Breastfeeding Preemies

nblondheim · February 2014

I have been lurking this board but am now in need of my own advice.

I am a FTM and had my twins at 30 weeks 6 days (currently 6 weeks old at 36 weeks 6 days). We attempted bf a few times in the NICU with little to no success. The most one of the twins took in a 15 minute session was 8 mls and I think that was a fluke! I got quite frustrated and felt like I was doing something wrong. In order to get them home they needed to take all of their feedings so we went to all bottles. We have been home now for just over a week and I try to bf once in awhile but most of the time we are unsuccessful. Tonight I tried again and am sooo very excited that we had a successful 20 minute session with one of the twins. I pumped first for a few minutes to get my letdown. She latched right away which is typical and sucked and continued this pattern for a bit and got mad. I switched positions and she latched and sucked for about 20 minutes before she fell asleep. I know she was sucking and swallowing so there was intake. I offered her 20 mls in a bottle after which she took and then another 20 mls which she again tool. So she bf for 20 minutes and got 40 mls after in a bottle. (She typically takes 80 mls from a bottle) Here are my questions:

1. How long is a typical bf session with a preemie/newborn?

2. Since only 1 twin is bf, would you pump on both sides after to keep up my supply?

With the other twin he has issues with his tongue. He likes to keep it to the roof of his mouth. With a solid bottle nipple it is a little easier to coax him to let it down but with bf he doesn't drop it and gets very frustrated. He definitely is very interested and will latch when he drops his tongue down but doesn't suck for long. Any tips on how to help him learn to put his tongue down?

wille2b · February 2014

Sounds exactly like how we started!! I just tried and tried several times a day, the closer the due date we got the better at breastfeeding we got. Make sure you do a lot of skin to skin time and let them "play" at the nipple. I always pumped after feedings to keep up the supply. My bigger twin nursed sooner than my little one, but eventually they both figured it out. They were nursed and bottle fed for the better part of 10 months!! Keep up the good work mama, sounds like you are on the right track!!! Try to get in to see a lactation consultant, they can help you work with those tiny mouths and sucking issues!!

TheDairyQueenx3 · February 2014

Sounds like your right on track and very much in the normal range of things. My twin boys were 33 and 6 and it took us 5 weeks after the hospital until I made enough, was able to get both to latch well enough (even at 13 weeks we have issues but are going strong), and keep a good session going while to transfer enough milk. My smaller twin did the same as yours with pressing his toungue up so I would open his mouth and roll him up on the breast. I would always pump the other side to keep that supply up.... Well that's what I did anyways. Find a good LC or even a few and if you can contact your local health department and have them send out a nurse a few times a week for weighted feeds. Wic also provides that service and it gave me a lot of peace of mind that I was doing something right as they gained weight

GL you're doing fantastic things for those sweet little babies! Keep it up mama!

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