I don't think anyone has really discussed the subject of the NICU nurse
sucking out baby's stomach contents to determine the quantity of milk baby
took during breastfeeding. Yes, it sounds very strange to suck out a baby's
stomach, especially right after feeding him, but to a NICU nurse, it's
something she is used to doing all the time, just not for the same reason. I
was a NICU nurse for many years. Aspirating stomach contents to measure
"residuals" and measuring abdominal girth were our policy before each
oral-gastric tube (or naso-gastric) feeding. Increased girth and/or residuals
are common signs seen in infants with NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis)- a very
serious bowel condition in which the bowel can perforate.
The tube was probably already in place in the baby's nose or mouth (tubes are
usually left in and taped to baby's face) so hopefully it wasn't an added
invasion.
Hope this explains where the nurse would get the idea to do this.
Kris Wiedman, RN IBCLC

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