Milk Coming In and Carseat Challenge

My girls were born late Tuesday afternoon. Thank goodness for hospital wifi!

Allison was 5 lbs even and 17.5 inches

Charlotte was 4lbs 11 oz and 18 inches.

I had a repeat c/s- three weeks before the DD b/c of a failed BPP- we have not had any problems with the pregnancy until then.

I am waiting for the milk to come in, so we are supplementing with formula.

They have also mentioned a carseat challenge before we can take them home. I know this involves hooking them up to monitors and having them sit in the carseats.

Can anyone who has BTDT with either issue (or both) help me out? Thanks so much!

 

Congrats!!

Your milk will likely come in anywhere from 3-5 days after your c/s. Are you still letting them latch and nurse?? Your best bet to getting your milk to come in is to still let them nurse at normal times, and then supplement with the formula after. You can add in pumping if you can, I never did and my milk always came in in that 3-5 day time range.

As for the carseat challenge I never had to do it but I believe they leave the baby on the monitors to monitor their breathing and they have to be able to sit in the carseat for a certain length of time and not have any breathing problems during that time at all.

Congrats again, I hope you'll post some pics of your sweeties when you have a chance!

 

Thanks so much for your response. Yes, the girls nurse first and then they get formula afterward. We are getting the hang of tandem nursing. I remember with my DD, it took FOREVER for the milk to come in- and this time, there are two hungry girls instead of one.

Yes, pics coming soon!

 

Are your babies in the NICU? We had to do a car seat test in there. They had to prove they could breathe fine in the seat (all strapped in) for the length of time it would take to get home (25 mins for us).

As for the milk, my boys were 33 weekers and I couldn't get them to the breast right away (I think a full week) but I just pumped to help my supply (though I still had to supplement the entire time as I didn't produce enough). Be sure to visit the wonderful Breastfeeding Forum for great bfing advice!

 

My milk came in at about 4-5 days later with both of my pregnancies.

As far as the carseat challenge, we had to do that in the NICU before the boys could leave. They had to sit in a carseat with the monitors on to make sure their oxygen levels stayed normal for 30 mins before they could leave the NICU. GL!

 

My babies were never in NICU but we still had to do the carseat challenge with Brooklee because she was under a certain weight at discharge. (She was 5 lbs. 10 oz. at birth, I don't remember what she was at discharge). We were all ready to go, and DH went up to the NICU to do the test. They put her in the carseat and hooked her up to stuff to check breathing, as pp said. AN HOUR LATER she passed. (Apparently for us the test had to be an hour.) That was a really long hour because I was so ready to go home, yet so nervous about going home and I was wondering why they didn't start the test an hour before we were ready to go instead of having to wait around!!

So definitely know beforehand how long the test will take!

Good luck, and congrats on your babies!

Also, my babies had a really weak suck, so my milk didn't come in until almost a week. I was pumping to help get it going, and I did have to supplement with formula for the first two weeks, but after that I exclusively breastfed. But do whatever works for you!

 

Congratulations! I think my milk came in on day 3 or 4. Let them nurse as much as possible right now so that they get the colostrum and help your milk come in.

 

You can also pump in the hospital, and that may help! Congrats on your babies!

 

Re the breastmilk, nurse and pump, nurse and pump. I don't know that it will make your milk come in any faster than the normal 3-5 days, but I do believe it helps to ensure that it does come in on time since it sends all of the "Make more!!!" signals to your body. Even at that, I had to supplement for the first 5 days or so.

As for the carseat, our hospital's SOP was an hour in the seat on monitors. And since I live 1 hr from the hospital, they made my boys do it for 1.5 hrs to be on the safe side. If they had failed, the alternative would've been to send them home in carbeds (which I never even knew existed). Have your DH bring in your carseat(s) a day or two before you'll be released and have them do the tests EARLY. As a pp mentioned, you don't want to be waiting on that test to be approved to go home. You'll want to run...run like the wind when that time comes!

Eve

 

First off, CONGRATS!!!

as for the milk question, mine came in on Day 4 after my Cesarean. As for the supplementing with formula.. we chose not to. The babies were 6 lbs and 5 lbs 8oz at 37 weeks, and all we did was put them at the breast for the colostrum which is all they need for the first few days. I dunno if this is an option for you? or if you are hoping to BF, atleast put them to the breast a few times each day. This will help your milk to come in. We did have to give our smaller babe (benny) some supplements, I think 3 in total, but that was due to low blood sugar at birth, and he was too lethargic to latch to get the colostrum. but after those small supps of about 20 mLs each, he latched and it was great

as nfor the carseat challenge, we only had to do it with Benny. At our hospital, its a standard 90 minute test. It doesnt differ for how far away you live, but every hospital is different. They took Benny to the nicu for it and monitored him for o2 sats and heart rate. The carseats are a bad angle for newborns, and because they dont haveneck strength yet, they cant lift their head if they cant breathe. The 02 sat monitor measures the oxygen levels on the toes, the furthest point from the heart. We didnt go into the nicu with him, and he slept for the whole test.

Im sure your milk will soon arrive, and the babes will pass the CSC. TAKECARE!!

 

We also had to do the car seat challenge and it turned out the car seat we had was not well suited for G - they sent him home from the NICU at 3 lbs the night before he was scheduled to come home I had to go get a new car seat

 

Thanks for the encouragement. Our hospital does not have a NICU, but luckily the girls have not needed NICU.

We had a Graco Snugride from DD (2007) and we got a new Graco 32 Snugride to match the double stroller. DH brought them with him when he came back after a trip to the house..... and they said they were going to test Charlotte.... and then there were two deliveries and they didn't get to it. Sigh.

They have given me a nice Medela Symphony to use and we have an Ameda at home from DD.

They have such distinct personalities. Off to pump. I'll post pics here or in Expecting when I get a chance.