Role reversal last weekend & should I EBF

[Foxybabyhg3]

Ah, the best laid plans, I was going to take a BF vacation to increase supply last Saturday but DH and I did a role reversal as he jokingly pointed out the state of the kitchen one day (he was just teasing-no venom behind it) so I gave him the challenge of having Skylar for the day and to do the kitchen & living room at the same time. It also gave me a chance to blitz the bedrooms and bathroom with expressing throughout the day.

Anyway, suffice to say, it didn't go well for DH. Skylar wore only a vest all day , was never dressed, kitchen was a total disaster as well as the bomb site living room. He has assured me no comments, even in jest, will be uttered about house tidying

But, I did take Skylar that evening for a BF with the shield and she kept tugging at it and fussing, so I took it off. And do you know what? She latched without it. I actually started crying-i also think the tears were because I actually felt the let down properly for the 1st time!

My only issue is, she's a preemie and I'm so used to numbers and what not, I have no idea how much she's getting now. So I daren't BF full time

I still express afterwards to try and get some for her to take her meds in before latching on. I just don't want the HV to come and she's not gained any where as she's been gaining an oz a day average. She's currently 6lb 2oz. Plus they want me to put a sachet of fortifier in the EBM.

Do I just try and EBF and hope she still gains?

 

[seaweed eater]

That's awesome news!!! So happy to read this!

How was your supply when expressing? If it was good, I would just try EBF. If you still need to increase, I would offer the breast whenever she's hungry and then pump after feedings. Watch her diapers. If she has enough wet diapers, she doesn't need your EBM. if she does need EBM, then I would give it to her via SNS (preferably) or syringe instead of bottle feeding, so you don't lose this wonderful momentum.

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

My supply hasn't been brilliant but I manage to get around 60ml (2fl oz) every 3 hrs and my 9am (after 5hrs) is about 90ml. She's supposed to get between 400 & 500ml a day, so out of 6 bottles, usually 4 are BM. I think it's increasing though as I have just gotten about 70-I'm sure the few BF's have helped this.

We're going to revisit our BF vacation this weekend so I'm hoping there'll be enough

 

[25weeker]

If you want to breastfeed full time speak to your HV about getting her weighed every other day over the course of 5 days or so. When I went to exclusively breastfeeding only my lo lost weight the first couple of days as she adjusted to working for her milk and then started gaining.

Have they said why they want you to put fortifier in each day because an ounce a day weight gain is great as this is average for a term baby. My daughter usually put on 1/2oz but it was never suggested to fortify her milk once we left neonatal.

I also wouldn't fully judge how much milk you get from a pump as guidance babies are much better at getting milk. It is scary breastfeeding a prem especially as you are so used to everything being measured in the hospital but gradually you learn to trust your baby will soon let you know if they haven't had enough.

 

[summer rain]

^WSS. I haven't had a prem baby myself (eldest was borderline) but many of my friends have and there seems to be an obsession amongst some health professionals that they must gain more than the average weight in order to catch up quickly with their peers, and this is ridiculous. You may want to seek out the studies from India that found prem babies who were given breast milk exclusively in the longer term had better growth than those given formula, fortifier (which in most cases is just concentrated formula) or combi fed xx

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

You're totally right, it's an obsession to get them up with the term babies as fast as possible. I think the fortifier is for weight gain. When this batch of sachets run out they want me to add a scoop of the formula, she's got Caprilon which is pre-digested stuff. She absolutely hates it. The face she pulls is actually quite comical

My HV is here on the 10th so I'll see what she suggests. She's said that BF Support will come out whenever I like, but I think my questions are more medical than any issues with latch etc. But any advice would be gratefully received from them.

I do love her face though when she knows she's getting boob rather than bottle

 

[Pielette]

I don't know anything about feeding prem babies but I just wanted to say well done and how fantastic it is that she latched without the shield! It must have felt wonderful. In your position I would want to try exclusive bfing but I understand your trepidation.

 

[TheNewMrsB]

My prem is BF has been since we left hosp. He has been gaining 1oz a day for the past 8 weeks. I get a lot less when I pump than he gets. I say try it.

If you are really worried and have spare expressed milk you can breastfeed in the day and then bottle her at night for her meds? X

 

[misspriss]

My preemie was given fortifiers briefly in the NICU, but only for a couple of days. Nothing once I went home. I was very strict about no formula though, so I think they didn't dare suggest it. It took him a while to fatten up, probably by 6-8 weeks adjusted, but now he's nice and pleasantly chunky. He was 4lbs10oz when I went home from the hospital. We also had to use the shields until around 11 weeks actual maybe? Right before I had to go back to work. He now feeds like a champ.

 

[missk1989]

I would get him weighed then try ebf and get him weighed again exactly a week later. Then you can see how much lo has gained and whether or not you still need to express. A week should not do too much damage as long as lo doesnt loose any weight.

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

Thanks Ladies

I'm still expressing for the meds-20ml is plenty for them. She came home on sytron, ketovite & Urso acid, meds go in 4 of the feeds. I'm going to try and just BF today and see how she does. The HV comes on Thursday too so I can discuss with her and see if she has any suggestions