedings to get your routine down!!

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