Can I breastfeed if baby born early?

[nessmay]

Hi,

I am 31+4 weeks and have had to go into hopsital twice recently for a few days due to bleeding caused by having a low placenta. I am being scanned at 32 and 34 weeks, but if it hasn't moved by the latter I'll have to be admitted to hospital. I've been told they may have to deliver the baby early, but my question is if they do will I be able to breastfeed. If the baby is delivered at 35 weeks will she automatically go into neonatal care just cause she's small, or at 35 weeks will she be ok (I have been measuring on the average line so far)? I am worried she'll be formula fed and I wont have any say in it. I gather you can hire breast feeding equipment so would this be the best option?

Ob

Sorry, posted before I'd actually finished.
Was going to say 'Obviously if she needs to be formula fed due to medical reasons that's fine.'

My DD was born at 33 weeks, and I was encouraged to express and she was tube fed breast milk to start with. However, I think the sucking reflex kicks in around 35 weeks, so it may be that your baby will be able to feed from you direct. I think whether he/she is in special care or not depends on a number of factors and is difficult to predict in advance - I know 35 weekers who've come home straight away, and others who have stayed in for a while.

The hospital should have an electric pump you can use to express, and may well lend you one if you need to take it home.

Good luck! Fingers crossed for you and your baby.

NHS guidelines are that pre-term babies should be a priority for being fed breastmilk, as breastmilk is the most biologically normal form of nutrition for them. Units are geared up for facilitating this.

If she is pre-term she may sleep a lot and need waking up for breastfeeding/feeding - I wasn't told this for my little girl and she lost over 10% of her weight in 3 days.

Hello,
My DS was born at just under 33 weeks 14 months ago. It took him about 2 weeks to learn how to suck (as bramshott says, sucking reflex kicks in around 35 weeks), and the hospital should help with expressing if you need to.
Sometimes as your body isn't quite ready to produce milk it can take a while for milk to come in, unfortunately DS did need a gradually increasing ratio of breast milk to formula over the first 2 weeks, and it was very hard work and I nearly gave up several times; but DS is still breastfeeding so I can't tell you how much it was worth it.
GOOD LUCK!

DD was born at 27+4 and was tube fed my milk for a while. She came home at 36 weeks gestation fully breastfed and I've only just dropped the evening breastfeed now that she's nearly 13 months old.

I did feel like a dairy cow after 9 weeks expressing 4-8 times a day, but everyone was relly impressed I'd managed to keep going.

Hopefully at 35 weeks her feeding reflex will be developed - DD was feeding from 31 weeks, but not very consistently until 35 weeks.

Good luck!

My little one is fully breastfed even though he turned up at 29 weeks (and spent 53 days in NICU and SCBU) after a placental abruption. If you do end up having a baby early the NHS staff are very good at encouraging breastfeeding, skin to skin (even for the tiny ones which mine was) and expressing so the milk can be used before the until your baby can suck. some can suck much earlier than others, mine could from 31-32 weeks and didn't need the tube at all by 35-36 weeks (although had other minor issues keeping him in scbu).

However depending on the circumstances there may also be a need for formula (Nutraprem) as that is more calorific than breast milk. in fact even now my baby's at term (he was due tomorrow) I am still trying to decide whether to introduce some nutraprem alongside breastfeeding in order to increase his weight gain - which is ok but not massive. Of all the other parents I met in nicu/scbu i believe we are the only ones not supplementing at all and I may yet change my mind.

it is hard work especially if they do come early - and while I don't want to frighten you my lo came following various episodes of earlier bleeding, so see how it goes, and listen to advise. But yes you can breastfeed the preemies but don't beat yourself up if its hard work, or if the staff do recommend formula at some stage.

DD1 was born at 36 weeks and wasn't even affected at all by being prem- we did have complications, but not related to her gestational age. Apparently 36 weeks isn't usually any kind of problem.

Thanks everyone. I am keeping everything crossed that either the placenta moves or if it doesn't we manage to get to at least 35 weeks. I know the professionals will be keen on dd having breast milk if she can, so I'm sure it will all be fine. I also have the added complication that I'm type 1 diabetic, hence my worry that the baby will be put in neonatal. Having said all that it could all go swimmingly and I wont have any problems (laughs nervously).

Thanks again

It can be done, my little man came at 27 weeks and I expressed for him until he started to feed at around 37 weeks (couldn't start earlier with him because of breathing problems). He took to it though and came home breastfeeding after five months, we are still going.

To get your supply going you will have to express a lot including at night. You may find (I did) that you are sometimes encouraged to give formula to make nurses' lives easier. If it's important to you stick to your guns, it's your choice. Good luck to you and your LO.

It can be done but it's not easy without support.

I've just finished breastfeeding my 27weeker and he's almost 17 months , he never had a bottle.

My DS was born at 35+0, and had to go to SCBU as he had a few problems (he wasn't small - 6lb 5oz). He was tube fed formula and then EBM as soon as I expressed any, and then after a couple of days was able to start feeding direct plus tube, then just direct. I fed him till he was 23 months, and he never had any formula after those first two days.

My top tip would be to read up on hand expressing - it's the most efficient way of expressing colostrum, and also stimulates your breasts much more than a pump.