Prem baby not taking to BFing

[rascal1979]

My baby was born 9 weeks early and has been having EBM since about day 3. However despite trying to breast feed for over 3 weeks we don't seem to be progressing. She has latched on a few times and sucked 3-5 times but that's it. I try her to the breast upto 3 times a day when she is about to/being tube fed. She will hold my nipple inher mouth and suck /lick the milk or just let it flow into her mouth and then swallow bits but not actually breastfeeding properly.

I'm starting to get really despondant as other mums inthe unit seem to be doing far better at actually feeding.

She is now 36 wks gestation (5 weeks old) and weighs 3lb 2oz. The nurses just keep saying that she is small and she will do it eventually but I'm starting to worry that she won't.

Anyone else had a similar situation with a happy ending! or does it look like she won't be able to feed?

kiskidee,

that looks brilliant. thats the kind of thing i would have used other than the sling.

Fantastic news about her latching herself... Just shows what you get with patience..

Well Done mama!

Really like the look of the Moby - think I'll get one thanks xx

goodluck for tday rascal x

Be sure to keep us informed

Hi all

Yesterday She was too sleepy to do much at her 11am or 3pm feed but had a 20 min go at 7pm! Going to try going in the cooler roomagan today as I think that this really helped keep her awake ...will keep you posted

Rascal,

How are you feeling about it now?

Hi Determination - I'm feeling far more positive and understand that she can't feed every time at the moment because she is still tiny and gets tired easily. However still difficult not to stress when she doesn't feed as well.

HOWEVER I'm not ging to give up and I am extremely proud of her for trying sooo hard.

I have also asked the night staff to cup feed her if she is awake as she did really well the other night with this (20mls taken on first attempt at cup feeding!) and this will help strengthen her jaw which hopefully will improve her breastfeeding.

It will take time, looking at the pictures though you can see a difference in her. You just need to stay strong and be patient. She will be a big chunky pro at bfing before you know it

You are both doing great.

Another succesful day - she had a good attempt at 11am feed and again at 7pm (Was asleep for 3pm feed)At 7pm she was on and off for 45 min! and wide awake he whole time.

Also last night she apparently woke up crying at 11pm (feed time) and took 40ml via a cup feed! The whole unit knew about it this morning cos they were so surprised that she had woke up and cried so loudly for one and cos she took so much and hardly spilt a drop!

Really feel like we're getting somewhere with the feeding now...weigh in again tomorrow night so hope she has put enough weight on - difficult to gu-estimate how much they take from a BFeed.

Hi Rascal, this all sounds so brill, seems you are really nearly there! Well done you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the weigh-in. Fab about the cup too.

Absolutely amazing..

You must have been bubbling with pride.. well done you both.

So pleased that it's going so brilliantly, well done both of you!

Oh and good luck with the weigh-in, do let us know how it goes.

Hiya had an okay day with the BFeeding - had a good feed at 11am then asleep at 3pm and not interested cos tired again at 7pm. Feeling okay about it tho!

Just rung to check her new weight (they are weighed at night) and they have said that they are leaving her til morning cos she was only 10g away from coming out of her incubator and going in a cot when she was last weighed (Sunday) so they will weigh her tomorrow when I get there and then put her in a cot in the morning.

Hi Rascal, wow - things really are progressing. And so fantastic that she's nearly ready for a cot. One step nearer to coming home! I'm so pleased you're feeling ok, I remember this stage and my emotions were all over the place, mind you I hadn't found mumsnet then! Big virtual hugs and positive vibes to you and good luck for tomorrow.

Rascal, I haven't read all of this, but I thought I'd post my own story of breastfeeding in case it helps.

As you know, Tink was also 31 weeks but it was a natural labour so we were both healthy, that means we did a lot better/faster than most of the other babies in there.

Babies aren't usually capable of suckling until 33 weeks and it needs to be introduced slowly.

We started off a few days before 33 weeks because she latched onto Daddy's shirt pocket button! The next day we put her to breast and allowed her about 15 minutes (some of the babies weren't able to go that long). We did PTB once a day at the same time, usually they would put her NG feed in at the same time, sometimes they'd do it after (depended a lot on how busy they were and who was on). When they gave her EBM they would drop it on her tongue too to encourage her reflexes.

One day when she was doing well and was strong enough they let her have an unsupplemented feed. She did well and didn't ask for anything in the meantime so she got her next feed from me. After that they wanted to split it so she got fed from me every 12 hours (they took me in for it) but she wouldn't go with it and wanted Mummy.

My rules for getting a prem baby to feed (this is what I would be telling the NNU if there is a next time and what I would be telling people if there comes a time when I am a Best Buddy)
Nothing but Mummy's nipple goes in baby's mouth.
PTB once a day until baby is used to it, increasing it as baby seems happy with it.
NG feed during or after PTB to teach baby fulfillment from breast.
Kangaroo Care as often as you can - this is good for Mummy and Baby's breastfeeding realtionship.
EBM to be dropped on the tongue during NG feeds to encourage the association of food and mouth.

That's all I can think of at the moment, I'll add to them if I think of anything. If you want to talk, let me know.

BTW, Tink is now 18 months and still breastfeeding, in fact since November she has prefered breast to solids!

Just had a read through the thread now (sorry for taking up so much room).

It doesn't sound like you have the best hospital for teaching you to breastfeed a premature baby, for her size it sounds like she is taking too many feeds a day. BF takes a lot of calories and the amount of time she is spending on (IMO from having Tink and babies around her) is too much, the milk taken at BFs supports BFs, IYSWIM. (Please don't think this is me saying anything against you or babyrascal, it's the staff who should know this)

I have something here that I have been meaning to give to the unit Tink was in for a mum there to use, but if you get in touch with me, I'd like to let you have it instead. (Have a look at the Aitch's website, there is a link to my email under any of my posts)

Hi Tinkerbellesmum.

Not quite sure what you are saying....that I should only try her to the breast once a day?

What is the website you are refering to . can you post the link for me?

thanks for your support.

UPDATE: Today she had a feed from me at 11am - best yet. Still needed to top up with NG Tube but had a really good go - was so up for it that as I was taking her to the quiet room to feed and stopped to talk to someone she started to suck on my arm!!

3pm she was awake and had a bit of a go. 7pm fast asleep.

Hi Rascal, sounds like another good day. Well done! And is she in a cot now or are you waiting bit longer? Thanks for keeping us posted. Anna

Hi rascal

sounds like you have had some great advice on here, and you are doing really really well!

I had my DD a year ago, she was prem too. we had 2-3 weks of REALLY poor br feeeding. She just couldn't do it. She was so small, and tired so easily.

I've not read all the posts here, but skimmed it, so apologies if i'm repeating anything...

Firstly, dont try to guess in mls what she is getting from you.. its totally impossible to do, and will never be right! all you can do in this way, is watch how much sucking ans swallowing she is doing, and keep an eye on the clock.

*I expressed 8 or more times a day, which gave me a great supply, and kept it going on the feeds she was unable to feed from me. I think this was the most important thing I did really.

* She was given my milk in a cup, and down her tube. I didnt let them give any bottles ever. ( my choice entirely, I"m not suggesting you should or shoudln't )

After she was 36 weeks gestation she just suddenly started to 'get' it. Something clicked in her little mind. She was not able to co-ordinate sucking, swallwoing and latching until this time. She'd do one or other really well, and not all three! Suddenly, she got them all going together, and we were well on our way then.

Before this though, I was offering her the breast at least every other feed, then every 2 feeds, with one off... then every feed. She was, after 37 weeks, latching on and feeding at every feed.

It took alot of time, and patience. ALOT of time and ALOT of PATIENCE

Ask for the breast feeding co-ordiantor to meet with you, and and talk to her. This is all she will be doing on the days that she is being the co-ordinator, so will be able to give you time. She can lok at your latch, position, etc.

Dont expect too much too soon. She is still teeny weeny! She WILL get there, if you persevere. It WILL just click for her too. I was told this, and didn't believe it at all! However, it was right.

She is 13 months now, and still breast feeding. I have had many times throughout the last year when times have been tough again ( mainly in the first 3 months she was home) with thrush, cracked nipples, skin hanging off, mastitis, you name it, I had it... I didn't stop though. My motiviation to keep going was remembering how hard it was in the early days. remembering how much work we pout in, and remembering how fantastic I felt when she got it all co-ordinated and was feeding so beautifully.

This WILL be you too, trust me

Keep doing as you are, get a bit more support from the breast feeding co-ordinator and you will be there before you know it.

Oh yes sorry Annabannana she went in a cot yesterday! Was a bit nerve racking cos she has been in her incubator almost 7 weeks and she seems so exposed ina cot!

www.babyledweaning.co.uk/forum

Sorry, I get so used to talking about "Aitch's site" and it probably doesn't mean much to a new parent. If you have MSN, you can add me on that one too.

From what we (us and other parents) were told in the NNU, BF takes a lot of calories and a prem baby is only sustaining their feed when they BF, so it can tire them out to do it too many times a day. Even when Tink was strong enough to go to the ward they wouldn't let her be fed more often that every 12 hours (she had other plans, mind).

Even with taking things slowly, she wasn't on the breast until a week old (32 weeks), she didn't go unsupplemented until 16 days (34 weeks) old, when she had two feeds for the first time both unsupplemented. We were on the ward the following day and she insisted on being breastfed from then, only having 3 NG feeds that week. The first one because they said so and the other 2 because she was asking for food, but too tired to take it. It took a week for her weight to go up on exclusive feeds (ie for her to take more milk than the calorie demand of her feeds) and she came home at 24 days (35 weeks). I know a baby who was born a week before Tink at 32 weeks who was a lot sicker and slower than her, they had her on the ward taking my place and that was following the same routine.

I got very frustrated with how slow things went, I was asking them daily when I could increase the feeds, when I could do it unsupplemented and they kept telling me it would happen and to have patience, that I would be surprised at the end how fast it all happened. I was, although it was a hard wait at the start, eventually I was shocked how fast it happened.

I can't tell you anything that goes against your Dr's because obviously they know you both better than I do, I can just tell you what we were told.

Sounds like everything is going really well Rascal, hope you are enjoying having her in a cot (once you get over your inital nerves!). I loved having ds in a cot, he just seemed so much more accessible and nappy changes were a lot easier - although the cot offered a lot less protection from his projectile poos

Hope the next feed is your best ever!

Lo, I know what you mean L&L. She went in her cot at 10.30am and by 7pm she had weeed in it and then projectile pooed as well! - all over me too! Nice!

Tink - thanks for the advice - will find your email later! I only BF her when she is wide awake and rooting this is between 1-3 times a day. If she is half a sleep or fast asleep I obviously don't try cos she needs to conserve her energy. However past two weigh ins she has put on her usual 80g and then last weigh in where she has had more Bfeeds she has put on 83g! So staff are happy with this. She also seems to be maintaining her temp pretty well too so hopefully not using to many calories through that!

Thanks for all the advice and support it really does help xx