Tag: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Welcome to the NICU club. You probably didn’t plan to be here…. but here you are. Let’s make the best of it, together. See what keeps pumping mommas motivated during their time in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), and make sure to check out the ultimate Pumping Supply List for NICU Mommas!

First, my own NICU experience:

I am often hesitant to talk about my NICU experience because we were only there for two weeks. Recently, I was reminded by Project NICU: “There is no such thing as “ONLY” in the NICU. Regardless of your length of stay, your NICU experience matters. Regardless of the degree of medical complexity, your NICU experience matters. Regardless of your baby’s gestational age, your NICU experience matters. Regardless of what your NICU journey looked like, your NICU experience matters. Do not compare your journey to someone else’s. What you experienced in the NICU and all of the emotions and thoughts you have surrounding it are valid.”

The story

Our first baby arrived, much to our surprise, one month early. While the birth went well and he aced that initial APGAR score, he lacked the stamina to nurse, which landed him in the NICU for two weeks. Leaving the hospital without my baby was heartbreaking, but only for a moment- I reminded myself that I had a baby, and he was well cared for in the NICU. He was gavage-fed through a tube that ran into his nose, down his throat, and into his stomach, until he could latch and transfer properly from a bottle. His vitals were monitored with several wires attached to various places on his small body- baby robot. Since he was otherwise healthy, we were able to hold him, change him, and eventually feed him.

Speaking of feeding… here is where I owe an eternal debt to one very special NICU nurse- She taught me to exclusively pump. I saw three lactation consultants employed by the hospital, each forcing the idea of nursing and not even mentioning pumping. It was this NICU nurse who not only taught me how to use a pump, but gave me much-needed tough love to stay on my frequent pump schedule of every 3 hours, day and night. The nurses celebrated every mL of breastmilk I brought in as though it were quite literally liquid gold. I pumped while my husband fed, and we both did skin-to-skin holding our son before leaving until the next visit. It was because of this experience that I discovered that exclusive pumping worked so well for our family that I chose to do it again for our second baby. It was because of this experience that I started Pump Momma Pump, in fact. See? Eternal debt.

If you asked my husband, he’d agree- we loved the NICU. It was like “How to be a parent 101.” The nurses taught us everything, which was extremely helpful for my husband, who had no prior experience with babies. We got time to finish doing what we planned to do in that 9th month of pregnancy I didn’t get to have- build the crib, put the baby gifts and clothes away, install and get the car seat installation approved (surprise, we did it incorrectly. Go get your car seat checked!). We even got one last date and pedicure.
We spent the night before discharge in the NICU “family room” which was like a mock hotel room a family can sleep in to practice their first night with their baby. So cool, right? While I am aware that our NICU experience differs from other’s… I remind you about what Project NICU said- “Do not compare your journey to someone else’s. What you experienced in the NICU and all of the emotions and thoughts you have surrounding it are valid.”

My mommas were asked… What helped you survive pumping in the NICU?

The NICU can be really Here is what kept my mommas motivated to pump for their NICU babies: (All are direct quotes from the Instagram, community)

• Watching baby grow stronger because of my milk.
• Pumping kept us linked through distance. I thought about my baby every minute of every pumping session. It was the only motivation I needed.
• Pumping for my twins in the NICU was rewarding and stressful but luckily I got the point and made more than enough for them. Pumping helped me navigate through my emotions during that difficult time
• Every milk delivery was relief baby was getting some antibodies. 
• Pumping was actually a way to get my mind off things, it was something mindless for me- since I was stressed the whole time my baby was in the NICU.
• Knowing I was giving my baby food to stay alive is what kept me going.
• Our hospitals had cameras we could access at home so I could watch baby live while I pumped
• Creating a daily routine/schedule and sticking to it!
• The nurses! They were so positive and upbeat- They treated his like normal people!
• I took photos and videos to watch at home
• The feeling of wanting to help my little one grow so he could come home sooner.
• A strong support system goes a long way
• This was the only thing I could do for my babe when he was going through so much. It made me all the more determined to be able to give him this one thing!
• Asking for a screen to pump next to the crib instead of going into the pumping room
• Using the hospital-grade pump
• Watching my milk come in. I felt like it [pumping] was the one thing that I could control.
• The nurses! No matter how much I pumped, they made me feel like it was huge.
• Honestly I didn’t like pumping while she was in the NICU. But I was unhappy the entire time, any moment I spent away from her. I did eventually start pumping in the NICU while I watched her sleep. That was more enjoyable 

Pumping for Your NICU Baby

Like many of the mommas in the Pump Momma Pump community said, pumping can be a way to feel connected to your baby while you are apart, to focus on what you can control, when everything else seems out of control.
Here are my top tips for pumping in the NICU:

• Get a manual pump and learn how to use it. (This post could help.) The manual pump could be more effective in extracting colustrum in those first days after birth.
• Use the hospital’s pump- it should be stronger, and they should be able to provide you with all the accessories you need.
• Bring your own pump to the hospital so that someone can show you how to use it at home. If you didn’t get one through insurance yet, do that now.
• Book a lactation consultation if you cannot get one at the hospital.
• Get your flanges sized by someone who knows what they are talking about. If the hospital’s staff sizes you above the standard 24mm, I can almost guarantee you that they are wrong. Trust. Me. Purchase some correctly sized flanges on Amazon.
• Wash your accessories well and sterilize every time. (You can do this less often once you get baby home- be extra careful about cleaning while in the hospital.) Use my list below to see what items could help, if the hospital does not supply everything you need.
• Do skin-to-skin with your baby/babies or have your partner do skin-to-skin. Heck, if you have another family member who is willing, any skin-to-skin can really help, if you are able.
• If they allow it, bring something into your NICU to help you feel comfortable while pumping, like a lap blanket and pillow, or a fuzzy cardigan, jacket, or robe sweater to drape over your shoulders. It can get cold in there!
• Read or sing to your baby. Hold your baby’s small hand while talking to them if you cannot hold them. There are so many ways to bond with your NICU baby!
• Get on a pumping schedule of every 3 hours, around the clock, and stick to it.
• Take care of yourself. Make sure you are eating and drinking. If you had a rough birth, REST and take the time at home to heal. Ask for help.
• Now might be a great time to find a therapist if you don’t have one. I am super pro-therapy and you’ll have A LOT of emotions to work through. Helps to have some tools in your toolbox tow work through them- a therapist can help.
• Treat yourself if you can. Go on a date, even if it’s a breakfast or lunch date. Get that mani/pedi or get your hair cut/colored, if that’s your style. You’ll get much busier when baby gets home!

Pumping Supply List for NICU Mommas

Your Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may supply everything you need to pump, so before you go buying everything off this list, make sure to ask your NICU nurses for pumping supplies. Then, cross-check this list to make sure you have everything you need!

• Manual pump- I like the Medela Harmony
• Electric pump
• Hands-free pumping bra
• Bottle brush
• Nipple Brush
• Bottle soap
• Wash basin (the hospital should give you one)
• Drying rack
• Sterilizer bags (the NICU may have a microwave, so these are great for the hospital)
• Boobie ice packs for engorgement
• Nipple cream to use after pumping
• Disposable breast pads or washable breast pads
• Pumping bag and cooler to go back and forth from home to hospital
• Lap blanket, Chapstick, water bottle, snacks

Know a brand new momma with a baby in the NICU? Be a godsend and share this blog post! Better yet, ask her how you can support her on this journey! We NICU mommas can use all the support we can get!

Be sure to follow Pump Momma Pump on Instagram for education, motivation, and support! (And more great tips like these!)