What you need to know about the NICU
Hey everyone, I'm finally on the other side of the NICU now, we are home, happy and thriving as an EBF baby! however, I wanted to make a post about some things I've learned about NICU and even step down nursery, that almost ended pumping/breast feeding for me.
When my daughter was first born by day 3 i had some milk, and I would use the Snappies they gave me along with the hospital grade pump and i'd fill them up and take them to her. After i was discharged I made 2 milk trips a day to the hospital I could not believe how much milk she was going through, I was getting exhausted and discouraged and then.. that's when I saw it.. a nurse, dumped over 2 oz of my milk down the drain. why oh why!? I almost cried.
what they didn't tell me....
when they put the nipple on the bottle and touch it to babys mouth, the baby has just 1 hr to consume it all, and the rest gets tossed. I can't help but think UGH what a waste! but, for bacterial purposes etc I guess I understand. So having said that less milk in more bottles will last you WAY WAY longer. also..
ban standard flow nipples. I had to fight and fight for them to STOP using standard flow, I understand that it's quicker and you have more babies to feed, but I was the one doing 75% of the feeds and I still had problems getting SLOW FLOW nipples. Once I finally got my way and she never saw another standard nipple, she latched right on to me and we haven't looked back since.
What's stuff you have learned at NICU that you think other moms should know?
PROUD SUCCESS STORY : EBF(P) NICU MOM AND BEYOND...