finger feeding

Published

Can anyone tell me the difference between finger feeding and bottlefeeding? Honestly, my gloved finger+feeding tube +formula would seem the same to baby as a artificial nipple....Right? I always abide by moms wishes and only supplement if requested and by the means requested but finger feeding is what is mainly used where I work now. It is much faster, which makes a difference when I have a nursery full of supplemented babies on nights. I would say about half of the BF moms send the baby to the nursery for the night to be supplemented.

Where I used to work we were NOT supposed to finger feed. One of the LC's stated it was related to failure to thrive. We could only cup or syringe feed or do feeding tube at the breast.

excuse my ignorance but since I have NO experience in this area as yet can someone please explain further, in layman's terms what finger feeding is and how it is done.

Finger feeding is letting the baby suck on your finger(I use my pinky) and at the same time a 5f feeding tube attached to a syringe full of formula or pumped colostrum is placed along side of the finger. When the baby sucks it should get small amounts of milk. We only give 10-15 cc at a feeding and get baby back to breast for the next feeding.

It has been my experience that moms and babies who get a little rest after this go on to do better. I am aware of research related to BF, but I also will always respect my pts wishes. I always suggest trying BF again for a hungry baby, assess latch/swallowing etc...and then if baby is still rooting and mom is falling asleep attempting to nurse....

Most pts also read about BF and are worried about nipple confusion!! So if mom asks to have baby supplemented just once because she is exhausted (and baby is fussy,fussy,fussy) and the nurse says bottle or nothing, then mom gets a guilt trip.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you! I get so frustrated with other nurses who would rather put a bottle in a baby's mouth than teach a mom about the importance of colostrum and the process of milk production. The ones who don't nurse until after milk is in are taught culturally that they have nothing yet and they think they're starving the baby. Most of them are surprised and very receptive whenever I teach them differently and actually show them their own colostrum. By the way, we cup-feed when necessary.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MedSurg-1yr, MotherBaby-6yrs NICU 4/07.

We used to finger feed, now we cup feed. It is neat to watch because the tongue moves in much the same way as when it is at breast. Usually if baby is a poor or absent eater, we cup feed. If baby is jaundiced or Mom is insistent that baby is starving despite educating her differently, or baby has close to 10% wt. loss, we supplement with a tube at breast. We usually pump these moms too to maximize production whether or not baby is nursing well. If Mom pumps anything we supplement with that. The only problem with pumping is if Mom already has it in her head she has nothing, and then she doesn't pump anything......we have to explain baby does a much better job then even the best pump ever could. BF is so tricky because everybody's experience is different, attitudes and cultures are different, etc.... Pediatrician's that demand supplementation with 1 oz every 2 hours are full of BS too. "Oh, I BF my baby and it did ok. I am BF friendly... blah blah blah..." With 7,000 deliveries a year and 75 to 80% of those BF we see and hear all kinds of stuff. Just do what is best for baby is my final conclusion.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks... just wanted to be informed:specs:

Finger feeding is letting the baby suck on your finger(I use my pinky) and at the same time a 5f feeding tube attached to a syringe full of formula or pumped colostrum is placed along side of the finger. When the baby sucks it should get small amounts of milk. We only give 10-15 cc at a feeding and get baby back to breast for the next feeding.

It has been my experience that moms and babies who get a little rest after this go on to do better. I am aware of research related to BF, but I also will always respect my pts wishes. I always suggest trying BF again for a hungry baby, assess latch/swallowing etc...and then if baby is still rooting and mom is falling asleep attempting to nurse....

Most pts also read about BF and are worried about nipple confusion!! So if mom asks to have baby supplemented just once because she is exhausted (and baby is fussy,fussy,fussy) and the nurse says bottle or nothing, then mom gets a guilt trip.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

In my case, with finger feeding at home, we used syringes with no needles and would feed 30+ccs a feeding. When the baby would suck correctly, he would get a squirt of milk. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
In my case, with finger feeding at home, we used syringes with no needles and would feed 30+ccs a feeding. When the baby would suck correctly, he would get a squirt of milk. :)

Thats what I did. Used a syringe w/ an NG tube attached. I let my dd suck out the pumped milk. I let her take as much as she wanted. I did not limit her.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

For our moms the option is breast, bottle, or SNS. No cups, no syringes, no fingers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Tele, L&D. ICU.

We used to cup feed than a babe aspirated so that was the end of that. (A mother was taught how to do it and was sleepy and it was done incorrectly, apparently). We teach mom to finger feed, offer bottle and that is it. We have rooming in and babe's DO NOT leave the room for nothing!

Sometimes all the teaching in the world falls flat on a completely exhausted mom. I can't count how many times I have done health teaching, returned the following night and she is repeating the same questions and I am giving the same answers. "But he/she has been at the breast for hours" and I'm explaining to them that it is not flowing like a tap then. They think they have fed for an hour and the baby should be full to the top.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion