Baby born at 35 weeks

[TwinklyTaupeSnail]

Hiya ! My baby was born at 35+ 6
we aren’t allowed home until she’s fully taking bottles she’s fully well in herself however just not getting the hang off drinking bottles due to this she’s on a ng feeding tube , I’m look for advice if any other mums been in same situation and how long did it take for your little one to eventually latch and drink full bottles

My third was born at 34+5 and very similar as in he was healthy with no requirement for oxygen but had no sucking reflex. We stayed in hospital for 2 weeks and he was on an NG tube for the first 12 days. The hospital slowly introduced 1 bottle a day x

My two were born at 34+5 and 35+1, dc1 was in for 2 weeks, had iv antibiotics and jaundice and I really think the NG tube caused more delays as no matter how many times I asked the nicu nurses to cup or bottle feed dc1 overnight, the feeding chart would always show dc1 was fed via the NG and it wasnt even attempted.

Dc2 was on the ward with me the 1st 4 days before going to nicu and having surgery and being nil by mouth for the following 7 days. Dc2 still spent less time in nicu than dc1. It wasnt our 1st rodeo and I was better prepared, dc2's NG was put in to check stomach contents not for feeding, so when the checks werent needed and I noticed the NG was being used for feeds as a convenience overnight, I asked a nurse to take it out and we had dc2 home within days.

I also had a premie same age - I’d fight to remove the NG tube personally as this causes delays. Luckily we have a family from the medical field to advocate for us - can you try cup feeding or speak to the feeding team?

I have asked about the ng tube as its being used over night and in day they will attempted bottles before tube feeding her but they keep reassuring me it’s for the best

We are currently doing bottles through day and what she don’t drink goes through tube and she’s tube fed through night

Hugs. It’s stressful. Mine were born at 34+6 and were both fed by tube for a week (?) or so.