getting a premie from bottles of ebm to bf?

[emblosion]

Hi all, just wondered if anyone had experience of the above?

My son was born at 34 weeks & is doing well enough to come home today (hooray). I've been expressing milk for him & have a decent supply which he's been taking well from bottles. He's had a couple of goes at bf & latches on well but still gets quite tired while feeding.

Once he's home I really want to get him bf so I can cut down on expressing, has anyone got experience of doing this?

I'm thinking just offer the breast first at every feed & have ebm ready to top up?

I also have a 12 mnth old so can't really do the babymoon in bed thing, will obv be feeding on demand though.

I only fed ds1 for about 4 weeks for various reasons and really want things to work out this time. Really grateful for any advice/support :-)

Congrats on ds2's homecoming! A sns (google it) helped me top up dd who was a 27 weeker while veering away from bottles. I also offered the boob first at each feed and if a bottle did have to be given tried not to be the one offering it so dd associated me with bf not ff. In the early days she needed feeding 2-3 hourly in daytime and I'd have to wake her for them as she was too sleepy to demand feed initially. It was tough for a good few months (I had a 2 yo too) but you get there. Good luck x

I did it after 4 weeks of giving ebm in a bottle. It was hard work but I'm still bf now at 16 m

I did it after 4 weeks of giving ebm in a bottle. It was hard work but I'm still bf now at 16 months. My DD wasn't prem but she was only 5lb and had a heart condition which meant she tired quickly. I offered breast first then ebm after. Once I got my confidence up we were just offering breast in the day and ebm at night and then eventually switched to all breast (bar one feed a day of high energy formula needed for her heart).
She fed almost constantly for the first few months and it was exhausting, I had a 2 year old also. I offered both sides and also did compressions. I went to see lots of bf support people and basically it was sheer determination that got us through it! That and a marvellous HV who totally supported me throughout the hard times.
Good luck! You can do it!

Thanks all, great to hear positive stories. I'll look into the sns. Think I'll start off as you've suggested - offer breast first at every feed & then ebm and gradually reduce bottles. Will get dh to do bottles when possible, that's a good suggestion.

HV is usually v good & she's coming out on Monday. There's also a breastfeeding support group on weds that I'm going to check out.

DS is still to sleepy to demand feed & I have to wake him every 3 hrs. Have decided that I will offer bf at the slightest hint of a feeding cue whenever he is awake!

Keep your fingers crossed everyone - its great just to have him home :-)

"too sleepy" that should be!