How long did it take - bottles?

MrsHunter2Be · March 2013

Andrew was born at 26w 4d and he is now 36w 4d. The nurses told us to bring in our carseat and have been starting to go over discharge instructions with us because they feel like he is getting close to take all of his feedings by bottle. They keep saying that one day he will just "get it" and take all feeding by bottle. He will take a full bottle (50ml) and the next feeding only take 5ml or 20ml.

When did your preemie catch on and take all feeding by bottle? We've been trying for a couple weeks now and I am just having a hard time believing it will all of a sudden just happen. One nurse said this is one of the parts of the NICU stay that seems the longest and I believe it!

Brummy14 · March 2013

Both of my girls took FOREVER. Seriously. They both actually came home on NG tubes (although we never used DD1's -- she "got it" like just when she was discharged).

I was SO frustrated during that period. DD1 took her first full bottle a full 4 WEEKS before they discharged her. DD2 -- it was over 6 weeks after her first full bottle.

It's crazy -- you get through the scary health hurdles from the beginning, and then bottle feeding ends up being the thing that makes you crazy.

Hang in there -- both of our girls came home within a week of their due date, and DD2 was done with her NG tube by about 3 weeks after her due date (she was the slower one to "wake up" --she was always sooo tired and never made it through a feeding, or just plain never woke up for it).

Neither of ours "got it overnight," The number of times people said that would happen made me want to throw things.

Hang in there. It will happen. Maybe not "overnight," but it will. I promise.

wille2b · March 2013

for my LOs they really did just wake up one day and figure it out. On a thursday they were talking about discharging seperatly b/c only one had it figured out, by saturday they both had mastered it and they left monday morning. i know its super frustrating just keep trying. do you do all of the feeds?? I noticed when I did the feeds they too it all, if it was a nurse they struggled. I did as close to skin-skin contact while i fed them and it really helped! i really hope your litle guy figures it out and you get to go home!!

eMiLee920 · March 2013

DS was 27w2d and came home just about a week before his dd. The bottles were definitely the most frustrating thing. We were actually told by our one nurse on a Saturday that he'd probably get cleared by the doctor on Monday - because the bottle was the only reason they were keeping him. The overnight shift nurse early Monday morning said his stats dropped (not entirely uncommon) and he wasn't taking it (he usually had to be encouraged to finish by us or a patient nurse, but was totally capable). The stupid overnight nurse gave up and tubed him - he hadn't had a tube in nearly 4 days! We were so upset and pissed. So was our normal nurse who was off that Monday. When she came back on Wednesday she was livid and got the doctor to agree to send him home because the problem was with the nurse and not DS. And she was right - he did just fine at home with no problems (although it was nerve-wracking to feed him and NOT know if he was having issues because we didn't have the monitor). So I just typed that and realized I don't know if it will help you at all. But having a nurse on your side is always a plus!

MrsHunter2Be · March 2013

Unfortunately between my husband and I we are only able to be there for 3 feedings a day. I had to go back to work (so that I can quit permanently when he comes home) and we have a toddler at home. His nurses seem to be very good about doing as much as they can to feed him by bottle. They will not let him go home on an NG unless absolutely necessary. His oxygen came off last Friday and that did slow him down a little. He has taken 3 out of his last 8 feedings as full bottles. I think that is the most frustrating part. I know he can do it, but it's just not consistent. I know it will be at some point, but I'm having a hard time reminding myself of that right now.

megs2011 · March 2013

Babies aren't allowed to go home with NG tubes so my girls had to learn to take a bottle before they were allowed to come home. They were born at 34w4d and were in the NICU/SCN for 4 weeks (they were tiny and needed to grow a lot). Around the 3 week mark they really started to get it and take all by mouth. I remember E ripped out her NG tube one day and they just never put it back in because that's the day she decided she was done with it. Z took another day or so. By the 4 week mark when they came home, they were bottles and a little BFing. It will happen, Keep strong.

Cst2CstBride · March 2013

I think most preemie parents have been there. DH got to the point where he would joke that if one more person told us she would "just get it" or it was like a light switch, he would punch them in the face. It was so unhelpful while you are watching and agonizing over every bottle. But then, one day she did get it and we went home the next day. It is a hurry up, get ready and wait situation. The waiting feels like forever. Dd was born at 27 weeks and went home at 38 weeks 2 days. I hope it happens soon for your lo.

jglandon@hotmail.com · March 2013

Hey you! First off congrats! That's great your little guy has come this far. Our twins were born at 35 weeks and had to spend two weeks in the nicu learning to eat as well. I remember feeling like there was no end in sight and felt like they would be there forever. I didn't believe everyone when they said they would just 'get it' one day, but it's seriously true. Also keep in mind for some reason boys take longer to catch on than girls. I hope he figures it out soon, I can imagine how exhausted you are and anxious to have him home.

DrRx · March 2013

DH and I basically moved in--one of us was there 24/7 to give her all her feeds. We would sometimes have nurses who would just say "Oh, she looked tired, so I just tubed it." So, rather than fight/argue/etc, and since we could, we just made sure one of us was there for every feeding. It took about 1 week from when we started with the bottle before we "moved" in, and then just a couple of days before they pulled the NG tube and then she took all her bottles. We asked the neo to switch the order to ever 3-4 hours (instead of every 3) because sometimes she just wasn't hungry every 3 hours. We also got it switched so that she just had a minimum amount to eat within a 12-hour period (since sometimes she would eat more and sometimes less.)

GL!! I know how frustrating it is when it is the last hurdle to overcome before you get to go home!

cottingham3 · March 2013

First of all our boys must be the same age!! My LO was born Dec 28 at 26 weeks 5 days and will be 10 weeks old tomorrow!

He is still in high flow nasal cannula. He has been an awesome feeder fron the beginning with absolutely NO feeding problems. He is taking 42mL every 3 hrs with every other feeding a bottle. Sometimes he breathes faster than 70 times per minute he cannot try. He takes about 28 to 30 mL per bottle feed in 15 min. We are praying he will continue to keep improving on the bottle. He does better for me than the nurses.

Prayers that your guy "gets it soon!"

MrsHunter2Be · March 2013

Andrew took 3 full bottles in a row overnight! Then 1/2 the next time. So hopefully we are getting there. The doctor moved him to eat every 3-4 hours at a time with a 12 hour minimum now instead of every 3. Hoping this will help too. His feedings are 50ml right now.

Good to "see" you MidwestMartins!! Congratulations on your twins!

JennZK · March 2013

It took us about a month. There was no "just get it" for us. It was a very long wait especially when you can see the finish line. Once they had us bring in the carseat and start going through discharge papers it was maybe 2 weeks and we got out of there. Good luck! It's a real test of your patience.

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