Struggling To Express for Premature Baby

[DunderBlue]

My baby was born at 31 weeks and taken to NICU, I started expressing the day after and my milks been pretty consistent. He wouldn't latch so they started him on bottles and the doctors encouraged me to stick to exclusive pumping. I've been doing it every couple of hours everyday but now it's becoming a struggle. I'm tired, my milks slowing down and because it's only one parent allowed on the ward I don't have time to nip off and express all the time because I want to spend the time with my baby as the hours to visit are currently limited. So sometimes I go 8 hours (including traveling) without pumping. They don't allow cot side pumping and their pumping room is currently out of use, so my only option is to leave my baby to pump in a toilet which obviously I don't want to do. Does anyone know what I could do to keep the milk supply up while I'm struggling to find the hours in hospital?

And any tips for surviving NICU in general are appreciated because 2 weeks in and it's tough!

I'm sorry I don't think I will be much help but I'm sure someone will be soon, I'm just really intrigued as to why considering pumping isn't allowed? Is it a covid thing? I hope the days start to fly by for you and your precious baby is home with you soon 😊💐

Considering = cot side

Hey there, that does sound really tough. It must be so hard with the restrictions to visiting too. My Lo is two now and she was born at 27 weeks so I know only too well the dreaded pumping schedule. I think your trouble is going 8 hours without pumping whilst at the hospital. Have you had a chat with any of the nurses to see if there is anywhere you can go to express, it really doesn't sound great for you and I wouldn't use the toilets either. Hang in there because one day this will all feel like a blurry dream, you will get there x

I used domperidone sucessfully and managed to BF my 27 weeker, you could ask for some of that? The other thing is to try and mimic how a newborn would feed so basically stay hooked up
To your pump every time you sit down including all evening.

It’s a bit crap they don’t have pumping facilities and won’t allow you to do it by the incubator. Have you asked why? You’ll have to be your own advocate with it. I found bf support with both my preemies pretty useless but was more demanding with my second.

The other thing is will they let your daughter try to feed herself? You could do that while your at hospital.

bumpdownthestairs

Yeah it's a covid thing. You can breastfeed but you can't use any machines, not even the ones they have. There's a room I can book for an hour but it's full up with new mums put in as emergencies. Thank you! I hope so too.

blubell875

The nurses are wonderful and have tried their best to argue for us but unfortunately it's the people above who made the rules. They suggested pumping in the waiting area of the hospital because the security can't say anything, but it's really busy out there and my pumps noisy, I'm not against anyone doing it but I don't think I'd be able to, not with people probably looking at me. It's so difficult to balance the time. But I love pretty far from the hospital to begin with so once I'm there Im there all day. It's really difficult. Sometimes I'm in so much pain I've had to try and pump on the bus or train on the way home without people seeing.

Oh that sounds so difficult, I really feel for you. I know this is in no way ideal but what about a nursing cover and could you sit in the back of your car perhaps?? I had a great cover that you popped over your head, it had a wire loop round the neck so you could see what you were doing. This is just an inconvenience that you could do without, it's so crappy x

My heart breaks for you OP, that is such a crappy situation.

I had 2 premmie babies (30 weeks and 34 weeks, the 2nd was born in Dec lockdown), I hope some of this is useful for you:

Latch - use a nipple shield, it's amazing the difference it makes and you should be able to properly feed immediately. If NICU won't supply (tbh they sound pretty shit for support) look on Amazon. They are recommended for tiny babies, my 30-weeker had his first full BF feed by 32 weeks with them.

Once you can BF In hospital you will only need to pump at home.

Look at Bliss website for support, they also gave a helpline number and can offer phone support. They may have additional advice. As hard as I know it is right now, do not be afraid to tell anyone and everyone how hard you are finding it, eventually someone will listen.

8 hours is def too long between pumps. I'm appalled there is nowhere for you to pump. Is there a BF coordinator in hospital you can speak to for support? Ask to see them.

Is there any accommodation for parents? At my unit we had Transitional Care rooms to allow parents overnight stays with baby. I would complain to PALS / ward manager about this as well but I appreciate you may not have the strength right now.

Make sure you drink plenty of water and eat heartily; as a BF mother my unit provided meal vouchers for the canteen so I had at least 1 hot meal per day even when I was no longer a patient. If your partner is unable to be with you at the unit (luckily we could have both parents) ask him to cook /prepare food for you so it's one less thing to do at home.

Finally, How set are you on BF? There is no shame in going FF - you sound exhausted and while I completely get the drive to BF, these are not normal times, and you need to be kind to yourself.

It may not feel like it now but you will get through it

It may not be ideal but it is possible to hand express some milk. Doing it by the baby is actually best, the hormones from seeing/smelling baby helps with letdown. If you put on a nursing cover you could do it discreetly under there. You probably won't get a lot but may be able to ease the discomfort.

Another thought - if you don't have the energy to go to PALS could you explain the situation to your partner and ask him to raise a stink on your behalf? I know when my Dd was born at 29 weeks my DH felt so helpless and would have loved a useful task to aid us both!

Could you use something discreet like an elvie pump beside?

I'm sorry you are having such a bad experience OP. I had twins in NICU for 3 weeks until last week. MY experience was totally Different and I really think you should complain. My hospital had a dedicated breastfeeding advisor, separate pumping room with large pumps and loaned pumps to take home for a deposit. Cot side breastfeeding and pumping was absolutely encouraged. I was advised to pump every 2 hours 24/7 with no longer than a break of 6 hours overnight for a sleep. My twins were also moved to a different hospital as not enough specialist cots at my local hospital. I was also there 8 hours a day and breastfeeding was absolutely encouraged.

At this point you need to do what's best for you and your baby - I decided that for me if I couldn't maintain breastfeeding whilst babies in NICU then I'd consent to bottle feeding. Thing is my hospital policy was that until the babies were 50% of the time either breast/bottle (and not tube fed) then they wouldn't consider letting them come home so if it came down to a choice between breast or home then I'd choose home

I think you need to kick up more of a fuss about the pump situation. That is not breastfeeding friendly and must be against their own standards. Contact PALS. 8 hours is too long between sessions and will be affecting your supply.
Make sure you are drinking lots and eating when you can. Take a video and photos of your baby and look at these while you pump, it really helps with supply. Also put something in with baby that smells of you and then switch it so that you smell it when pumping as it smells of baby. That’s good for milk and for your baby to have smell of you too. Always do one pumping session between 3-5am as it’s an important time hormone wise.
When allowed do as much skin to skin as you can. All this will help but the big issue is that expressing needs to be frequent, no more than a 3 hr gap so hospital needs to come up with a solution

OP, the pumping situation is absolutely nuts, Are you in the UK? Me and the mum my baby is sharing a room with both sit by cots to pump, it's so much more productive- there are signs all over our SCBU promoting breastfeeding, as I'm sure there are where you are.

Honestly, be that crazy woman and have a meltdown about it, and yes to asking your partner to intervene. It's absolutely insane and won't be helping with your physical and mental wellbeing.

I am sending you big solidarity hugs, it is SO hard doing this and people who haven't been through this will not understand.

How's it going OP? Hope the situation has improved

The best thing for improving supply is regular pumping and it sounds like the hospital is doing everything it can to stop you! Those policies are terrible and definitely worse longterm for health. And how ridiculous to make you pump in the toilet or public waiting room!!

If it's specifically machines they don't like (which is stupid btw), could you consider a hand pump? I have a Tommee Tippee manual pump that I keep in the car for emergencies and while it is slower than an electric one it actually does the job well. It's also silent so much more discreet on case you did want to use it in public. Alternatively, could your partner go in to see baby one day while you stay home and pump regularly? I know it would be really hard but it would probably do the trick.

So sorry you have to go through this op. Having a baby in NICU is shit enough without the hospital throwing up extra hurdles like they are.