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!
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! 💪🏼
