Breast feeding advice!

[Raquelle]

Please can someone help me? My little Jacob was born at 28 weeks and 1 day. I didn't get to hold him till he was 10 days old and have only held him 3 times in total (he's now 3 weeks 4 days old) He has had 4 operations and in currently on a ventilator (although he's doing really well) They will start to feed him soon via his ng tube starting at 1ml / hour. I am currently expressing but getting no more than 40ml each time. This means my suplys will soon run out when his feed builds up. I am desperate to breastfeed Jacob as I feel in my heart that I've already let him down by not being able to keep him safe inside me (although I know in my head that this isn't entirely right as Jacob had been diagnosed with Cistic Fibrosis and this is what caused his early arrival) and breastfeeding is something that I don't want to fail at!!! Has anyone been in this situation?? Did it get better when u heard ur child cry? I'm grasping at straws but it's all I can do!!

 

[MrsR]

I have no advice but are you expressing day and night? Could you express more often? I haven't done this but I've heard that you should express day and night-even if Jacob isn't taking as much as you express x glad to hear he's doing well x he sounds like a fighter x

 

[Simoneh00]

The advice I was given for expressing for a preemie is to do it every 4 hours during the day and at least once through the night. Also holding a blanket or piece of clothing that smells like your baby and looking at a photo of him whilst expressing can help your supply. It does take a little while to build up but if you're doing it regularly your supply should gradually increase
Good Luck! and hope your little one's doing ok xx

 

[JJ Mum]

Oh you have had a tough time of it havn't you, so pleased he is doing well tho
My son was only in 2 weeks in Scbu , but I found him wearing little baby clothes I have brought and provided , when Jacob gets to wear some, really turned the corner for me, being able to take something home and wash it like a mother should was fantastic, ask them if he can wear your baby hat, or vest or use a little thin blanket you provided, then he wil seem ore like your little baby.

Hang in there, you sound lke you are coping amasingly X JJ

 

[matilda]

im not too sure about how it all works with preemies but i find that when im expressing i can encourage the let down for more milk. just wet ur nipple wi the milk (as if it was in the babies mouth) and play about with it a bit, like baby would do with his tongue and it seems to make the milk let down. then that should hopefully make ur body produce more over a while???

hope this helps x

 

[Mamafy]

Hi My son was born at 28 weeks as well and in the beginning I found it really hard to express, especially when under the extreme stress you are under

I found holding a photo of my son whilst expressing, or expressing whilst at the baby unit helped alot 40ml is alot for your little one at the minute, it will be ages before you're lo will take that much

 

[MrsPink]

Hello,

I also had my baby at 28 weeks, and i found it extrememly hard to express... i was getting half a ml out of one boob every 8 hours, so i reckon 40ml is absolutely fab... stay calm, and do all the things above, picture, blanket etc, they also told me to massage my breasts for like 5 minutes each before, and deffo keep expressing every 3 hours, even during the night if you can, but it is important you get rest too cuz time on scbu is exhausting.

They also told me to go to my GP and get a prescription for Domperidone, which is a really halmless drug that helps stopping sickness, but as a side affect it helps lactation!! and its totally safe for the baby and doesnt pass into your milk, the liklihood is your baby maybe already taking domperidone as they give it to premmies to help them with sickness and reflux.

I also spoke to the national breastfeeding line or somthing like that, check on google for your area, and they offered to send a councillor round to my house to help me check i was doing it right etc etc.

I think that the most important thing you can do is not stress about it... as hard as that is i know.

Unfortunately i couldnt continue pumping, as i think the stress got to me cuz my baby had NEC (which is a disease of the stomach that premies can get) which meant they couldnt give him formula so i put so much pressure on myself and nothing happened. But he ended up having donor breast milk, so dont stress there are ways around it if you dont produce enough, just stay unstressed as hard as that is in this situation.... and hey if you do produce a lot of extra milk, perahps your hospital has a donor programme to help other babies whos mummies cant express...

lots of love and hope your baby does well, its a long scary road, but its amazing how strong you and the lil babies are. Let us know how you get on

xxxx

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

Bless you, I don't have any advice but wanted to send you and your family my best wishes

 

[ria__x]

hello, i don't have any advice to offer i'm afraid but simone and others have offered some great advice! just wanted to send you all the best, i can't imagine how you're feeling but i miss my LO after a couple of hours! so you're coping really well and you should be really proud of yourself! i understand about how you want to breastfeed as i'm the same, but i hope you wont beat yourself up over it as if you can't get the hang of expressing, you aren't failing at anything! you will always be a good mum no matter what hope you and your family are all ok and glad little Jacob is doing well xxxxxxx

 

[Raquelle]

Thank you all so much for ur kind words of support! I am doing much better thanks to domperidone and lots of hard work! Unfortunatly I now have deep ductal thrush in my breast which causes me extreme pain at the mo but I am currently getting that sorted via my G.P. Jacob is doing ok. He was 8 weeks old yesterday and weighed in at 5Lb 13Oz (2LB 15OZ at birth!) He is a total inspiration to me everyday and is coping with the whole situation better tham I am! He hardly ever cries, even when he does we can't hear him as his vocal chords were damaged by the ventilator tubing. This is getting better slowly which I am greatfull for as I can't wait to hear what my little boy sounds like! We are still overcoming hurdles on a day to day basis and some days are amazing and others are crushing but just being with him makes it all so worth while! We have been given no clue as to when Jacob will be home with us but we're keeping our fingers crossed for Christmas! I will keep u all updated x x x x x x x

 

[ria__x]

wow you soud really inspriational hun. and Jacob sounds like he has an ickle personality already bless him! that's so good you got him to that weight, well done you!! so are you able to stay over the night with him and stuff? or is there specific hours? i hope he's home to you as soon as possible hunni. congratulations on being so strong!! xx

 

[JJ Mum]

Ahh your birth story makes me feel all fuzzy inside , sorry but you have done soo well with all of this, and Jacob sound slike he is doing great, like you said a long road, but boy are you traveling along Hun - well done X