I have a daughter who was born three months early and is still in the NICU due to the fact that she will not take her bottle most of the time.She is 40weeks gestational age and three months birth age. Does anyone have any suggestions on what can maybe be done to help her like her bottle? I've thought about suggesting a different nipple but not sure I can ask that in the NICU doesn anyone know or have experience with this?
2007-03-14
04:51:35
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6 answers
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asked by
Kasey =)
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in
Pregnancy & Parenting
➔ Newborn & Baby
I did pump up until last month and they have been giving my daughter my breastmilk with HMF.
2007-03-14
05:12:17 ·
update #1
I need to add that she does suck the bottle well when she wants to. But she doesn't always want to, its like she doesn't like it. Thats why I asked about the nipples. They have ruled out any medical problems with her not sucking.
2007-03-14
05:17:25 ·
update #2
I had this EXACT problem with my daughter! My daughter was born 3 months early also (at 27 weeks)...she was in the NICU for exactly 4 months--over a month longer than they expected her to be and the MAIN reason was because she wouldn't take the bottle! She breast-fed like a champ though! That was the only way we could get her to eat well (without the gavage tube)...but they said she HAD to learn to eat from the bottle well or they wouldn't let her come home. =/
Definitely suggest using a different nipple! With my daughter, we tried many different nipples and different feeding techniques, etc. Does your baby have a primary nurse? If not, then definitely ask a nurse you are comfortable with and that you like if she could be the primary nurse. I did this with my daughter, and it helped a lot. Every nurse has their own little style of feeding a child, and sometimes that can be confusing to a preemie when things are switched up at every feeding. A primary nurse will have the same style and will teach it to you and your baby may be more comfortable with that predictability.
What also helped my daughter is that I was there to feed her at almost all of her feedings (I didn't work, so I could be there all day and night). The last week she was in the NICU, I spent the night for a full week straight, sleeping in a rocking chair next to her crib, so that I could feed her at EVERY feeding...me and her primary nurses (we had two) worked very hard to PROVE that she could do it, and we did it. It was SO hard, but at the end of that week, I took her home.
Also, try to relax when feeding her...I know you can feel anxious and all that, and the baby feels you feel that...if you're relaxed and calm and just take things at a natural pace, she'll feel the same way and it'll just happen on it's own.
If you ever need to talk, email me! I know ALL TOO WELL what you are going through. I pray that she picks it up very soon and that you are able to take your sweet baby home!
2007-03-14 07:48:11
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answer #1
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answered by Megan V 4
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A lot of premature babies are not ready for the bottle because it takes too much energy for them to eat that way, and their suck, swallow breathe coordination hasn't developed yet. Even though she is now full term, being born that early will delay these skills all together. This is why an NG tube is usually placed to give them nourishment for awhile. There is nothing you can do at this time. I'm sure it will all turn out fine. Have you tried breastfeeding yet? They should have let you try by now, Premies really need the breastmilk, and I'm guessing they have had you pumping for awhile now.
* I noticed the person below me has mentioned a syringe. That is something that is not suggested because babies can aspirate on even a little milk when it's given that way. Only do this if a doctor tells you too, but I doubt they ever would.
2007-03-14 05:04:41
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answer #2
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answered by Melissa 7
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The nurses in the NICU have probably tried all of the different kinds of 'nipple' on your daughter's bottle, but they may not have because there is a 'good medical reason' your daughter doesn't want to drink from her bottle. I would go ahead and buy a 'small' pack of all of the different kinds of nipple you can (only one or two per pack, that is, not half a dozen) and take them to the hospital to show to the nurses, because you do need to be 'prepared' to take care of this 'tiny baby' when she does get to go home ... but you should also ask the nurses (and even her 'main' doctor, if that is possible) why they think that she won't 'eat' on her own yet, and what they can do about that ... and also what 'concerns' this 'not eating' may affect you and your life after you take your daughter home. It may be not that she doesn't 'want' to eat, but is simply that she's not 'strong enough' to suck hard enough to get the 'formula' out of the bottle. That could be something only 'time' will 'fix' or it could mean that your daughter will be 'at risk' medically because she may never be able to 'suck hard' the way a 'full term' baby does. That 'sucking' is a very important 'step' in the development of a child, and it's more than just 'getting enough food into her tummy' ... but you should be on 'really good terms' with the nurses and doctors by now, and since your baby was so 'premature' (and IMMATURE MEDICALLY) they are simply being EXTRA CAREFUL that there's 'as little wrong with her as humanly possible to insure' before they send her home with you.
One thing that you can do is 'super-educate' yourself on the 'care and feeding' of this 'tiny baby' ... get as many books as you can and read them thoroughly, and also ASK the nurses about EVERYTHING they do. I know that you are 'quite anxious' to get your daughter home to begin your 'new life' together, but you may also be projecting 'fear' about that, and 'awe' of them and how 'professional' they all are around her, and this may seem like you 'not caring enough' to be a 'good mother' when you take the baby home. I know that is probably NOT the real 'problem' ... but since you aren't a 'health care professional' and they are, and it has been them who have been 'responsible' for your daughter since she was born, you may need to 'prove to them' what a 'good mom' you'll be when you take the baby home ... and the 'best way' to do this is to ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING and 'push' until you get an answer that is both 'medically sound' and that you UNDERSTAND THROUGHLY.
I know that you do want to take your daughter home as soon as you can ... but because of her 'extremely premature birth' she'll be at 'medical risk' for at least three years, and may have 'problems' her whole life ... and your 'job' as her mom (and dad) is to be 'as educated as possible' even if that means you may have to make some 'big changes' in the way you live your life. But you were going to have to do that anyway, right? Sometimes, the biggest problem is that the 'doctors and nurses' are just being 'way too careful' and they feel as if the baby is 'theirs' and not 'yours' ... and you must BE THERE FOR HER as much as is humanly possible to show them that she is YOURS and that you are 'learning how to care for her.' GOOD LUCK. I'll pray for your family and especially for your new baby girl.
2007-03-14 05:11:35
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answer #3
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answered by Kris L 7
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My son was born 5 weeks early but had the same problem. I cried everyday because he refused to eat from a bottle. The NICU nurses were very helpful. It's like a lightbulb and one day he just started eating. I used the soothie bottles that are comparable to the soothie pacifiers that my son liked so much in the nicu and he really liked them.
2007-03-14 04:55:33
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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my premi baby did the same thing, we used a seringe to feed him. he would take like 1-2 cc at first. but we also feed him a seringe because i would pump and that way we could see how much he eating..he was having weight problmes.
2007-03-14 05:07:53
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answer #5
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answered by jjsoccer_18 4
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Ask the nurses. Have you tried breastfeeding?
2007-03-14 04:54:44
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answer #6
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answered by Rwebgirl 6
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