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Transitioning NICU babies to breast

SWA80SWA80 member
in Multiples
My boys did 15 and 22 days in the NICU and are both home. I was able to do a small amount of breastfeeding at the hospital but they sent boys home with instructions to BF only 1-3 times per day and to offer bottles after but feed for no more than 30 mins total. So, I'm pulling them off the breast to give them bottles just to be sure they are getting enough.

All of this pumping is making me crazy. For those that have been through this, what was your process for transitioning from bottle to breast?

Also, they have been on a schedule of eating every 3 hours. When were you able to just feed on demand?
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Re: Transitioning NICU babies to breast

  • kari.sandallkari.sandall member
    No advice on BF, my twins never really got the hang of it. But I wasn't allowed to feed on demand until my pediatrician was happy with their weight gain. He said they needed to "prove" themselves first.
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  • carrotcake06carrotcake06 member
    We went home w instructions to BF half of the feeds and bottle feed the other half. We never bothered w bottles and just BFed for all the feeds. At their weight check two days later, they had gained and their pedi gave us the official go-ahead to bf as much as we wanted.

    I also fed on demand right away, too. However, I never let them go more than 3.5 ish hours during the day. They rarely made it that long anyway.

    I knew they were emptying my boobs when they ate and had plenty of dirty diapers. I had successfully BFed my oldest and felt comfortable BFing the babies without worrying about bottles and pumping all the time.

    I'm not saying that's what you should do, but just sharing what we did.
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  • SWA80SWA80 member
    Thank, glad to hear it can be done! Our bigger boy has been packing on the weight, starting to look chubby so I'm very comfortable with his gain. The little guy concerns me a bit more. We're taking him to have weight checked tomorrow so that may impact what I decide to do for him. Our NICU seemed to push pumping, got me worried about them not getting what they need.
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  • carrotcake06carrotcake06 member
    @swa80 - our NICU pushed pumping as well. I had to fight tooth and nail to let me count nursing them in the NICU as a feed or partial feed.

    When we were close to going home, I was asked what my feeding plan was and when I said I wanted to EBF, the nurse said "oh, we don't like you to do that". I was so desperate to go home that I agreed to whatever she wanted. They also wanted us to fortify BM bottles w neosure which we never did either.

    I also found that some nurses were clearly more in favor of BM bottles over nursing. And that each nurse did things just a little bit differently.

    I'm still anal about them getting enough though. Making sure they empty their boob and get a "full feed" and making sure they're eating at least 7x per day. There's nothing better than seeing them get baby chunk on their chicken legs :)

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  • bumpuser924057bumpuser924057 member
    I know the NICU saves lives and works miracles, but it really frustrates me that they have completely different feeding practices than anywhere else.  My boy (full term 37w3d baby, almost 8 pounds at birth) was having trouble latching while in the NICU and I was using a syringe and my finger to feed him formula supplements while we continued to work on BFing but was told that he absolutely had to drink from a bottle proficiently to be discharged.  He was formula fed at home for a solid month before I was able to get him on the breast.  I offered it at literally every feeding, and he eventually did start to show interest.  It just took time, and consistent effort, but I think I was pretty lucky that we were able to make it work.  

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    Grant - 6/2/11
    Glenn and Caroline - 6/19/13

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  • rac717rac717 member
    edited September 2013
    I nursed in NICU with them so they were okay with breast which made it easy.  I pumped and did bottles + breast the first week they came home from NICU (I was paranoid about weight gain).  After their first week checkup, I switched to breast first and would only offer bottle if they were hungry.  They pretty much never were and by 3rd week, were BFing almost always.

    Mine never had any problems switching from bottle to breast or back again.  They prefer breast but will take a bottle whenever.  I hate pumping so try to avoid it as much as possible. 
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    Having the best time ever as mom to Max and Emma, born April 6, 2013!

    NYer by birth, I now call Buenos Aires home.

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  • babywillmake3babywillmake3 member
    I may be naive with this, but why won't they allow you to weigh the babies before and after feedings to make sure they get a "full" feed? We did this a lot with my singleton. I invested in a very good scale.

    Mono/Di Twins - Due March 3, 2014 (Realist EDD - Feb 5, 2014)

    Mommy to Jericho - 2 Years Old.

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  • SWA80SWA80 member
    babywillmake3 said:

    I may be naive with this, but why won't they allow you to weigh the babies before and after feedings to make sure they get a "full" feed? We did this a lot with my singleton. I invested in a very good scale.

    I did this a few times in the NICU, just don't have a scale at home. I did find out there is a LC with my pediatrician's office so I'm going to get an appointment with her. Both boys were weighed yesterday and are growing really well so that takes a little pressure off. My little guy is 5 lbs:)
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