poor bottle feeds

• By tally1028
• Posted May 29, 2008 at 12:22 pm
• Report post

Have they rulled everthing else out? I went through the same thing with Colin. He was born at 35weeks and had problems eating. For him to come home he needed to eat all feeds from the bottle for 48hours. He would go 24 and then stop then he went 36 and stopped. Finally we found out that there was something more going on at 3weeks old we found out that he had an ASD & VSD. Once he was treated for that and his meds were in order he was able to come home. I know how frustrating it can get, but hang in there he'll be home before you know it!

• Reply

• By MOMMYNETTI
• Posted May 30, 2008 at 1:19 pm
• Report post

Have they changed his nipple?? Does he just get tired? My daughter was a 23 weeker & the OT was wonderful we tried every nipple in the world, they evan had us get a few diff ones from the store & bring them in.. my daughter did best on the playtex nipple( we had to start her on the slow feeders).
See if the hospital has a Dr. Brown nipple or a bottle they use on babies with a cleft pallet( sorrry I forgot the name, but the OT will know, it is a very weird looking nipple and bottle). Even if your baby doesn't have one, our daughter had a very high pallet because of the breathing tubes. SHe got started with this nipple so she wouldn't get so tired. And now we left with a playtex and stayed with it. Try bring diff ones in even if the hospital doesn't have them they will use the ones you bring in. PLease feel free is ask me we went though 2 months of getting our little one to eat. She was in the NICU for 112 days.

• Reply

• By jjsmom
• Posted May 30, 2008 at 4:22 pm
• Report post

They should be able to check and rule everything else out that may be a problem for him. Have an OT check him out if they havent already.
My son was also born at 30 weeks w/severe IUGR. He developed GERD (on meds) and his feedings were always the main problem. The thing w/my son was that he needed a longer time for his feedings. He'll take an ounce then we'd have to wait another 15 + min. or so then he finishes the rest. He uses the nuk nipples and was in the NICU for almost 3 months. The NICU doctor allowed us to have our son on on-demand feedings and gave us that extra time to feed him (like 40min. feeding,stopping, burping, resting). We had done that the last few days of his stay, and he was actually gaining weight everyday and not loosing even though his feedings took longer. I had spent the last 24 + hrs w/him, feeding him myself and then when I thought I was going to have to spend another long night there, they said I could take him home!!! It was wonderful!!! Because, they were considering having him home on the tube. I know how you feel, we too, had watch all other babies come and go. Our son was the oldest preemie there at that time, spent Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years inthe NICU. He still has some feeding problems now, developed some oral aversion since mid April but is still gaining (slowly) and is seeing an OT again ( I could only feed him when he's sleeping??) I know its hard when you have another child also, but hang in there, I'm sure yours will be home soon.

• Reply

• By 30weekspih
• Posted May 30, 2008 at 4:33 pm
• Report post

You know it may just take a while.. But have they ruled everything out? Pyloric stenosis or maybe he just gets too tired to take more. When they took out my sons tube he started taking more...

• Reply

• By mommyinneed
• Posted May 30, 2008 at 9:29 pm
• Report post

thank you all for the advice and encouragment. He saw the OT today for the first time and she recomended puting him on orithromiacin(not sure how that's spelled) to help control his acid reflux because she thinks that may be the culprit. She also mentioned puting him on a formula easier to digest than breast milk.

• Reply

• By erikar
• Posted May 31, 2008 at 11:50 pm
• Report post

My DS did a lot better on formula that she did on the breast milk. I pumped and pumped and pumped for months. I still have about a months supply in the freezer but the breast milk just does not agree with her tummy. It is just too thin, even thickened. She is on the Enfamil AR and for her it works wonders.
As the mom of an ex-26 weeker who was in the NICU for 3.5 months, I watched tons of babies come and go. I watched the seasons change from fall to winter from her bedside. I watched her due date come and go too. It isn't the worst thing in the world to be there past your due date. I know you said your heart will be broken, but you really must look at it from the other side. Thank God he is gaining weight and getting wonderful care in the NICU. Try not to focus so much on the due date. It is very hard, cuz you just want to look at that date on the calendar and say to yourself "I know he will be home by then" but sometime i just doesn't work out that way.
He WILL be home with you when the time is right.
Good luck and stay strong for him. He can't wait to be home just as much at you can't wait to have him home.

• Reply

Add to the discussion