https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 04 May 2026 20:57:14 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-were-you-allowed-to-try-breastfeeding#post-2461020 Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:53:45 +0000 Torchwood 2461020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She was born at 33+1, and I was allowed to try the next day. For all the good it did. 😕 I'm still a little bitter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-were-you-allowed-to-try-breastfeeding#post-2461007 Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:30:57 +0000 QBbride 2461007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a NICU nurse and as long as the baby is stable, we usually start putting babies to the breast around 33-34 weeks. They says 34 weeks is when they start to be able to coordinate their suck/swallow/breathe reflexes (they like to do two of the three and forget that breathing is important too!) </p> <p>If the nurses are concerned about him getting milk from the breast (since they are tracking his feeds closely), then maybe ask if you can pump beforehand and put him to a dry breast. Also, see if they can give his NG feeds while he is at the breast so he associates being at the breast with a full tummy. They can also weigh him before/after feeds to see how much he is taking by breast and keep track of his feeds that way. </p> <p>Oh also, if you would like to breastfeed, I would ask that they not give him bottles until he is doing well at the breast. That is pretty disappointing that they're bottling him and he hasn't been to the breast yet!! </p> <p>Congrats on your little one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-were-you-allowed-to-try-breastfeeding#post-2460972 Sat, 13 Feb 2016 18:28:57 +0000 MrsSK 2460972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were allowed to put him to breast after I had pumped around 33 weeks in order to "practice". About a week later we started to do feeds at the breast and then topped up anything I felt he needed through his feeding tube. We stopped topping up about 4 or 5 days after we started seriously breastfeeding - so at that point he was about 35 weeks.</p> <p>Our LO was born at 31 weeks and is now 7.5 months and is EBF. In the early days I had an oversupply so that is the main reason I had to pump before I fed him early on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-were-you-allowed-to-try-breastfeeding#post-2460930 Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:18:43 +0000 MrsRcCar 2460930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to wait until he was managing O2 on his bottle feeds. Then we would weigh him before feeds and after. Then we put the pumped/fortified milk down his NG tube to make up the rest of his feed. Hope your stay is short. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-were-you-allowed-to-try-breastfeeding#post-2460911 Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:54:23 +0000 erinpye 2460911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't have a NICU experience, just popping in to say I hope you get to BF soon, sweet friend :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-were-you-allowed-to-try-breastfeeding#post-2460905 Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:45:56 +0000 sunny 2460905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is in the NICU and is 34 weeks. The nurses said they needed an order before they could allow me to try breastfeeding since they are tracking his feeds very closely. I've been pumping the nurses have been giving him breastmilk + formula for each feeding. They are doing both bottle and NG tube feeding. </p> <p>When were you allowed to try breastfeeding? </p>