I know I've been asking a lot lately
It was suggested the other day that I feed the boys part time through a bottle still EBM but just to help the suck reflex and improve the chances of going home earlier
I'm really starting to lean towards this option but am a bit worried about what it will do to our breastfeeding.
At the end of the day I'd love to breastfeed i know I can do this at home the quicker I get my boys home the more chance we have the only thing keeping them here is the suck reflex we have had about 2 mins each successful feeding today
Being prem i was told nipple confusion is different and part bottle until home will be really good for the suck reflex as well as a dummy what are your views?
you are doing a fantastic job and i would honestly stay with BF for now, adding the bottle may confuse them when their suck is already not strong.
Bottle is a different susk as UA has said,
Who suggested that you part bottle feed and what were their reasons for suggesting this? When you know why this option was put forward, maybe there can be another solution that gives the same result iykwim, without needing the bottles?
I would recommend that you give the ABA helpline a call (1800 686 2 686).
It was a nurse in the SCN she said she's only ever seen one baby not go back to breast as they are mainly still getting breast but it will help build up the suk reflex ... That's what she said anyway
give them a dummy instead then.. that will help build the suck reflex but not confuse them about breastfeeding.
Bottles are so much easier so if they start getting their food from a bottle and it's not as hard as a boob, then they may start refusing the boob. Why suck harder when they can get it by doing less work?
It is totally your choice babe! And I can imagine you want to go home with them as soon as possible, but I personally wouldn't risk it just in case.
i doubt nipple confusion would be an issue at this point.. (even if there is no research to back up nipple confusion)
if all you want is to encourage sucking then a dummy would do the trick with gavage feeds and breastfeeding at every feed if possible(depends on baby)
Now that I'm not a patient in hospital breastfeeds at every feed just aren't possible I have to try organizes million babysitters for DD2 she's not the type of kid you can take into SNC all day whilst having to feed and pump etc
Would be nice if they were take home babies and I wouldn't have these problems
If it isn't possible to be at every feed then it just isn't possible. Every baby is different and it's possible that you will be able to get them back to the breast fulltime, but for what feeds you can be there for then offer the breast first which is what i presume you are doing at the moment.
Oh sorry hun I didn't know you weren't in hospital still! I guess then you don't really have an option to not bottle feed EBM unless you wanted to use a syringe instead? But that wouldn;t help them with their suck reflux.
Do what you have to do and what you feel is best for you and your babies!!
I agree with Dammin, you can only do what you can do. You are doing a fantastic job, don't ever think you aren't doing enough or haven't tried enough. If you are happy for them to be bottle fed go for it and breastfeed when you can. When you get them home, just transition them back to full breastfeeding. For what it is worth, I have never seen nipple confusion in this situation, so don't let that worry you.
Write a reply in one thread but lost it. All three of mine were scn bubs. Dd1 was a 34 weeker and had a tiny mouth. She was tube fed until the day before she came home and had done the 24 hour suck feeds. This was a combination if breast and bottle feeds as I couldn't be there all the time. At home she bf and had ebm as top ups as age struggled with her weight.
Dd2 was bf and topped up with formula or ebm until we got home, she was a 37 weeker. At home she refused all bottles and bf for 9 months.
Ds was 39+4 but he had a low grade fever and jaundice so he was in the scn for 5 days. He was fully bf the first three days but had bottles when I couldn't be there when I had to leave him there. He started off fully bf at home but struggled with his weight he lost 20% then only gained 50g a week. At 4 months he was still under his birth weight. We introduced formula top ups and finally worked out he was intolerant to lactose including my breastmilk.
So each baby had a different journey. It's going to be difficult to do all suck feeds if you can't be there, see if you can talk to a pediatrician or the lc not just the midwives.
My girls were fed both on the breast and bottle in the SC nursery, once their nasal feeding tubes came out and it caused no confusion at all. They absoloutely love their breastfeeds .
They were also given dummies in the nursery and that didnt interfer at all. Do what you have to do hun x
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More q's for barb and others who can help
as bottles are easier to suck from
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