Another update with good news. Today Peter drank 28 mL of skimmed breast milk from a bottle, about one fluid ounce. For most babies this is just a fraction of a meal, but for Peter this is really big news. Before now it has been only a few tastes, licking and chewing on the bottle--enough to show that he liked the idea. He just couldn't or wouldn't duplicate the vigorous sucking he can do on a pacifier.
We and our nurse had a theory that he just never felt hungry enough to really try to eat. Today, the doctor gave permission for his feeding tube to be turned off for 4 hours. After about 3 1/2 hours Peter was sucking anything, whether the pacifier or my finger (the latter so hard he was leaving gum marks in the skin); if I took it away he got testy. The nurse quickly got us a bottle ready and what do you know? Coordinated sucking and swallowing was no longer such a mystery!
Tomorrow Peter gets to go for six hours with the feeding tube switched off. We are hoping he will build on his success today and learn to relish the sensation of a full tummy. (Right now he gets fed directly to his intestines, so his stomach always stays empty.) After drinking the ounce of milk he promptly began to get drowsy; when we left he was sound asleep. Before he drifted off he gave me a satisfied, contented smile.
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Yippee! What great news. Rejoicing with you.
ReplyDeleteCarla
This is great news! Funny, we experienced something a little similar (though a whole lot less scary) as Madeline didn't seem at all interested in solid foods, and her pediatrician kept fretting that she wasn't eating/gaining enough. Part of it is that she does indeed seem to have Mom's leprechaun genes, but also, hm, why not think about the schedule, then wait to try the food when she might be hungry? Hmm! We are delighted to hear of Peter's success and your preparations for his homecoming. Praying for all of you and thinking of you often, Love, Kristina, David and Madeline
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord!!! We've been consistently praying for less vent, less meds, and strong sucking on the bottle--God is so good!!!
ReplyDeleteWe've been gone, dropping off our oldest at Taylor U. in Indiana--it seems like only yesterday he was Peter's age! It goes so fast! I love Peter's picture with his stuffed kitty--soon it will be a real one!
Love,
The Van Heests