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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Hand express for newborn in neonatal unit

15 replies

Kirisox · 30/01/2011 20:40

Hi I hope someone can please help me? I gave birth yesterday evening (at 38 weeks) via emcs after induction and 2 hours pushing. In the middle of the night DS was taken to NNU for treatment of Polycythemia and is basically in an incubator to raise his body temp and on a drip to thin his blood.
I managed to get in the wheelchair to see him this afternoon and they let me have a snuggle with him and he spent about 15 minutes on the breast and had a good 30 minutes asleep in the kangaroo position. I'm so sore from the CS that I don't think i can get down to the unit more than once a day for today and tomorrow at least, so they have asked for some hand expressed colostrum.
Well, I can get about 3 drops from the left breast (that he fed from today) and none at all the right breast. Does anyone have any tips for hand expressing in a similar situation? Thanks so much!

OP posts:

traceybath · 30/01/2011 20:44

Congratulations!

I had similar with ds2 and basically hand expressed and collected the colostrum with a pipette. I found it tricksy though and it took several midwives helping me for me to get the hang of it.

Can you get one to come and sit with you whilst you're doing it and if necessary help? I also set my alarm so woke up every 3 hours in the night to express.

traceybath · 30/01/2011 20:44

Oh I found looking at a photo of him or thinking about him helped as well when expressing.

nipplesofthenorth · 30/01/2011 20:45

My DS who us now 7 was induced at 35+6 for medical reasons l. I expressed for him for a while also visiting 3 older DS's at home. Try "smelling" your baby it his clothing whilst you express - even closing your eyes and visualising your baby can help. I used an Avent Isus manual pump which I found really good too. Hugs to you and yours x

Ieattoomuchcake · 30/01/2011 20:48

Hi kirisoks
congratulations on your DS

Has nobody in the ward shown you how to hand express? Maybe you could ask if not. When I had DD they had a knitted boob that they showed me on!

What I did was to massage the whole breast, basically just so it felt warm and squishy, no specific way, just kind of rubbing it.
Then I took my hands from the outside of the breast in towards the nipple, all over the breast. Just down as far as the outside of the nipple.

Then I squeezed the nipple itself. From the outside of the brown bit (aereola??) to the nipple tip, using the tips of my fingers. I also did a bit of 'radio tuning' where I kind of held the nipple itself and twiddled and squeezed.

I hope this makes some sense and is of some help.

But I really think you need some real life help. Don't be scared to insist that the nurses/midwives either on our ward or in NNU show you how. Or maybe phone one of the breast feeding helplines?

Ieattoomuchcake · 30/01/2011 20:50

I've just read the other replies. Sorry if you were looking for tips like smell baby's clothes and look at a picture rather than my random breast massage chat!!!

traceybath · 30/01/2011 20:52

I think your post was really good Ieattoomuchcake

I found hand expressing really hard to begin with and then suddenly it just worked but took a couple of different midwives helping me for me to 'get it'.

crikeybadger · 30/01/2011 21:02

congratulations kirisox!
Just wanted to add that you'll only need a couple of teaspoons worth as his stomach is so little.

When you squeeze, you're aiming to find the 'peas' in your breast and mimic the action of a baby sucking- thumb on the top and forefinger underneath. (hopefully the mws have helped you with this as I realise my description is a bit odd).

Try and get as much skin to skin as you can too.

Hope things pick up soon.

japhrimel · 30/01/2011 21:03

Ask for help. A pump can be used to stimulate flow but you'll need to scoop the colostrum into syringes. A few ml is all you are likely to get at this stage, but try to do it every couple of hours.

And ask for help to get mobile - you should be standing and walking a short way very soon.

marzipananimal · 30/01/2011 21:57

I tried to do it following written instructions and didn't get a single drop but then a breastfeeding counsellor taught me how. Basically I put my thumb and finger on my areola above and below the nipple, gently push in towards my chest and then roll forwards and squeeze just behing my nipple.

Congratulations on your new baby :) Really hope things improve soon. Let us know how you get on

Original poster

Kirisox · 30/01/2011 22:58

Thanks everyone I'll do my best and report back, I can't wait to see him again tomorrow

OP posts:

japhrimel · 30/01/2011 23:04

You should be able to visit whenever. I had the MWs get a porter to wheel me to the baby ward in the middle of the night before I was mobile

DuelingFanjo · 30/01/2011 23:18

Kirisox can you get a midwife to help you? My baby was in Neo Natal and I had someone come and help me express. I found it very hard to get anything into the syringe but they got me onto a pump within 36 hours which helped.

Ieattoomuchcake · 30/01/2011 23:21

Yes I agree with japhrimel. You should be able to see your DS whenever you want to.
I had a CS too and for the first two or three days I was wheeled in a wheelchair to and from SCBU.

I know it can feel hard to demand things of the hospital staff but you're well within your rights to insist somebody takes you to see him.

japhrimel · 31/01/2011 09:49

Getting up and about will help recovery, even if it seems like torture at first. Because of DD in SCBU, I was mobile faster than most people I knew who also had CS and seemed to recover faster.

crikeybadger · 01/02/2011 12:06

How are things going now kirisox?

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