exclusively breastfeeding the premature infant

[liz-hippymom]

i finally got it all written down, nine months after willow's birth 9 weeks premature.

i hope this can help someone

http://ecmama.blogspot.com/2011/07/exclusively-breastfeeding-premature.html

[Jennifer B]

Liz,

Thanks for sharing your story.  I am 24 weeks pregnant and on bedrest, hoping not to need a NICU but trying to be prepared just in case. 

[LunaLady]

Thank you for sharing your story. 

I had my baby 1 week ago today at 33w2d. He's totally fine and healthy but the doctors haven't put in an order for him to start on bottles, yet. He's still got the nasal gavage. He will suck on my finger and a pacifier, though not consistently well. The nurses and lactation consultants have helped me try him at the breast several times, but he's always been too sleepy to do much. Today he did get some milk, but promptly spit up all back up. I think my flow is too strong for him. I am getting serious amounts of milk.

I am fine with doing the hard work when he gets home to get him on the breast - for now I'd LOVE for the doctors to put him on a bottle so he can come home! No one has mentioned him being allowed home on the gavage. 

Also, I feel like they are feeding him too much.. He spits up after nearly every meal. He's just 4 pounds 14 ounces and they are giving him 40 mL every three hours. It's all breastmilk, with this 'HMF' powder they add to it. Doesn't that seem like a lot??

[Tenk]

LunaLady, I think their idea is, give more that way if more comes out, more stays in. Also, you are correct, they won't let him go home until he's feeding on his own (without the tube) and gaining from it. My DD was born at 33.5 and weighed 4lb6oz at birth and came home at 2 weeks weighing that same amount. She was fed exclusively breast milk except for the 1 night that the night nurse was too lazy to get and thaw the breast milk and fed her formula. I did find out about it and FREAKED out on the staff and made sure it never happened again. DD didn't figure out nursing until 14 weeks so I pumped until then and then she started nursing. Today she is 18m old and still nursing like a champ. YOU CAN DO IT!!!