Bottle To Breastfeeding After Nicu

When bottle feeding is more similar to breastfeeding it can help a baby transition between the two ways of feeding more easily.

Bottle to breastfeeding after nicu.

Baby s are often fed via bottle or other methods in the nicu making latching to the breast difficult. Most nicu babies can learn to breastfeed. Breastfeeding premature infants in the nicu is particularly challenging. Getting the hang of breastfeeding after a nicu stay can take some time and practice.

Babies are in the nicu for a reason. I fully believe i would not have been as successful in my breastfeeding journey without her. Premature babies are often too immature to feed at the breast immediately after birth. The shape of the teat the flow rate and the way you offer milk in a bottle can help or hinder breastfeeding.

Being premature or born with health issues can greatly affect a baby s ability to breastfeed efficiently. Learn about breastfeeding support how to store breast milk and how to make bottle feeding safe. It is so incredibly important in this journey to ask for help. Fragile vulnerable medically compromised infants generally cannot go directly to their mothers breast and feed effectively after birth.

In addition to prematurity they often have medical problems and may be placed in the nicu neonatal intensive care unit until they are stable enough to feed successfully via bottle or breast. Feed your baby breast milk formula or both after she leaves the nicu. When babies are fed bottles in the nicu often times they prefer not to breastfeed when they are discharged home as the flow is much slower and the artificial nipple has already been imprinted in. Some mothers hide the bottle in a cloth and keep baby next to a naked breast during their feed to help them.

Non nutritive sucking nns involves letting the preemie nurse from the mothers breast which is emptied by. My son after a few tries was able to latch on and breastfeed and i was able to breastfeed him for 4 months before i had to go and have surgery. Give yourself some grace. In the nicu setting breastfeeding is a complex task that requires close attention to the needs of both the mother and her infant.