Bottle Feeding Newborn Following Tube Feeding

[CalatheaPlantLady]

I am hoping others may be able to share their experiences on the above as I'm struggling with processing everything going on at the moment.

I recently had a little one born by c section who ended up with a feeding tube for around 1.5 days to help LO focus on their breathing.

The breathing is now all good thankfully, but as a result we are now in a cycle of alternating between tube feeding and bottle feeding them, essentially trying to train them how to bottle feed.

They're now around a week old and managing to take around 20ml every other bottle feed by themselves, and everything else is via the tube to top them up (or because they're still fast asleep from the previous feed). Our LO is doing amazing, ere so proud! But they do still seem to be confused with how to feed properly, and we have been told essentially one day it will just click for them and they'll suddenly take a whole bottle.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and wouldn't mind sharing how it went please? I'm just struggling to cope a little at the moment and looking for something to help me think it is possible and will happen! Thanks!

Not quite similar, but I thought if I posted, others might pick it up, and you'll get other stories.

My daughter took really well to breastfeeding, but I'm one of those people who don't make enough milk. She was slightly premie, and we ended up in a NICU after she became exceedingly dehydrated. She came through after 2-3 days of IV drip, followed by tube feeding, and then we had to give her bottled of formula. I was determined to breastfeed if possible (I have asthma, allergies, psoriasis - the dort of autoimmune conditions BF is supposed to help avoid) so was also pumping, and had to try to keep that going.

My daughter struggled to finish bottles, and (after her nearly dying) I was terrified of not feeding enough. I remember one particularly lovely NICU nurse telling me that if they're full, they go to sleep, and cheering with we git 50ml into her one time! So it maybe that your baby is full after 20ml. Even a full term baby, quite a few weeks old, will tend to only feed c.90ml at a time if breastfed. Its only older formula fed babies that take 200ml feeds! Their stomachs grow fast though.

My daughter had awful reflux as she got towatds 1 month old, and with hindsight, some of it was us being told to stuff more formula into her than could literally fit! Beware of midwives obsessed with weight gain who aren't feeding specialists.

The other thing to check is that you're using ultra slow flow premie baby teats (I'm sure the hospital will have given these though). You can also look up "baby paced feeding techniques".

NICU is a weird place (I'm assuming you're stuck there still?) but you will soon be home with your baby l, and this will all pass. She will figure out using a bottle. Mine did and is thriving now.

Mine was tube feed for about a week. Did try to BF in NCU in the hope he'd take to it but wish I'd just gone for a bottle.

It took a while, I suspect it was more him being little and weak and tired than not being able to do it. He got there then thrived.

Mine was tube fed for 5 weeks before coming home. We then transitioned into breastfeeding and bottle feeding (EMB).

For over a week it felt like there was no progress. He had the feeding skills of a day old but not the volume requirements. He also lacked the stamina to drink an entire feed himself.

For every single feed, I would offer an oral method. Sometimes all that happened was that I expressed directly into his mouth/held a bottle there while the milk dripped in. Then we'd top up with a tube feed. After that first week and repeated exposure to oral feeding, he just got it. His average 20ml intake was up to 50-60ml. He's now almost 7 weeks and all his feeds (at the moment) are oral

Keep doing what you're doing. Keep asking the nurses and HV and any professionals you meet for constant reassurance that you're doing the right things. Your baby won't be tube feeding forever.

Was baby at term?

My boys were premature (34 weeks). We were initially only aiming for 15ml per feed anyway. But actually they stayed little and often even once established - one NEVER had more than 25ml from a bottle and the other very rarely more than 30ml and only once 40ml at about 5 months. They are healthy and energetic four year olds now and eat meals perfectly well.