Successful BF after baby in SCBU?

[Faerie]

Does anyone have any stories? My baby is being induced 3 weeks early as s/he has gastroschisis, a hole in the abdomen which the bowel floats through.
Thankfully ours is looking a very uncomplicated case and should be fixed on day 1 in one operation. However the bowel takes some time to calm down as the aminotic fluid makes it swell, so baby will be on TPN for a while before we can start introducting breast milk.

Anyhow, I'm desperate to BF and going to be expressing in the hope that baby will take to it. However it may be 2 or 3 weeks before we can try - anyone had a similar situation?

 

[Mervs Mum]

One of my work friends delivered her twins at just over 26 weeks and breast fed them until 10 and 12 months! She says she feels like her boobs are the main reason her little babes are now healthy little toddlers. Dont forget that the SCBU will have donated breastmilk for your bubby to eat until you get yourself sorted pumping etc. I donate mine just for babies like yours!!! x

 

[Faerie]

My worry is that because the baby will be fed TPN (a line direct to the heart giving nutrients) for at least 2 weeks until the bowel isn't so swollen that then he or she won't want to take the breast. First of all they try and feed a little through a tube into the stomach to see how the bowel reacts, then hopefully we if that's ok we can syringe feed a little.

 

[DonnaBallona]

hullo

I am exclusively breastfeeding my daughter after 5 weeks in SCBU-she was born at 32+5 weighing only 2lb 4oz.

I began expressing milk when my daughter was just 24 hours old-i hadnt even seen her at this point but I was DETERMIND to do it. I guess it was because it was the only thing I could do for her at that stage-I was very very poorly after the birth.

I started off using the hospital breast pump every 4 hours for about 5-7 minutes on each side. I found it helped me if I had a blanket of hers to smell, and a couple of pictures of her in front of me. Anything I expressed I put into a bottle and froze up for her. At first it was literally just a few drops, but gradually it started to get slightly more and more. I gradually built myself up to expressing every 4 hours and I was eventually able to control the amount of milk I expressed and was filling 200ml bottles every 4 hours.

When Brooke started to have milk, she had it through an NG tube in her nose. At first she'd have 1 ml every hour, then gradually over a period of 3 weeks, she built up to having 47mls through the tube every 4 hours. It was a VERY gradual progress. When she was 3 weeks old, we started putting her onto the breast at each feed time then topping her up with milk through the tube. First she wouldnt really do much, just laid there with my nipple in her mouth, but after a bit of practise, she began to suck and we gently built up the amount of time on the breast and began to cut down the amount of top up through the tube.

This took what felt like aaaaaaaaaages. . but it wasnt, and she did so so well that she was allowed home 2 weeks later, at 5 weeks old. During that time, I was tube feeding, expressing AND breast feeding. It was bloody hard work-but so so worth it.

If you are determind, then thats FAB and I wish you the best of luck with your baby. Hope all goes well with the op. All our love. xx

PS if I can help anymore, just let me know

 

[Faerie]

hullo

I am exclusively breastfeeding my daughter after 5 weeks in SCBU-she was born at 32+5 weighing only 2lb 4oz.

I began expressing milk when my daughter was just 24 hours old-i hadnt even seen her at this point but I was DETERMIND to do it. I guess it was because it was the only thing I could do for her at that stage-I was very very poorly after the birth.

I started off using the hospital breast pump every 4 hours for about 5-7 minutes on each side. I found it helped me if I had a blanket of hers to smell, and a couple of pictures of her in front of me. Anything I expressed I put into a bottle and froze up for her. At first it was literally just a few drops, but gradually it started to get slightly more and more. I gradually built myself up to expressing every 4 hours and I was eventually able to control the amount of milk I expressed and was filling 200ml bottles every 4 hours.

When Brooke started to have milk, she had it through an NG tube in her nose. At first she'd have 1 ml every hour, then gradually over a period of 3 weeks, she built up to having 47mls through the tube every 4 hours. It was a VERY gradual progress. When she was 3 weeks old, we started putting her onto the breast at each feed time then topping her up with milk through the tube. First she wouldnt really do much, just laid there with my nipple in her mouth, but after a bit of practise, she began to suck and we gently built up the amount of time on the breast and began to cut down the amount of top up through the tube.

This took what felt like aaaaaaaaaages. . but it wasnt, and she did so so well that she was allowed home 2 weeks later, at 5 weeks old. During that time, I was tube feeding, expressing AND breast feeding. It was bloody hard work-but so so worth it.

If you are determind, then thats FAB and I wish you the best of luck with your baby. Hope all goes well with the op. All our love. xx

PS if I can help anymore, just let me know

Thank you sooo much, what a beautiful story! Congratulations on your little fighter! xxx

 

[Faerie]

One of my work friends delivered her twins at just over 26 weeks and breast fed them until 10 and 12 months! She says she feels like her boobs are the main reason her little babes are now healthy little toddlers. Dont forget that the SCBU will have donated breastmilk for your bubby to eat until you get yourself sorted pumping etc. I donate mine just for babies like yours!!! x

Only just read the last line properly - cool! I plan to donate any "extra" too xxx

 

[DonnaBallona]

anytime chicken

if there's anything you wanna know, let me know xx

 

[Bec L]

Hi. I gave birth to Poppy at 34 +2 and have exclusively breast fed her. Within a couple of hours after her birth I was allowed to get her out of her incubator to try to feed and she was able to suckle for a few minutes. I then expressed every 3 hours so that she could have my milk through a tube. She was in SCBU for 2 weeks and was fed either through a tube, by a cup or by me and since she has been home she has breastfed with no problems at all.

I really hope you get your wish xx

 

[Faerie]

Thanks girls.

I remember when we first found out about the condition at 12 weeks that the first thing to flash through my head was "oh my god I won't be able to breastfeed" I'd always had this image of giving birth and being handed the baby and going straight to boob... well that scenarios not to be but I will try my hardest to get us there in the end!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I'm not sure it's the same thing but I had a school friend years ago who's baby (now 16!) was born with her intestine or some other tummy based organs, on the outside. They picked it up at the scan and I remember thinking how it was this major big deal (I was only about 18 at the time) and my friend saying how it was quite a straight forward op. I cant remember if she BFd or not but I do remember being pleasantly suprised at how quick a recovery this teeny baby made.

 

[beancounter]

Finn was on a tube and they fed him formula, but he took to the boob like a pro. He wasnt in the SCBU for very long though, but I was very determined. Got him off thatformula too. Im really glad that you case looks uncomplicated, good luck!

 

[Dottie]

hello my baby was born at 34 weeks and we have managed to bf. She was fed my milk through a tube unitll she was strong enough to latch which took about 3 weeks. I expressed every 3 hours but did miss one session at night to get sum sleep! we had lots of skin to skin and spent hours getting her to latch at times i thought we would never do it but managed it in the end and we have never looked back. we had a v good lactation consulatnt and it is possible if u prepared to stick with it

good luck

 

[dippy dee]

Hi hun i have had 4 preemie babies and have bf all of them, scott a 27 weeker was until 12 months, jack my 26 weeker was bf for 10 months, karlum a 36 weeker was bf for 13 months and harley was a 35 weekers and is bf as i type.
i hope all goes well for your lo and i wish you all the luck in the world with breast feeding, yep it can be hard and wow it can be testing but it's amazing when you re doing it, eat well rest and drink plenty when lo is born and keep up with the expressing when the time comes and you will do brill