amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

07-25-2002, 10:03 AM

Have any of you sucessfuly taught a very early preemie to nurse?
I am talking about preemies under 30 weeks?
Cheryl

RocketScientist · 07-25-2002, 11:51 AM

I haven't, but I was wondering if you've contacted a La Leche Leader? She may have ideas, or be able to lead you to a well-qualified lactation consultant. I have a friend who nursed her preemie son, but I believe he was born at about 31 or 32 weeks.

I hope you get the answers you need!

07-25-2002, 12:26 PM

My son was 34 weeks, and we did struggle. It took a wonderful LC and weeks of patience to do it. I felt better knowing that even if he couldn't nurse yet, all his bottle feedings were with my expressed breast milk. Getting in touch with a LLL leader or LC is the best advice I can give. And to keep patient.

herc · 07-25-2002, 12:45 PM

One of my best friends had a 26 weeker that she nursed until 10 months. The baby was never a great nurser (that is why she only nursed until 10m), but she was successful at it--- so it CAN be done

heather

Nanners · 07-25-2002, 03:39 PM

My twins were born at 33.5 weeks and stayed 3 weeks in NICU. When they came home they were not nursing very well. Besides contacting a LC or LLL I can also suggest a few things:

1. Kangaroo care
Hold your baby with h/she and yourself with no clothes on and have skin to skin contact. (oops.. its ok for you to wear pants and baby have on diapers)

Occasionally offer your breast. Let h/she get used to it.

2. Tube feed while baby is at your breast. Of course use expressed milk.

3. Stay with your baby 24/7. Set up a station for yourself with a nursing pillow, water, snacks, books, diapers etc. This way you can offer your brest as needed immediately. I did this for 2 days with excellent results. We no longer needed to give bottles.

4. When moving around the house, try a sling to keep the baby with you. The smell of your milk may increase the desire to nurse.

This is a few things I learned from other moms of micro-premies.

I hope it helps. Feel free to PM me and let me know how you are doing

07-25-2002, 10:05 PM

Baby may need a little help learning how to suck properly, be sure to ask an IBCLC about it. Skin to skin contact will do wonders! It's also suggested that you: allow baby to nuzzle at the breast even if s/he isn't interested in nursing (exploring the breast with his/her tongue is a good sign); and to hold baby in a nursing position while feeding even if baby's not nursing. Grooming and talking to baby will also help.

Assuming baby's in the NICU, ask the staff if/when you can hold baby - let them know you'd like to interact as much as possible. Ask that you be the one to feed (by whatever method) and change baby.

08-02-2002, 12:04 AM

I was getting him to latch on as of last Sunday night but he was not willing to suck long enough to get the milk going. I would express it directly into his mouth and he would lap the milk. But then he would latch and drop off. He was 38 weeks so I felt he "should" be stay latched. I did some thing sneaky. I expressed breast milk and made a powdered sugar glaze right on the nipple. (I avoided dry powdered sugar, to prevent him from inhaling it.) IT WORKED!! I had to do it several times. At first he was not opening his mouth either. He tried to suck me in like a bottle, but I endured poor latch for a couple of days and now he opens like a PRO!

Thanks ladies!
Cheryl

08-02-2002, 01:59 PM

I am so happy for you both!