i have never been so scared before...

nycmommy13 · January 2016

Sorry for the long post but we had such a scary week! Last Friday, I took my little one to the pediatrician after getting a fever (he'd had a runny nose since Monday and a cough since Wednesday.) It turns out he had bronchiolitis. She prescribed him saline to use with a nebulizer and told us to use Baby Tylenol if his fever returned. He started having coughing fits on Saturday. That's when the real trouble started. By evening, he wasn't responding to the treatment and his coughing fits were lasting an hour or more at a time. His breathing was coming hard and fast (breathing from the ribs and breathing nearly 80 bpm.) We called the pediatrician and she recommended emergency care. So we called 911. The thing is that I live in NYC and we were in the middle of one of the worst blizzards in the history of the city. Two police officers showed up but could only park 3 blocks away because our street wasn't plowed. By the time the ambulance got to the same location 3 blocks away, our son was barely breathing. I carried him through 2 1/2 feet of snow the 3 blocks to the ambulance in the snow and wind. Once we got him to the ambulance, they put him on oxygen and once at the hospital, they put him on an IV since he hadn't been eating well from the coughing. He was admitted and ended up staying at the pediatric intensive care unit for 4 days. It was RSV which, for an 11 week old, can be pretty dangerous.

He ended up being ok and is home now with a cough and only one fit a day when he wakes up. Our problem right now is that he's having trouble taking a bottle. Since we got home, our son refuses a bottle (filled with breast milk, too!) but will seem starved when I feed him from me. We never had any problem getting him to take a bottle the first time around and I don't understand what the issue is this time. Is it just that the experience was a little traumatic for him and he needs the comfort of me for now? I'm nervous since I have to go back to work in two days and he'll need to be on a bottle by then.

brizer21 · January 2016

I'm so sorry you had to go through this, how terrifying, especially coupled with the snow storm. Glad you are all home. Our LO is on a nebulizer too, started on Monday the exact same way and we took him to the doctor today... Hoping it doesn't progress.

I'm thinking he wants to comfort feed due to the traumatic experience... He missed his mama! Maybe try introducing the bottle again on Sunday and let someone else give it to him (or leave the room). I've noticed since I started back at work LO will "play" with his bottle if I give it to him or if I'm in the same room... Never had that issue before, he just prefers me.

gipfish · January 2016

That is scary! I'm glad to hear that he is doing better. I don't have any advice, but keep us updated on his recovery.

wulfpackgirl · January 2016

Wow. I know that was scarey! Glad to hear he is better!!!

MargaretC5 · January 2016

Poor little guy, glad to hear he is doing better. For the bottle I agree with PP try someone other than you giving the bottle. You can also try putting him in a swing or RNP, sometimes they take a bottle better is they are not being held.

NovemberSno · January 2016

My DD2 had RSV and pneumonia when she was about 1 year. She stayed in the hospital 10days! So I know that it's hard. I hope he gets well and continues to recover smoothly. As for the bottle I second putting him down and feeding him. Sometimes it helps reduce the stimulation and helps them eat better.

Ceridwen77 · January 2016

Scary story! Glad everything is getting better. I agree to try a bottle in a day or so and have someone else feed him. Good luck!

helsbels222 · January 2016

That is so scary! Glad your LO is okay. Try leaving the house and have some one else feed him from the bottle.

GoogleMD · January 2016

So scary. Oh my goodness. RSV is so scary at this age. Glad your LO is on the mend

doodleoodle · January 2016

I have no advice, but wanted to say I'm so sorry you guys had to go through that and I'm glad LO is doing better!

Pontot31 · January 2016

So scary! Glad he's ok. I bet he just wants lots of comfort. You might have to be gone for him to take the bottle.

cdepperschmidt · January 2016

I know how you feel we just went through this with DS at 9 weeks (minus the scary blizzard). Before we realized how sick he was he was refusing to take a bottle at daycare. I had to leave work to breastfeed him. No advice, but once DS started feeling better he started taking the bottle fine again.