Breast pumping Schedule... need advice

[Cala]

My son was born at 32 weeks on July 12th. I have been pumping ever since and thankfully with great success. Currently he has a feeding tube which he has been receiving my milk through, but they are beginning to feed him my milk from a bottle before putting the rest through the tube, and they are also letting me breast feed to teach/train him to suck and swallow successfully.

My big question is that he is taking to a bottle a lot easier than me. I know it's easier for him to get milk through a bottle, it's less work for him. But how do you breast feed and/or bottle feed and pump every three hours and sleep and stay sane?!

He isn't home yet, he is still in the NICU. They say once he can eat on his own - bottle or breast, they will remove the tube and soon send him home. I have a feeling he will eat from a bottle faster than from me.

Now I spend anywhere from 6 - 12 hours a day there (not working) and by the time I get home I feel like crawling up the stairs to my bed (lol). I am fine while there, but totally spent when I get home.

What is your schedule... how do you maintain your health... sleep, eating, etc. I find my appetite is shot and that isn't healthy at all either.

I know it can be done... and if it's just that I need to accept the fact that I will be a zombie I can deal (lol) but I thought I'd ask what your schedule or big secret is if you're pumping and bottle feeding?!

 

[Simonecah]

Just read your post. Our baby was born at 29 weeks on aug 5. I have been pumping since then also with great success. I pump about 8-9 times a day, every two to three hours during day and a couple times at night. It is exhausting! Last night I tried to skip a night one to sleep 6 hours straight and have a rest and woke up this morning with a plugged duct I am currently trying to get rid of! Our baby feeds through his tube solely. I am looking forward to bottles and breast, but had same concerns over him taking bottle easier. I wondered about the switch to breast for both of us. Any advice or updates since your last post? Best of luck to you and your baby!

 

[rory83coyotes]

I would suggest a hands free bra, even a DIY one that you get from you tube. Also have your husband help you. Another time saving tip that people use is to refrigerate your pump parts between pumping instead of washing everytime. It only saves 10 minutes a time but it adds up. Also don't feel bad if you need to stay home for part of a day from the hopsital. It is a stressful expereince to have a baby in the nicu with all of the tubes, wires, and isolete. If they were home with you I am sure that you would be grabbing a nap here and there and not just watching them sleep.

You may look into a SNS to get him to the breast sooner as he will like the bottle better as its faster and easier. Make sure that if you space a pumping session out farther that it is not the ones in the night. They are the most important. Hugs momma. Mine was born at 32 weeks and spent a month in the hospital. They will be home soon enough.