Friday, September 28, 2012

Enough!

When I discovered that Allison could drink at least 3 oz by breast and eat up to 1 oz of baby food in one sitting (although that hadn't occured in quite a while),the question was no longer, "Why can't my child eat?" but, "Why won't my child eat?"  And then reality set in.  It was time to try a wean...Wasn't it?  I had read about the Graz hunger-based weaning model.  An approach that boasts a 92% sucess rate within just a few weeks.  By allowing a child to feel hunger, they give the child a desire to eat, and by accepting weight loss of up 10% of their original body weight during the weaning period, they give the child the time they need to learn how to eat.  It sounds logical.  It sounds amazing.  It sounds...to good to be true?

Allison was given the NG basically at birth because she wasnt eating (after 7 days of an undiagnosed CHD, and 5 days on a ventilator.) Eight months ago, when Allison was about 2.5 months old, she finally started nursing.  We took the NG tube out and two days later she had lost an ounce.   Three days later she had lost another 3 ounces.  We had to promise to return to 100% tube feeds and nursing only on an empty breast to avoid having her admitted into the hospital. She had lost about 4% of her total body wieght.  Was I reading that we could have, maybe should have kept going with the wean?  She just needed time to develop her skills?  We could have avoided these last 8 months of torturing us and her?  I am not saying that she absolutely would have been weaned way back then, but I sure am p#$%$# that she wasn't given the chance to try.

Allison is now 10 months old.  She is small but proportionate. She is nursing and eating small amounts of purees, but she absolutely refuses the bottle.   I know she can get at least 3 ounces nursing when she wants to.   Although she still has one more surgery to go in about 6 months, her cardiologist says that her heart is not keeping her from being able to eat orally.

I am ready to try, in theory anyway.  I am also terrified.  What if she doesn't start eating more baby food?  What if she looses too much weight or doesn't start gaining weight?  What if the doctors dont jump on board this weaning tain? What if she never learns to eat?  Okay, maybe I am not ready to start this week, but I am ready to prepare for a wean.

I have become obsessed with reading about tube weaning and I have made the appointment for a consult with her PCP to whom I plan to give the research articles I have found and my weaning plan and confidently say, "I am willing to do this alone, but I would have your supervision and guidance."    The ball is rolling, and soon will be in Allison's court.  I just hope I can give up enough control to let her do her thing...

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Play Picnic and Meals Log

Play Picnic Foods:  Peach in Mesh Bag
             Regular Oatmeal

Allison started putting her hands in the Oatmeal before I could even get the spoon out of the way.  She put her fingers to her mouth 3-4 times tasting the food without gagging, even when she got an oat!  She also sucked on the peach 3-4 times, gagging only once. 

Breakfast: Baby Oatmeal with banana puree, and banana smoothie.

Allison accepted 9 bites of the oatmeal and 9 sips of smoothe.  Gags: 2-3.