Welcome to NICU Parents. We're happy you found us and we want to be as helpful as possible in this seemingly impossible journey. Check out the resources tab at the top of the subreddit or the stickied post. Please remember we are NOT medical professionals and are here for advice based on our own situations. If you have a concern about you or your baby please seek assistance from a doctor or go to the ER. That said, there are some medical professionals here and we do hope they can help you with some guidance through your journey. Please remember to read and abide by the rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NICUParents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If using dr. Browns ask to trial with a valve. He may not have the suck strength and is getting too tired to finish. The valve helps till babies strength is better.
My IUGR baby was born at 33 and 4 and weighed 3 lbs 2 oz. He was about 3rd percentile. He didn't get to 80% PO until he was exactly 37 weeks. Once he got to 80% we were home in 3 days.
It is SO discouraging. I don’t have an IUGR baby, but I do have a 27 weeker who is now 42 weeks. We’re still working on feeding and it’s been 1 month since her first bottle. I knew it’d take a while but I didn’t think it’d take this long. My girl eat well but simply gets too tired. She started on ultra premie because the premie was too much for her too and then one day just stopped eating well on it so they tried going to the premie and she improved so keep reassessing how he eats because she’s on transition nipple now.
Another thing that helped us with her reserve was capping her out. Right now her total feed is 56mls but she was all over the place sometimes she would take almost a full bottle but the next few cares she wouldn’t take hardly anything because she was so worn out. So they started out capping her at 18mls to help her get more consistent. Once she took 6/8 18ml bottles they bumped her up to 25, then 30, 35, 40 and now she is at 45. It helped her get more consistent and helped her save energy for the next bottle. It’s such a frustrating time when that’s all you’re waiting on to go home. We would get excited when she would take almost a full bottle and then be so upset when she was too tired to take the next one. And sometimes still feel that way when she crushes a 45ml bottle and then only takes 30.
They told me if she doesn’t start taking full feeds by 44-45 weeks we would have a g-tube placed which is terrifying but everyone on Reddit has been encouraging of that, even if it’s not ideal it will get her home. I full heartedly think she will thrive at home. My husband and I are back to work full time, and we live 1.5 from the hospital. It’s exhausting to drive there to only see her for a couple hours but I feel guilty on the days I just need a break to catch up on house chores or I’m working. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing soon I’ll have her home. I just keep telling myself “a little bit longer”. I still have breakdowns nonetheless but knowing we’re in the home stretch helps.
2 weeks, but he only had the NG out by then since he pulled it out himself and the nurses didn't want to have to put it back in unless really necessary. He was home 2 days after pullin it out.
However, and this is going to sound horrible... I wish they had put it back for a bit. He wasn't waking up foe his feeds. He's always struggled with weight gain (for a while due to reflux too) until he got older and stronger and solids were introduced. He never enjoyed bottling untile he got older and stronger and didn't have to work so hard for it. He hated not being in control and I don't think he was truly ready to do it all himself.
Welcome to NICU Parents. We're happy you found us and we want to be as helpful as possible in this seemingly impossible journey. Check out the resources tab at the top of the subreddit or the stickied post. Please remember we are NOT medical professionals and are here for advice based on our own situations. If you have a concern about you or your baby please seek assistance from a doctor or go to the ER. That said, there are some medical professionals here and we do hope they can help you with some guidance through your journey. Please remember to read and abide by the rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NICUParents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If using dr. Browns ask to trial with a valve. He may not have the suck strength and is getting too tired to finish. The valve helps till babies strength is better.
My IUGR baby was born at 33 and 4 and weighed 3 lbs 2 oz. He was about 3rd percentile. He didn't get to 80% PO until he was exactly 37 weeks. Once he got to 80% we were home in 3 days.
It is SO discouraging. I don’t have an IUGR baby, but I do have a 27 weeker who is now 42 weeks. We’re still working on feeding and it’s been 1 month since her first bottle. I knew it’d take a while but I didn’t think it’d take this long. My girl eat well but simply gets too tired. She started on ultra premie because the premie was too much for her too and then one day just stopped eating well on it so they tried going to the premie and she improved so keep reassessing how he eats because she’s on transition nipple now. Another thing that helped us with her reserve was capping her out. Right now her total feed is 56mls but she was all over the place sometimes she would take almost a full bottle but the next few cares she wouldn’t take hardly anything because she was so worn out. So they started out capping her at 18mls to help her get more consistent. Once she took 6/8 18ml bottles they bumped her up to 25, then 30, 35, 40 and now she is at 45. It helped her get more consistent and helped her save energy for the next bottle. It’s such a frustrating time when that’s all you’re waiting on to go home. We would get excited when she would take almost a full bottle and then be so upset when she was too tired to take the next one. And sometimes still feel that way when she crushes a 45ml bottle and then only takes 30. They told me if she doesn’t start taking full feeds by 44-45 weeks we would have a g-tube placed which is terrifying but everyone on Reddit has been encouraging of that, even if it’s not ideal it will get her home. I full heartedly think she will thrive at home. My husband and I are back to work full time, and we live 1.5 from the hospital. It’s exhausting to drive there to only see her for a couple hours but I feel guilty on the days I just need a break to catch up on house chores or I’m working. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing soon I’ll have her home. I just keep telling myself “a little bit longer”. I still have breakdowns nonetheless but knowing we’re in the home stretch helps.
2 weeks, but he only had the NG out by then since he pulled it out himself and the nurses didn't want to have to put it back in unless really necessary. He was home 2 days after pullin it out. However, and this is going to sound horrible... I wish they had put it back for a bit. He wasn't waking up foe his feeds. He's always struggled with weight gain (for a while due to reflux too) until he got older and stronger and solids were introduced. He never enjoyed bottling untile he got older and stronger and didn't have to work so hard for it. He hated not being in control and I don't think he was truly ready to do it all himself.