New mum of prem baby - need help re breastfeeding/ milk come in baby will not latch

[Mrs Doddy]

Jess was four weeks premature and she is not getting the sucking thing to well yet, so at the start of every feed I try her on the boob, she just doesn't latch and instantly falls asleep - I've tried skin to skin, fully dressed on each boob, tickling her encouraging her to open her mouth more but the most she has done is get the nipple (which isn't particulary erect an the other inverted) which has made me really sore and bleeding.

My milk has now come in and thought this may help her, she just isn't interested, so I thought I would express in the meantime but we are having issues with her taking a tt bottle, she will only take hospital bottles of which we haven't got(have a few but they are disposable and shouldn't be reused)

I don't know what to do and I don't want my supply to dry up

 

[Blah11]

I'd get her to open her mouth and lift her head on the top of your breast IYKWIM? If she's taking a bottle then it cant be that she CANT suck, more like getting the milk from the breast is harder than from a bottle. Keep trying

 

[ILoveShoes]

Hi Mrs Doddy!
My baby boy was 5 weeks early (he's 3 days old today!) and he has tongue tie. This is stopping him from latching on/sucking properly.
He is having his tongue tie snipped today, so (hopefully) that's going to really help.
Has anyone checked your baby for tongue tie? It was a student midwife that picked it up in my little man. Nobody else had noticed, even though loads of different MWs have been trying to help me bf.
Xx

 

[catfromaus]

so glad to see you had your baby! congrats! getting milk from the breast is much harder than from a bottle, so that may be the reason she is disinterested. I haven't experienced this, but would advise persevering, get some lansinoh for the nipples, that stuff is a godsend!

Cat
xxx

 

[cutie4evr01]

I would suggest trying a nipple shield - they help to draw the nipple out and give the baby something to latch on, and sort of teaches them to draw in more of the nipple/areola. Once your baby is a bit older and stronger, you can wean her off the shield to BF directly. If she is still too weak to suck on the shield, just keep pumping to keep up your supply and trying the bottle (or maybe try a different type of bottle). Good luck hun - it really is much easier once they are older and stronger.

 

[aob1013]

Prem babies sucking reflex isn't as strong as a full term baby. Leni was 6 weeks early and for two weeks while his suck was developing i used a nipple shield. It gave him something to 'grab' onto so to speak. Give it a go!

 

[chanel]

Hi Mrs D, i had exactly the same problem! He would take fine from the bottle or cup but the nipple he would only have a few sucks then fall asleep.

He is now 9 days old and only just started on day 6-7 to start showing some real interest in the breast. I have the problem that he still hasn;t gained weight so am going to have to top up using bottle EBM.

I think all you can do is keep trying at the beginning of each feed and top her up by what ever means you can.

It's not easy !