Expressing Milk

I know alot of you on here are breastfeeders and you may be able to help? Or even those who just express or have expressed in the past.
I am expressing for Scarlett as she is still in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and so far am doing ok, but wondered does anyone have any good websites, advice or tips, especially for keeping up with a preemie and then getting them onto breastfeeding eventually??? I would love to breastfeed her eventually if she will allow it and if she isn't another refluxer or slow weight gainer.
Any good advice greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[budge]

shringe feeding is a good idea once baby is able to suckle.
Fill a shringe with breast milk and stick a pipe on the end of the shringe , pop the pipe into babys mouth and at the same time a clean finger so that she sucks and the get someone to slowly puch the milk into her mouth.

i haven't explained that very well have i. Ill try and find some information

 

[Misslarue]

Daniel was 4 weeks early so he didn't have a very good sucking reflex. As budge said, I expressed and feed him with a syringe for the first few days. He was also tried on a cup, but wouldn't take it. Soon a syringe wasn't enough (he's a hungry lil bugger!) so I had to resort to a bottle and formula as I wasn't making enough and he had low blood sugar. Once out of hospital though, I started going to breastfeeding clinic, while all the time expressing. You need to be expressing at least 8-10 times a day (once in the night) to keep your milk up. I know this is harder said than done, but they are very adamant about this. It is only now that I have managed to get Daniel to feed from my breast at every feed. I do have to top up with a bottle as I'm not making enough milk. The breastfeeding clinic are brilliant. I had tried so hard to get him to feed without any luck. Although in the beginning it did take awhile, I now can get him on in a matter of minutes. I really recommend the clinic, obviously once Scarlett is able to go with you
Also (this is from a domperidone leaflet I was given):
It has been frequently noted that a mother who is pumping milk for a sick or premature baby in hospital has a decrease in the amount she pumps around 4-5 weeks after the baby is born.
This is what happened to me and I was offered domperidone to increase my milk supply. I didn't take it though and just kept up with my expressing and feeding. I have been assured though that eventually I will make enough milk for each feed.

Good luck

 

Cheers for that girls. I expressed for Damien when he was born 6 weeks early but due to lack of sucking reflex and not being able to latch properly (and reflux) we never really got chance to get breastfeeding established and my milk just completely dried up after 3 or 4 weeks and we moved onto formula. I really really don't want it to happen again this time but I am struggling to find time to express every couple of hours to keep it going, especially with trying to do it during the night aswell as I'm so tired from travelling to the hospital twice a day aswell as look after Damien at home Still trying to find that fine balance.
Is there anything other than domperidone that I can take to help my supply going? Something more natural maybe? I haven't been put in touch with anyone to help me and the only contact numbers the hospital have are for people near them, which is 25-30 miles from home, so not helpful really.

When Scarlett is able to take proper feeds (i.e a feed every couple of hours) they will syringe feed her and give her a dummy to establish a good sucking reflex and then will wean her onto the breast if possible, but again given the distance I live from the hospital it's going to be a task and a half. She currently is only on 3ml per hour which is fed continuously through a nose tube into her tummy. The syringe is attatched to a machine which feeds it at a constant rate. It's just to get her gut used to tolerating food at the moment. All her nutrients come from different drips of god knows what directly into her veins. Not sure what they are. Obviously if my milk dries up or she won't take to breastfeeding it'll be onto formula and/or bottles again.

xx

 

[Nicky_Jones]

Fenugreek (I got my capsules from Holland and Barrett) definitely works in upping your supply. I used it for a couple of days after I was very ill my supply dropped right down and Ellie was really struggling to get enough off and I was having to give her expressed breast milk from the freezer. However the bottle says to consult a doctor before taking it if you are lactating and some websites recommend it to help with milk supply while breast feeding, while others say you shouldn't take it if breast feeding. I am tempted to start using it some more as I am having enough trouble just expressing off 2 feeds a day for Ellie while she is nursery. I am now having to express 3 times to get enough for 2 feeds. I use a hand pump but I believe that electric ones are a lot quicker. They had one at the Royal Berks in the breast feeding drop in clinic room which I believe people were using your situation. Do they have one you can borrow at the hospital?

 

[rusks]

hi im expressing for luke as he hasn't got the suck reflex yet for breastfeeding, he ends up chomping on my nipple and its so painful. so i am expressing every 3 hours, taking in turns right breast one time and then left breast the other. my milk supply is getting more each day i was only getting 4 mls a week ago and now am getting 40mls at each pumping session. i have the avent electronic pump and its great, more pricey but highly recommend it. i still keep trying luke at the breast, but if i have to i will continue to express for as long as i need to.

good luck with it sami. i am also taking fenugreek from hollland and barratt which was recommended to me. also make sure you drink plenty. 3 litres a day if you can manage it. xx

 

Cheers for that girls. I've rented a Medela Symphony double expressor from my local NCT lady, although it costs a small fortune I'm doing both sides every time, 3-4hourly during the day (only one I can manage at night is the 1-2am slot then that's it till morning!). I'm going to see if I can get some Feugreek after I've spoken to my GP on Tuesday to see if it's ok to take when expressing for a very preemie.
Hope you and babes are well and thanks again xxx

 

[Nicky_Jones]

What did they say R.E. Fenugreek?