Bottle Feeding Your Premature Baby – Empowering NICU Parents

premature infant taking first bottle feeding

The first bottle feeding

Ohhhhh first bottles…….

If your baby is a micropreemie, it can be at least 10 weeks or more before you are even given the opportunity to consider feeding your premature baby a bottle.

Why you may ask? It seems like they are interested in bottle feeding! They love their pacifier so they must be ready for a bottle – right?

Premature babies and nutritive sucking

Premature babies are not able to even attempt to bottle or breastfeed until they are around 32-34 weeks corrected gestational age (CGA). Consistent coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing typically occurs closer to 35-37 weeks CGA.

As a premature baby matures, so does their level of organization with nutritive sucking. Nutritive sucking requires coordination between sucking, swallowing, and breathing.

Cue-based feeding

Also, your baby will need to either be on a lower flow of oxygen or room air before most NICUs will allow them to attempt to bottle feeding.

Additionally, most NICUs have moved to “cue-based feeding.” Cue-based feeding means that the staff will only consider trying to bottle feed your baby when they show cues that they are interested in doing so. And although it is more beneficial for your baby, it may be frustrating as a parent if you visit and were hoping to bottle feed your baby and they do not show cues.

My son’s first bottle feeding attempt

For me personally, when it came time for my son to try his first bottle, my husband insisted that he was the first one to fed him. Wait! What! Are you serious?!?

I had been a NICU nurse for 12 years and now a NNP and YOU want to feed MY 23 weeker his first bottle?!? 😱

But once he explained his rationale, and I allowed myself to calm down, he was absolutely correct.

He explained that I already knew how to feed a premature baby, but he needed to learn how. I must admit, I was proud of him for not only wanting to try to feed him, but downright insisting!

And both of my boys did a fabulous job with their feeding together! Once my husband fed my son, he felt more empowered and had more confidence to continued to do it in the future!

Empowering NICU parents to be an active caregiver for their infant

Be strong, be brave!

So I encourage all of you NICU Mamas and Dads to become empowered and actively participate in feeding your NICU babies! Let the care team know YOU want to be the first ones to feed them!

The nurses and speech therapists are there to educate and help you! Do not be afraid! You’ve got this! 💪🏼

Empowering NICU Parents Podcast

A podcast specifically meant to educate and empower NICU parents as they endure their baby’s NICU journey. We provide you with tangible tips and support from my unique perspective as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) and a proud preemie Mama! Along with sharing answers to the NICU medical questions you have, Nicole will address and support you through the incredibly difficult emotional struggles that only a NICU parent can understand. Tune in and subscribe today!

To start 2024 out, our first episode focuses on marijuana use, its impact on pregnancy, the growing fetus and the child’s future development, as well as the implications of its use during breastfeeding.

Who would have thought that in 2024, we would be living in a time where marijuana use is so prominent and that it would be legal in 24 states as of January of 2024?!?

But, nonetheless, here we are! Because marijuana has been legalized in so many states, there are now false evolving perceptions on its general safety as well as its implications on the developing fetus and infant who are exposed to it either in utero or through breastmilk. In general, the perception of harm from marijuana is decreasing while the potency of marijuana is scarily increasing. Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug during pregnancy in the United States. And, its use in gaining speed amongst all adult age groups, in both sexes, and in pregnant women.

For our 56th episode, I reviewed the most up-to-date literature and will share the findings from several studies that reveal both short and long-term negative effects on the pregnant mother and developing fetus if used during pregnancy, and its future implications on the growing infant, child, and their transition into the teenage years, and as an adult after prenatal exposure. I will also point out the general concentration of marijuana in breast milk if used by a nursing mother, as well as how long it stays in the breast milk, and how it may impact the exposed infant.

This episode is packed full of useful information and will be ideal for any healthcare worker or for family members and friends who care about a pregnant woman or nursing mother who is currently using marijuana and want to ensure that she is fully educated on the implications of its use on her growing fetus or infant. And last, but actually, the most important, I encourage ALL women who are either considering becoming pregnant or who are currently pregnant and use marijuana on a regular basis, to listen.

Although marijuana use is so prevelant, it is so crucial that we fully understand its potential impact on the fetus and the child’s future development if used during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
You will not want to miss this one!

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