Feeding Frenzy!

So the soy sauce bottle worked really well, until I got the end and had to tip it up and it bumped into her nose. Uh oh. I didn't think of that.

First we put her up in her high chair to feed her and she desatted, so we took her out and I held her and that worked much better. She took nearly 30ml. I say nearly because a little bit dribbled down her front because she likes to turn her head at the last second while I am trying to put it into her mouth. We have really been using those bibs! At some point the OT told me to put on a glove and when she dribbled I swiped it with my finger and pushed it into her mouth. The feed is being thickened so that it has some grab and texture and is less likely to be a choking hazard. It is the consistency of pancake batter.

I am bringing in the silicone sauce cups, a sippy cuppy with no valve and medicine spoon with a hallow handle that holds liquid and has measure marks. I have also been told about nosey cups (cups with a notch that won't block the nose), flexible cups I can squeeze to form a spout (also with a notch in them), and something called a Haberman bottle.

This bottle is made for kids with sucking problems. They were designed especially for kids with cleft or missing palates. The nipple has a slow, medium or fast flow and works on a pumping actiojn like the breast and ot so much on a sucking action like a bottle. If the child makes any kind of motion with their mouth, it releases about 1 ml of liquid into the nipple and it dribbles into the baby's mouth. I can see that this would work for her once we get it in her mouth, but part of the problem is getting her to want a nipple in her mouth. I am going to ask OT about this. The bottles are expensive and I don't want to buy them unless OT thinks it is a good idea.

The OT I worked with yesterday is a substitute. The lady we usually work with is out for a week. Today we will have yet another OT lady. It doesn't really matter, because it is me that is consistently feeding her. Yesterday's OT lady was wondering if Amelia could be ready for cereal! I mentioned this to the doctor when she stopped by and she said it was too early. They are going by her developmental age of 4 months and she said 4-6 months is when that is usually introduced. She explained that cereal fills you up but doesn't have as many calories and right now getting the calories she needs is the most important thing. And if we want her out of the hospital she needs to have the proper nutrition to get her there. Of course, that's our goal, too.

When I walked in yesterday the nurse had Amelia propped up in her boppy and was being very social, meeting and greeting everyone. She loves sitting up better than anything else. I think she has probably gotten sick of counting the ceiling tiles above her crib. When she saw me yesterday and I started talking to her she smiled very broadly several times in a few minutes. This is a new development. She rarely smiles, so to see so many so close together was very exciting.

Though she is in the hospital, she seems like she is a happy baby.