Feeding

[freddiesmum]

Hey all, hope you're all ok.
I was just querying really, when did you all start introducing breast/bottle feeds to your preemie? Ive had clonflicting advice from the NICU nurses, some say its too early and some said i shouldve done it weeks ago. I just want to know as I feel starting feeds might help him as its the only thing really thats keeping him there.
Thanks in advance
*hugs and wishes* xxx

 

[25weeker]

At around 32/33 weeks my lo was put to the breast but not really expecting any feeding at that point. Around 35/36 weeks I started trying a couple of times a day then top ups by tube. 37/38 weeks they only topped her up if she hadn't ate for long enough. After that they introduced bottle when I wasn't there to breastfeed.

 

[PrincessPea]

My LO first tried a bottle at 32 weeks, we had to push the hospital to do it though (she was sucking hard on her 'non nutrative sucking aid' at that point and not desatting whilst doing it so we felt she was ready to at least try) and for a short while before that we had been encouraged to give her this whilst she was tube feeding so she could associate sucking with a full tummy and also remeber to breathe. The first time they tried her they didnt expect her to take anything (the nurse that was on didnt even take her out the incubator!) but she took 8mls and it just built gradually from there. I didnt try breast as I had to stop expressing for other reasons when she was about 30 weeks. xx

 

[pink.crazy]

Leo had his first "non tube" feed at 32 weeks as he'd started rooting and chewing on his fist.. we did it via bottle and they set a rule of stopping after 20 mins so it didn't tire him out. For a start we tried once a day, then gradually up to twice, when he moved to the general we were on alternate and about 2 days before he came home we went onto 4 hourly bottle feeds... it was very slow going and we often had to skip one and just tube feed him as he was tired out, it only "clicked" in the last week or 2 of being in. He was a TERRIBLE de-satter! lol.
Is Freddie at the general now?xx

 

[freddiesmum]

no hes still at the royal cz of his suspected nec last week. hes a naughty one for desatting aswel but he has a dummy and he really sucks on that so i thought he could maybe try a bottle but hes only 33weeks so wasnt sure if it was too early to introduce it! can't believe u were in the royal n the general lol it seems so weird, u must know all freddie's nurses!
u and leo ok?
xx

 

[AP]

32 weeks here too x

 

[bob2331]

We were 34 weeks at our shite hole! Not a minute before!!!! x