Two Hospital/Delivery Questions

PinkinProvence · November 2013

I guess I am starting to think about the inevitable in the next couple of weeks! Sorry for the inundation of questions!

1. Did you bring your breast pillow to the hospital with you? It is so humongous but how else would will I tandem breast feed while I am there.

2. I am still pretty early so if I deliver in the next 2 weeks, the babies will probably be in NICU. Were you able to breast feed if the babies were in NICU?

3. Did you wear a nursing nightgown after delivery as opposed to a cami and pants? Was there a difference if you had a C-section v. vaginal delivery?

Thanks!

tootsscott · November 2013

FTM here but this is what I'm thinking

Ill leave my BF pillow in the car so hubs can grab it if I need it. If babes are in NICU they'll probably have you pump to get your supply going.

No advice on the gown but ill prob just wear it unless someone comes to visit, then ill try loose pants/tank top!

I'm mobile right now. How many weeks are you?

pillowass · November 2013

Others may disagree, but I think it's pretty ambitious to try to tandem feed right away. I would focus on getting the hang of nursing one at a time and then move on to tandem feeding in the few weeks after you leave the hospital. I didn't bring my nursing pillow to the hospital, but you could throw it in the car now and send your husband to get it if you find that you want or need it. I did bring a pillow from my own bed, though! There are plenty of extras at the hospital and the nurses can help you get set up.

I wore a hospital gown for the first day then changed to a nursing tank and yoga pants after I was able to get a shower. I had a vaginal birth. No NICU time so can't help with #2. Good luck!

PinkinProvence · November 2013

Thanks! For those on mobile, I am 33w3d but 1 cm dilated.

jocie2581 · November 2013

1. I would not recommend bringing your nursing pillow. It's huge. Plus I would start feeding one at a time. So that you can work with each on latching.

2. My boys went straight to the nicu and I wasn't able breastfeed until 7 days later. Born at 33w2d they did not have the suck reflex yet and needed a feeding tube. I pumped and gave my milk to the nicu nurses.

3. Had a vaginal delivery, any comfy clothes will do. I wish I had a nice robe to throw over me for visitors.

carrotcake06 · November 2013

1. I didn't bring or need my pillow. More detail in #2.

2. I had my boys at 34w. They let me try and bf them individually right away. They were so small I didn't even need a pillow or anything. I had nursed my oldest and nursing a newb for the second time is sooooo much easier. It's like riding a bike.

That being said, bc they were 34weekers, they weren't great at nursing. I got each of them to latch at least once a day and it was fascinating to watch their suck/swallow/breathe reflex develop over a week or so. I EPed to being my milk in - 30min every 3hrs around the clock.

Once they got a bit more proficient at nursing, I attempted tandem in the NICU w their pillow. We tandem almost exclusively now.

3. I had a c/s so gown for the first day and then clothes the rest of the time so I could feel more like a human being.

meldoo2002 · November 2013

1. I did not bring the pillow to the hospital and didn't plan to. Maybe a single boppy, but I don't think that you'll be able to tandem nurse very well those first few days anyway.

2. My babies were too early to breast feed in the NICU for a couple weeks, but if they are big enough and coordinating their suck swallow breathe than you'll probably do a combo of nursing and pumping.

3. I had a vaginal delivery and just wore my hospital gown until I put on yoga pants and a t-shirt. I'm not a "gown" kind of person anyway though.

raraavis28 · November 2013

1. Personally, I'd leave the nursing pillow behind. While it would be great to practice tandem feeding at the hospital, it might be more realistic to just focus on feeding one at a time, and the babies would probably be small enough to just prop up with regular pillows. Andplusalso, if you have a C/S you might not want a big pillow against your abdomen right away.

2. I was able to BF the babies in the NICU, though they struggled a bit with it at first and ended up tiring out before they could get a full feeding in, so I supplemented quite a bit at first (they were born at 35w4).

3. I stayed in the hospital gown until I could shower (the next day....had a C/S). Then I wore my nightgown for a day and then changed into yoga pants and a comfy shirt.

LucyRicardo3 · November 2013

1. No. But leaving in the car would be a good option.

2. I only pumped the first few days as my girls had CPAPs and feeding tubes the first 2 days.

3. I wore a gown the first day or so. Had my lightweight robe with me to cover up the back of the gown and crisscross over my chest so I didn't feel naked. Mesh hospital undies were great that first day or so.

to clarify: my girls were 34w5d via unplanned c/s. They were sent immediately to the NICU for breathing difficulty. (I didn't get to see/hear Baby A during delivery.) My post partum nurse brought me one of the hospital's Medela pumps to my room that afternoon and they had a lactaction nurse come and fit me for flanges for the pump and new hoses, etc.. with the sterile collection bottles. After a few days when the babies were off the GI tubes, the Lactation nurse met with me regularly in the NICU (actually set appointments with her) to help me try to get them to latch. The NICU nurses were also so supportive of that. I ended up mostly pumping while sitting between their isolettes and I always got a really good amount pumped then, vs in my bed. The lactation nurse also had a Boppy (in a clear plastic zip cover) so I never used mine. They were in the NICU for 8 days total.

24karat · November 2013

PinkinProvence said:

1. Did you bring your breast pillow to the hospital with you? It is so humongous but how else would will I tandem breast feed while I am there. I didn't bring mine but tried tandem with a bunch of pillows the nurses brought in with them. One baby had latch issues so I couldn't tandem till much later.

2. I am still pretty early so if I deliver in the next 2 weeks, the babies will probably be in NICU. Were you able to breast feed if the babies were in NICU? Mine avoided a NICU stay, so no personal experience with this question.

3. Did you wear a nursing nightgown after delivery as opposed to a cami and pants? Was there a difference if you had a C-section v. vaginal delivery? I stayed in the hospital gown for 2 days, then went with a nursing-friendly maxi dress. Pants (and anything with low-cut waistbands) of any type were too uncomfortable for a few weeks due to my incision healing.

caden · November 2013

1. Brought it but never used it because my babies wouldn't latch so I had to work with each individually. I vote leave it in the car or just skip it.

2. N/a on the NICU but my 35weekers wouldn't feed well/normally until they were at least 2w old. BFing went flying out the window on day 1. I had to syringe their milk and supplement.

3. I wore a nursing tank, yoga pants and my regular big robe over that. I was very comfy (vag delivery).

shaunah816 · November 2013

I tandem nursed in the hospital, I think starting on day 2. I brought my double breast feeding pillow, but looking back I really didn't need it. Using pillows in your hospital bed will work just as well.

I had a C section. I wore hospital gowns (and not the nursing kind, either. I hated those things, and I couldn't tandem nurse in them. Maybe they work better for singletons), and changed into loose pants and nursing camis on day 3 when we started getting visitors and I was feeling more human.

tiffwedd · November 2013

Our NICU did encourage breastfeeding but my milk didn't come in until after they came home (born @ 34 weeks 1 day, came home after 2 weeks growing and feeding in the NICU) so they were fed via a tube at first and then eventually a bottle and I pumped.

I had a C-Section and packed yoga pants and t shirts to wear in the hospital but ended up just ended up mostly using a gown until the day I went home.

Good luck!

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