Re: Help with teats

[Babymakesthree]

Thanks for the reply. I have taken on board your suggestions and will hope for the best! However, I have been trialling a number of different brands and teat styles and this is what I have found so far:

Avetn & Prima brands:
Poor seal around mouth; lots of leakage; seem too big for her mouth; good flow.

Pidgeon Peristaltic range (S, M, Y and L cut teats)
Poor flow; good seal around mouth; minimal leakage; good size and shape for mouth.

NUK First Choice Orthodontic range:
Odd shape for mouth; average seal around mouth; some leakage.

As I said earlier, my daughter is tiring easily when feeding. Another habit I have noticed, particularly with the Prima brand (I am trialling these now) is that she will drink approx. 40mls really well and with ease, then stop - spit out the teat; when I put it up to her mouth (thinking she might be done) she is obviously still hungry and takes the teat in her mouth - she then chews on it/ plays with it with her tongue, will suck a little then cry/scream, then repeat this a number of times. I try to keep to the half hour for feeding but with all this carry on it is taking up to an hour sometimes. :banghead: Quite frustrating and, as I also stated earlier, I am really concerned she is not getting her nutritional needs met.

I don't know if it makes a difference, but my daughter was born three weeks early and is on the small size for her age (just on the 10 pounds at 8 weeks of age).

Any further suggestions/recommendations/comments would be most welcome!

Thanks!

Kate:)

[the pero clinic]

Dear Kate,

You have made some great observations and notes about your bub’s feeding! Lip seal, teat size/shape and leakage are obviously all important factors when it comes to determining the best teat for a bub – but there are also a number of other factors, including suck patterns, breathing, swallow coordination and oral strength that are also important to consider. So unfortunately, given the complex process of feeding, I am still unable to give advice regarding a specific teat for your bub – except, as I mentioned last time, just trying a standard / straight slow-flow teat. It’s about the only commercially available teat that you probably haven’t tried yet!

Given your daughter’s reluctance to continue feeding after the 40mL mark, have you considered the possibility of reflux? It could, of course, still just be that she is too tired to continue feeding – but it is important to rule out other factors.

There are also various strategies and techniques that can be used to assist bubs in bottle feeding (when matched with the most appropriate teat), which, again, cannot be prescribed over the phone or internet, without a proper feeding assessment. So, if your bub’s feeding doesn’t improve with changes in teats, I would strongly recommend that you see a paediatric feeding specialist / speech pathologist specializing in feeding / paediatrician for some advice. Prem bubs can be particularly prone to feeding difficulties – and it is best to sort these out as early as possible (which you are clearly trying to do – well done!).

the pero clinic