https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:18:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036317 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 17:32:00 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 2036317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Seattlemom: oh question! say baby girl is born at 35-36. What is the routine to check them out and determine if they can go straight to mom? I'm sure every hospital is different. But how do they know if baby is breathing right, maintains temp, and can try eating? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036183 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:34:17 +0000 BabyBruins 2036183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: my older son was born at 34 weeks and he got mostly bottles of BM in the NICU and I was bottle feeding at home, but we were able to transition over to full time breastfeeding and did it for 14 months.<br /> I'm not sure how much the weight comes into play(he was 4lbs12oz at birth) but every LC told me not to expect him to BF full time until his due date and like a light switch, on his due date, he just "got it".<br /> Until then, I would try to BF first for about 15-20 minutes and the follow up with a bottle. I did not feed on demand bc I was so paranoid about having enough for him and also enough to pump, so I really tried to keep him on a schedule. He was also inconsistent, it felt like 2 steps forward and 1 step back for the first 6 weeks until his due date, but then It got much better.<br /> Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036157 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:25:59 +0000 lady grey 2036157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: I am a planner too, the unknown in this case must be really hard! </p> <p>Does't hurt to ask about the LCs but I know many hospitals do inpatient and outpatient lactations services but don't do home visits. If they have a Lactation outpatient clinic you could go there, but with a newborn its hard to get out of the house! Thats why I suggested having someone come to your home. Also see if there is Le Leche League in your area, you can call the leaders for free advice over the phone (they are usually very experienced with breastfeding although are not certified lactation consultants). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036130 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:13:43 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 2036130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Seattlemom: I wonder if the same hospital LCs, one of them, could come to my house or if I'll have to find one. I'll have to ask.</p> <p>Haha it's okay I appreciate it still! I hate not knowing until she was born. I know she has high chances of being good to go at 36 but it's stressful im a planner lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036123 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:10:47 +0000 lady grey 2036123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: I would highly recommend you make a plan with the hospital lactation consults before you get discharged. Have them teach you how to do "finger feedings" to avoid bottles. Make sure the doctors and nurses all know about your breastfeeding goals. Remind them every day. Plan to have a lactation consultant come to your home very soon after you are discharged. And also if feedings are inconsistent and you're not sure why, then ask for an OT evaluation. You probably already know this but pediatric OTs do feeding assesments and plans for babies.</p> <p>Oh and renting a medical grade scale is a good idea. Also many drop-in breastfeeding support groups have scales you can use to weight baby pre and post breastfeeding.</p> <p>EDIT: hehee opps just realized this is an older post and I already gave you these same suggestions! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036116 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:07:50 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 2036116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bluebonnet: thanks! So maybe I should find a local LC office to go weigh baby! Or the local dr office. I will probably try to bring her to a local office that's literally down the street. I'll be moving out of state shortly after delivery//when I'm cleared! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036110 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:04:02 +0000 Bluebonnet 2036110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: No advice on breastfeeding after leaving the NICU, but I did want to comment on buying a scale to measure feeds. Two LCs told me not to bother buying a baby scale on the internet because they aren't very accurate and they are known for driving new moms nuts. </p> <p>I was told if I was REALLY wanted to weigh my baby before and after feeds, I should rent a medical grade baby scale, or go to the pediatrician's office of LC's office (where they will weigh the baby for free). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-2036093 Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:52:44 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 2036093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bumping :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1990247 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:20:46 +0000 lady grey 1990247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: OT is occupational therapist. With children they do feeding therapy among other things. I hope things go more smoothly for you this time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989406 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 02:08:14 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: he had the same amount he was supposed to take each feed... We would BF or bottle him for 30 minutes and then if he didn't finish the bottle or gain enough weight to show he ate the right about at the breast, the rest was given by tube. But yea when he was BFing his amounts would be great one feed and then no good the next, and it just varied so much he was never on a steady increase. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989403 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:32:39 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1989403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Talk to w LC but it's normal for the amount of milk they drink during the day to vary. So even full term babies might take 1 ounce in the morning and the 3-4 ounces in the mid day. (Ounces for an infant not newborn obviously). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989373 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:55:08 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Seattlemom: he was gaining weight great! The LC's knew I wanted to BF and were very supportive but I think his irregular volume intakes were very discouraging as to getting him out... what does OT stand for? I will have to make notes about this stuff. you are so helpful. hopefully all this digging and preparing now means there wont be a nicu stay. im praying I get to 36 weeks this time.. I have Cholestasis of Pregnancy... but it started right away because I have a congenital liver disease and my bile acids are extremely high already. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989370 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:46:36 +0000 lady grey 1989370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: sounds like you son had a really easy going temperament, which is great, except when everyone is freaking out about weight gain!<br /> If this kind of thing happens again I would make sure everyone knows about your breastfeeding goals and request an LC follow you closely. Another option is to have a OT/pediatric feeding therapist do a feeding evaluation to see if there is anything else going on that would contributing to irregular volume intake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989363 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:36:48 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my son was 6 lbs 11 oz and 20" at birth at 34 weeks. he was long and skinny but he was in the NICU for 22 days just for trying to get his feed volumes in by mouth.. that seems like soooo much for how big he was. I dunno I know there is more too it that I don't understand.. but some nurses in a preemie board I was on had said that moms often try to make some sort of deal with the doctors like that where they feed on demand when they think baby is ready (even if the dr doesn't) and they agree that the baby cannot lose more then a certain amount of weight.. but if in that time frame they are able to not lose too much or stay steady or even gain, that the baby is ready to go home any day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989355 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:28:02 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Seattlemom: thank those are great tips! I pumped 10mL 12 hours after delivering my son. 5 from each breast and it only went up from there. I could have fed twins my milk was in by late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning and I delivered my son late on Tuesday.</p> <p>The issue with Gavin was that sometimes he was taking good feed sand sometimes he wasn't.. based on weighing him before and after. His latch was always good per nurses and LC's... but he never followed a steady pattern like oh he's taking more and more each time.. so the bottle got brought in to get him home and then i just struggled with how to stop offering it. It seems from a board i was on, that a lot of moms just stopped offering the bottle and fed on demand even if that was hourly... and had frequent appt's to check babies weight. I could always get a baby scale too. so im trying to be more prepared. i feel like they were soooo worried about gavin losing weight but it seems like because he was a lot bigger they should have treated him a little less fragile..</p> <p>I feel like if i could have discussed with the doctors a plan to feed him on demand for 2-3 days, and as long as he wasn't drastically dropping weight, that I could have proved he was strong enough to feed. It just felt like he never was hungry enough at his feed time, and so he wasn't motivated to every time only when he was actually hungry enough. I literally never heard him cry once in the nicu out of hunger.. we always changed him and took his temperature to wake him.</p> <p>I realize there's the whole issue that if they loose to much weight it an cause developmental delays.. and they said if I BF for more then 30 minutes he was actually burning more then he was taking in.... but i feel like if i would have been able to do that on demand plan for 2-3 days and never feed him for more then 30 minutes at a time, i maybe could have proved he was strong enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989346 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:18:28 +0000 lady grey 1989346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: Usually its used when mom has a low milk supply. If baby has a tiny mouth or fatigues easily and you have plenty of milk then a nipple shield would probably be all you need.</p> <p>Your supply will probably be great if you made a lot last time. But if the doctors are worried about weight gain or if your milk is slow to come in then you could pump and give that to LO2 with the SNS or just do finger feeding (you tape a small tube to your pinky, attach a syringe of milk and baby sucks on your finger to get the milk, thus avoiding the use of bottles). Get an NICU LC to help you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989330 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:59:20 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Seattlemom: thanks! yes the baby scale isn't too expensive im sure I could even find a used one cheaper. Could you maybe shed light on the SNS system and the benefit or when it's used most? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989329 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:58:02 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989329@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: maybe you can help answer my prior question. Was your son having latching issues? I guess I'm wondering how the SNS system would help me if this baby latches well but isn't getting her required full feed amount via breast. With the SNS, does it allow me to breastfeed longer and help build strength for the baby to feed the whole time? Or what was the main purpose of it for you and LO? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989326 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:57:27 +0000 lady grey 1989326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: nurse :) I def think it would be great for you to see an LC after you get home. One more expense to worry about isn't ideal, but having a scale (buy or rent) might give you piece of mind! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989325 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:56:12 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Confetti: Thanks! I guess I'm confused as to what the benefit is? My son was latching good, but sometimes he would eat a lot and sometime he wouldn't and it was just sporadic. Does the SNS system kind of allow you to breastfeed the entire 30 minutes, and maybe encourage him to suckle the whole time and get stronger? It seems like a system for babies who aren't latching or wanting to latch. My question with that is they wanted to monitor how much he was eating so if he was breastfeeding with the SNS, he would be taking in milk from the boob and SNS and potentially overeating right? maybe im asking the wrong person :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989300 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:31:12 +0000 Mrs. Confetti 1989300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Re: SNS. We had to do a tiny bit of this when my son was born (similar size to yours, but born at 42 weeks, so the concern was "small for gestational age". It is a teenie tiny tube that they will tape along your breast/chest, and it attaches to a small bottle. I didn't even have to do it with a nipple shield. Was a pain, but a good compromise with the overly aggressive medical team who were so concerned about his sugar levels. Good luck to you </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989290 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:24:47 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1989290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Seattlemom: Yes I looked on amazon and I could buy a baby scale for like 40-50 dollars! The nicu LC's at my hospital are great but I will definitely have some resources lined up in case I need to see someone after. I think I may be able to make an appt to see the ones from the hospital if I remember right. Did you have a nicu babe or are you a nicu nurse?!:) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1989268 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:03:56 +0000 lady grey 1989268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: I'd say feeding on demand (every hour if need be) would be a great thing to do. </p> <p>Also- see a LC very soon after leaving the hospital to make sure you are on the right track. Don't use pacifiers until bf'ing is going well for at least 4 weeks.</p> <p>Its possible to rent a baby scale to use at home so you could consider doing that for a week or two if you want to know for sure how much your LO is eating. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988535 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 13:14:01 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1988535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: thank you so much :)) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988507 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:58:48 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1988507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: The tube is pretty tiny...I think it is similar to the amount of milk that they would get once your milk comes in, but I could be wrong. Maybe you could talk to an LC during your pregnancy and come up with a game plan. They are so knowledgeable! Your OB or MW may be able to help you get in touch with someone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988478 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:45:09 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1988478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: interesting I wondered about that becAuse I have a friend who just did that! The only thing I wonder is if it comes out too easy if that will cause a problem and make LO not try as hard? I'll have to look into it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988471 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:40:01 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1988471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: I am sure it depends on the baby! He was born at 5lbs 9oz, so he wasn't super tiny, but when they took out the IV the day after he was born that is when I had to start formula too. He went down close to 5lbs, and he had a day or two where he didn't gain much...but then he caught up pretty quick. We were only in the NICU for 8 days, thankfully. </p> <p>The SNS is a tube that attaches to your breast underneath a nipple shield. You fill the bottle with the amount of formula/breast milk that baby needs, and then hang it somehow (I don't remember how we did this). The idea is that baby nurses like "normal" with the shield, and gets the food from the bottle without using a bottle. </p> <p>The LC at the hospital gave us one and showed us how to use it, but I felt like it was the biggest pain in the butt ever. I only used it a couple times. Cleaning was ridiculous, and I wasn't opposed to using bottles so we just went back to that. But I know other mommas have had more patience with it and a lot more success, so it is definitely something to look into! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Medela-009-0003-Supplemental-Nursing-System/dp/B000W73YKY" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Medela-009-0003-Supplemental-Nursing-System/dp/B000W73YKY</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988388 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 11:54:29 +0000 BabyPenguinXO 1988388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: Thanks for sharing! I think his size really benefited me although my ladies are HUGE lol!!! At first I told them no formula but he got it the next day so we could get his IV out. And he was exclusively on BM by day 4. I literally could have fed twins I pumped every 3 hours except I skipped one at night sometimes if I was exhausted. We stayed in the hospital the whole 22 day stay!<br /> I did get some advice on babycenter to just drop bottles at home, I think the fact that my son was so much bigger really helped, he was up to his birth weight by day 5 or 6. he only lost 2 days and then stayed the same. They never said I had to supplement formula. How big was your LO?</p> <p>Also I don't think I know what the SNS is? He had a feeding tube if that's what you mean? I was allowed to BF or bottlefeed for 30 minutes and then he had to finish the rest of the volume by tube. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988375 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 11:46:53 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1988375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyPenguinXO: I also had a 34 week preemie and also struggled to BF. His mouth was too small to nurse efficiently and he had to have bottles from the beginning. I wasn't even given the option of just nursing while he was in the NICU. They told me that breastfeeding actually burns more calories when they are so tiny than they take in, so they really need the high calorie formula to compensate and the early nursing is more to stimulate supply and train them what to do. They only let me nurse for 10-15 minutes at a time so that he would still have time for a bottle before he needed to go back to sleep. We had to supplement with formula and pumped breast milk until he got back to his birth weight...then they told me it was fine for me to try to move to just nursing. Aside from giving bottles the SNS was the only other option and I literally hated that thing (and we were still using bottles anyway, so I didn't stick with that at all). </p> <p>Honestly, after the struggles we had, if I have another preemie before 36 weeks, I think I am going to just EP from the beginning. It was so so stressful for me to try to do both nursing and bottle feeding combined for every feeding. EPing isn't ideal by any means, but it was so much easier than the nurse, bottle feed, pump cycle. With a toddler at home, I think I will just skip that process completely. </p> <p>I know that doesn't really answer your question, but I thought I would share my thought process. I hope everything goes well for you! &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-after-the-nicu-nicu-nurse-opinions-welcome#post-1988374 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 11:46:37 +0000 ShootingStar 1988374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have any experience, but what if you requested to use an SNS system? Maybe it could help get baby used to breastfeeding without being as taxing on them. </p>