Premmie Mums #9

[Maruschke]

Just a quick question - any idea what size teats they are currently using to bottle feed her EBM? I am trying to get prepared for when we come home. I have some slow flow teats that came with the medela breast milk bottles but I'm not sure if they are going to be too fast for a little prem?

DD2 needs to take 4 out of 8 feeds as suck feeds, for two consecutive days, before I am allowed to room in for 48 hours and take her home. Yesterday they aimed for 3 and got half a bottle, a whole bottle, and half a bottle (so a failed attempt at 3). Today she has had two half bottles so it will be another failed attempt at 3. So tomorrow we try again for 3 full suck feeds. Will be at least today and another 3 full days before we room in. Time is going soooooo sloooooow.

Also, the hospital has run out of the larger size disposable bottles for me to take home and express in. How am I going to transport the EBM safely? Confuzzled.

[~Serenity~]

hey alls

when mine were in i used to express 3hrly during the day 4 hrly at night they got out at 35.5 weeks and just over 2 kg and 36 weeks and 1.9 kg

scan this week showed were at aprox weight of 1.5kg and now on weekly swab test that can tell if u will go into labour during the next week

[Maruschke]

I've had a very tearful night after visiting DD2. I keep reading all these stories about premmies who are sucking at 34 and 35 weeks and mine is 36 and still has no clue what she is doing. I'm beginning to wonder if she is ever coming home. Operating on zero sleep. My daughter thinks this is what having a sibling is - visiting someone in hospital. Last night she said she was bored of her sister and wanted to play with a friend. FML.

[Barb Glare]

Hey, just wanted to say....don't lose sight of the fact that she will breastfeed if that's what you want. she must be 36 weeks plus now? You have a great milk supply (all credit to you) there's no reason why she can't start to breastfeed now. Prem babies improve by the hour, pretty much. What was happening last week when you tried breastfeeding is ancient history. This week she's a bigger stronger and more capable baby. Try breast compression while you are feeding her to help her along. And a nipple shield might also be helpful at this stage of development.

[Maruschke]

Hey, just wanted to say....don't lose sight of the fact that she will breastfeed if that's what you want. she must be 36 weeks plus now? You have a great milk supply (all credit to you) there's no reason why she can't start to breastfeed now. Prem babies improve by the hour, pretty much. What was happening last week when you tried breastfeeding is ancient history. This week she's a bigger stronger and more capable baby. Try breast compression while you are feeding her to help her along. And a nipple shield might also be helpful at this stage of development.

Hi Barb,

I'm not BF'ing her at the moment because she has no reflex to do it. She can't get any suction on my nipple, a dummy, a bottle or a finger. We are just waiting for her to learn that skill. Impatiently.

xo
M

[blessedatlast]

Maruschke..

[Little Chicken]

She will breastfeed, she will get there. While, generally, the whole suck, swallow, breathe, reflex comes in between 35 to 37 weeks, some babies take longer then others and that is completely normal. Sometimes it will just click and they go from doing no sucks to sucking every feed in a day or two, and for others it is very very gradual. Sometimes babies who have had blood sugar problems can take a bit longer then others as well. Work on her being home around her due date and anything before that is a good bonus.

[Chrispe]

Maruscke
Hugs. I know it's all so difficult, but in a couple of years time it will be a distant memory. As far as the suck reflex goes, my eldest was born at 37+4 and barely had any suck reflex, but it came with time. As for transporting EBM, you can put it in sterilised bottles at home and tip it into the hospital containers when you get there. (I used to write my name on my bottles, and then when I bought them to the nursery the nurses would give me some more containers).

Serenity- hi!! Glad to see bub is still safely inside. Fingers still crossed for mid to late august!

As for me- 32 weeks now! Have had a couple of false contractions over the last couple of weeks, but everything is still looking good. I just have to keep my feet up a bit more.


Chris
DS1
DD
DS2
#4 due Sep

[Maruschke]

Maruschke..

Thank you

[Charlotte91]

She WILL come home. She just needs to get stronger.

We knew that the average stay for Gastro-kids is 6 weeks, which was DD's EDD on the 20th of January.
We said from Day 1 we wanted to be home for Australia Day. We held onto that, and we got home on the 25th.

Set a realistic goal, maybe around her EDD and hold onto that. It saves disappointment.

There were times we didn't think we'd ever come home and it was horrible. Especially being 500kms from home.

[nothing2lose]

Maruschke, I never post in this thread because my DD was born at 36 weeks and I kind of really never considered her a prem (although technically she was I guess!) She had a really bad sucking reflex. When we were discharged we had to feed her EBM either by medicine cup or by dropper. It did improve. It just took time. She/we never really got the hang of the breast but she did learn to take EBM by bottle. Just keep going. Try to get some sleep, or do something just for you to refresh your mind and your body. I really hope your little one gets to come home soon.

Much hugs xxx

[Maruschke]

Thanks all. She suddenly (and I mean... didn't have anything at 1 pm, was sucking like a champ at 8 pm???) developed the skill to suck a dummy but it hasn't really translated to taking bottles yet. Though she is waking and demand feeding and showing lots of rooting signs. Just waiting...

[blessedatlast]

THat's a great sign. it'll happen

[Charlotte91]

Terrific!!

For DD it just "clicked" one day and she drank a whole 40mls of EBM.

[Onelittleprincess]

Wohoo!!!!! We're leaving in the morning

[Maruschke]

That's great! Congrats!

[Tegam]

Oh hugs I'm sorry you are having a rough time

Prems are strange. It's hard to understand but bubs born at 32-34 weeks can often suck better and quicker than 35-36week bubs. We call them lazy 35weekers. It's all just too much for them

It's totally normal if that helps. But she will come together VERY quickly. Just remember your skin to skin time and let her have a play at the boob every feed you are there for! It's good for her and great for your supply!

[Maruschke]

She isn't 35 weeks anymore, she is 36+3 and I just got home from yet another NGT feed. I'm seeing premmie twins younger and lighter than her absolutely scoff down a bottle. Just doesn't make sense . And we only have one car and our brakes are failing... I have no idea how to get to hospital, it's a 40 minute walk each way so I guess that's what it will have to be if we can't get it fixed quickly.