Got Milk?

Ethan and I are getting used to hanging out together during the day! For the most part, I feel like a "normal" mama with a "normal" baby. He sleeps, wakes up, cries, poops his pants, pees on me, and then the cycle repeats itself. I nap here and there, change his diaper, and spend lots of quality cuddle time with him. There's just one small thing that's missing: feedings.

Ethan currently receives all of his nourishment (my milk) through his NG (naso-gastro) feeding tube. It's basically a small tube that goes into his nose and down into his tummy. The OT and speech therapist have been working with him on his sucking and swallowing skills, but it's possible we may be going home with the tube. It takes some time for heart babies to learn how to feed, so they will often use the feeding pump and tube for a little while until they acquire the skill. It's a little scary to think about going home with this extra equipment, but I've learned that it's not about what I want. It's about what's best for Ethan.

The pump is not definite, however. We all know that Ethan likes to surprise everyone, so we'll see what the next few days hold. We are working on compressing his feedings right now. When he was first being fed through the tube, his feedings were continuous at 18 ml/hour. Yesterday, he was fed the same amount of milk over a 2 hour period with a 1 hour break. Today's he's being fed the same amount over a 1 hour period with a 2 hour break. The goal is to get him "eating" in 30 minutes with a 2 1/2 hour break. He's been tolerating the compression so far, other than throwing up once today.

At this point, compressing his feedings through the tube is the only thing keeping us from home. One doctor has been brave enough to say that we may be going home as early as Friday, but it will probably be early next week.

Please keep praying! I have lots of anxiety over this feeding tube and going home with such a special needs baby. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to install his car seat, put him in the crib, and let him hang out in his bouncy seat. I just hope and pray I can enjoy those things without constantly worrying about his heart rate and oxygen saturation levels! Pray for me, Jeramie, and Ethan that we'll be a strong, supportive family. Pray that Ethan finds success with eating, and for our transition from room 5317 to Plum Frost Drive. Pray, pray, pray!