Should I pump & nurse or just nurse while baby is in NICU?

[kristie_b1]

The NICU nurse and some of the hospital nurses have kept bringing up pumping.

Since my milk hasn't really come in yet (I'm spouting something out, but I don't think it's much) the pediatrician wants me to supplement at each feeding. That's fine. I know it would be best if I supplemented breast milk but I don't have any of that yet, so we are using Enfamil forumla. Those convenient pre-bottled ones. Hospital has supplied us with a nice starter stash.

I want to keep going into the NICU to try and breastfeed though. The baby's suckling is a better milk producer/stimulant than a pump right? I also don't want to pay for a pump that I'm not going to use except for a couple of days! And I want the baby to learn how to suckle and latch properly!! She gets better each time we try! (And so do I!) lol

If my milk comes in tomorrow and she still isn't satiated with what she gets in a feeding, then I will start pumping and trying to build up a breastmilk stash to use to supplement at her feedings. But I'm boarding at the hospital now (as oposed to being admitted - no nurse is assigned to me, so we're on our own), so it's not like I can store it in a freezer. There are no in-room units lol. The pumping/storing option would only work when we get home.

So for now, can I just tell them I am not interested in pumping yet - that I want to give my milk a chance to come in?

I swear the kid will be a pro at feedings once she actually gets something significant out of my breasts. She just gets irritable when she puts all that effort into suckling and doesn't get enough out of me lol.

Anyways, I just need to vent my thoughts & feelings somewhere. Thanks for any advice!

ETA: And her weight loss since being born is within the percentage they like. She was 6lbs 13oz at birth on Wednesday, and today she was 6lbs 9oz.

[lil96]

WHy is she in the NICU?? I think I totally missed that before. I just thoguht you weren't doing so good, but she was fine. How long does she have to be there? I hope she gets better soon.

First off, I'd say ditch the enfamil. If you *have* to supplement, then supplement with pumped bm, not with formula, even if it is tiny amounts, remember baby stomachs are only the size of a marble they don't need much food. My milk didn't come in for a few days afterwards and my baby was 3 lbs heavier than Parker, it will be just fine to give just what you pump.

Since you don't have a pump, ask the hospital is they have one you can rent or if they have one you can buy. At my hospital they provided me with a small hand held one. It got billed to my insurance and I never had to pay for it. I have heard other moms with babies in the NICU say they were allowed to use a rented one from the hospital. I think the hospital will also store it for you bc of the circumstances, but I don't have any personal exp with that, just hearsay from what other moms here have said.

Oh another thing, I know a lot of people hate the use of pacifiers, but sometimes after a feeding, baby is full but just wants to suck. If unable to suck on something they cry. I don't know if that is an option for you or not?

I hope things start to go better for your bfing!

[kristie_b1]

They did blood work on her. Some test called the C-Reactive Protein test was elevated at 1.7 and I guess normal is less than 1. They said it was either due to the vacuum extraction (I haven't looked up or asked why it would cause this lol) or maybe an infection. So she was transfered to the NICU for observation for a day or two. I think maybe another test or two were off as well. I was asleep when the pediatrician called. My husband took the call and relayed the information to me. The nurse at the NICU didn't really give me a better answer when I asked her specifically what was going on. UGH!

So this forumla supplementation is not going to be for long (maybe just overnight), and crap, if my milk comes in tomorrow it probably won't have to happen anymore at all. I just don't see how I'm going to pump a damn thing out of my bewbies when that baby is suckling like mad on them and coming up empty.

I always try BFing first for 20 to 30 min before I give any formula, and only after she gets super fussy. The NICU nurse was getting impatient with me too. It was kind of annoying. She got the formula bottle out and heated it up and sat it next to me. I had been at it for 20 min & Parker was getting a bit fussy, so I went with her suggestion but I was still annoyed lol. I didn't feel ready to start the bottle. Wanted to try BFing maybe 10 min longer.

So yeah, I want to breastfeed, and not have to supplement with anything by tomorrow. But for the rest of the night and maybe tomorrow I was fine with just supplementing with whatever forumla they have (as long as they let me breast feed FIRST). She's getting her colostrum and then some from me at least.

[kristie_b1]

I figured out why I'm annoyed. I'm getting mixed messages, and also sending out mixed messages lol.

Some nurses are trying to get me to pump and others are trying to get me to just use the bottles to get the baby to stop crying. lol

I feel like I having nothing to pump, yet don't want a bottle of forumla shoved in my face either lol. I'm confusing myself lol.

ETA: Oh man and its even happening to my husband. I told him it was best to hold off on pacifiers (imo) and then a few minutes later a nurse asked us whether or not we were going to use them. He told her "no" we didn't want to. And she goes and tells him why it probably WAS a good idea to use them in a way to try and persuade us to change our minds.

Then a few hours later another nurse came in and asked us again if we were going to use pacifiers. Hubby said, "Well, we were thinking about it. I guess so." (The lacation consultant actually wanted me to practice getting Parker to keep her tongue down using my finger and this specific pacifier because her tongue issues were initially affecting the latch) So we changed our minds on that a little bit. And that nurse goes on to say how we REALLY shouldn't be using pacifiers if I was going to be breastfeeding because it can cause nipple confusion. (Which I know is true).

Can someone please just say something CONSISTENT lol. My poor hubby and I have been thrown in so many directions the past few days lol.

[lil96]

Man that does seem frustrating! I am sorry you have to go through with this. My best advice is to go with yur feeling and stick with it. Your feelings may change. (Just an example) You don't want to use formula, but then some mother instinct kicks in and says, "your baby is starving" so you go with that. It is really difficult. I wihs I had better answers. Just my opinion (not that you need another opinion ) is that it would be better to give a pacifier than to give a bottle. My reasoning for that is bc pacifier just fills the sucking need, whereas formula makes them feel full and then they are less likely to vigorously feed at the breast. Also the bottle has a nipple, which may also cause nipple confusion. But that is just my opinion on it. You need to make your own

I hope things get better. You are a strong girl, don't let them talk you into things

[youbeme]

Just goes to show you how varying opinions on what is best for baby can be! Just go with what you have decided on and feel is best for your baby. I would say trying to BF first before anything is best, especially if you are trying to increase your supply. Good luck! I hope she is out of NICU soon.

[Writermama]

Kristie I'm sorry your baby is in the NICU. That makes everything challenging and hard to go home each time without her. Hugs.

Here's what you do. Pump if you can't be with her if you don't want her to drink formula. But if your supply hasn't some in, takes 48-72 hours usually for full kick in, then pump and give colostrum, whatever you do have. You need some sucking action to help whether that comes from your baby or a pump right now. Don't just sit around waiting for it to come in, start doing something to help trigger it. You might not be able to be with your baby all the time so don't mind the bottles for now. She has to eat, but try to give her bm if you are trying for that. Give formula for a day if you need to absolutely. Try to spend as much time with her as possible so she can latch on to you first. Then go from there if she needs more than what you can give her for some strange reason.

How many days old is she now? How long do they think she'll be in there?

[linusmom]

Oh man does this bring back memories!!!! I swear every NICU nurse that cared for my daughter had a different idea of what was right. I could have kicked some of them. I had the lactation consultant telling me to feed on demand, then one nurse told me I really should only be feeding every 3 hours, then a doctor the next day telling me every 2-3 hours.. and other nurses telling me to never nurse more than a half hour because baby would get too tired.. it was so frustrating. The moral of the story is, you are the mom and you do what you know is best!!!!

I think you are absolutely right for wanting to give breastfeeding a good shot. You should be nursing or pumping every time she feeds. It's NORMAL for it to take up to 5 days for your milk to come in. This is how nature designed it, it's why babies' tummies are so tiny! I'm surprised (well, not really) how formula-happy the nurses are. I have a feeling they've only made things worse with the supplementation. But, it is what it is. Nurse first like you've been doing, and then pump later. Believe me, your daughter is not getting nothing!!! Even if you can't pump anything, it doesn't mean your daughter isn't getting anything. Supplement with formula if you have to, but before you know it, your boobs will be overflowing with milk Just make sure you're either nursing or pumping every time your baby eats and you'll be fine.

I sure hope she can go home soon!

[Azmokitty]

emily is 100% correct. that little gal needs to be on the breast. she will get colostrum at this point, which is very needed. especially if she is ill in any way. it's full of anitbodies and good stuff. plus, it will help signal for your milk to come in.

her tummy is literally the size of a small marble. only a few drops of colostrum fill her up at this point. i'd drop the formula supplementation as it's not necessary. she needs to latch on now and not get used to the bottle.

i don't understand why nurses/docs think babies need formula supplementation in the beginning. they don't!! what the heck do they think babies did before it was all invented? starve? no....they were fine. ugh...drives me batty....

EAT omg just read the part about get the baby to stop crying. SLAP THAT NURSE. she's a baby!! they cry!! geez...she needs a new job...

[jaime_spurlock]

Ditto what Emily and Kerry said.....


And the nurses aren't any better regardless-- when DS and I were trying to figure everything out I had two different nurses every shift for two days telling me something different. Figure out what works for you and tell them to suck it.