So… the Brehm Breastaurant is now open. {If you don’t want to hear the word breast or about a milky mama, stop HERE}. For Jonah’s business. And let me tell you, it is full. I am some sort of freak of nature who has been fortunate enough to have my milk runneth over with both of my premie peanuts. My milk came in on day 2 of Jonah’s life and is freely flowing {I am told this is rare for induced pre-terms but I have no stats to back that up:)}.
This is what my boobs currently feel like:
I can remember this from nursing Barrett. Because of the nursing/pumping schedule we keep, my boobfet is a bit too bountiful. But don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, these milk-filled monstrosities will soon return to their more manageable state.
We are currently on a 3 hour feeding schedule {with B we did 2.5 as his weight was a little lower}. If you’ve never nursed, here is what that means…
Jonah munches for anywhere from 20-40 minutes … Adam fills syringes with expressed breast milk … we finger feed the little man via syringe … Adam burps and I pump for 10-20 minutes. Supplies are washed. Milk is chilled.
It doesn’t seem like much when you look at it like that but here are a few added details:
-When someone says they nurse every 3 or 4 hours, this means that the nursing clock starts from the beginning of the last feeding, not the end. So, If I start at midnight, then I begin the cycle again at 3 am.
-Currently, for nighttime feeds, we set an alarm to wake Baby J because he is not past 5 pounds. This will change once he starts truly gaining weight. Last night, for instance, we set an alarm for 11, 2, 5, and 8.
-When the alarm sounds for night feedings, Adam wakes and gets Jonah’s diaper changed and sometimes undressed {in order to get him to be less drowsy}. Then I feed for 20-40 minutes. I then wake Adam to go get milk syringe ready. We finger feed 10-20 ccs of milk {probably takes about 10 minutes}. Adam gets him ready to lay back down. I go pump for 10-15 minutes and wash supplies to have them ready to go for next alarm and fall back into bed. All told, the process is anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. This will dramatically change once finger feedings are eliminated. {Please, explain to me how parents of multiples survive … keeping this schedule times 3 would be insane!}
– Anytime Jonah wants to eat outside of the schedule, he gets fed. What baby wants, baby gets.
As usual, this isn’t to discourage mommas-to-be from giving your babe the breast but it is my attempt to portray the time and commitment it can take to make the boob your best bud. I will have more soon but for now, I must nip this post in the bud.
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