Need your expert advice on monitor!

ksproul

So, if you remember me-my LO is not a preemie-was induced at 38 wks 6 days bc of high bp. Found to have apnea after blue lips at 3 wks old. His first sleep study he had periodic breathing (around 16 sec apneas0 24% of the time he slept. He has tons of alarms but all the downloads have proven them false. He had no bradys and his last 2 studies he had periodic breathing (around 14 sec apneas) 9-10% of the time so we were thinking he was getting better! Then this months study he had periodic breathing 31% of the time and his download showed an actual prolonged apnea of 33 sec with a brady! At his pulmonologist appt the physicians asst just said maybe his GERD was bothering him that night and that non monitored babies prob have occasional apneas and bradys too and that they will keep him on his monitor and these things fluctuate and he will prob outgrow it. What do you ladies think? Do you think LOs results are concerning or these things fluctuate or that "normal" onfants have bradys or apneas occasionally? I really dont know what to think TIA!

urbanflowerpot

I know it's terribly frustrating but trust them. This sounds pretty normal to me. We were on the monitor for four months after a two month stay in NICU. The third month they said he had some episodes but it could be what falls into the 'normal' range so they needed to keep him on another month. It was so they could see what his normal range is. I get that. It stunk, though. Especially because we had to wait for over two weeks to get the results of his last reading - and he was good to be taken off! So there we were freaking out over wires when they just hadn't had time to get back to me. Seems like history now, though!

SushiNoMore

I agree with Urban.  It's normal for babies to have some apnea / brady episodes - even term babies.  Our son was on a monitor for 4 months, and he still had a few episodes the month we decided to take him off.  Now, he's a thriving, happy, not-blue 10 month old!  :-)

JeepersWife

DS has been on the monitor since we brought him home at 26 days. Our most recent reading had one abnormal reading on Nov 7th and therefore we have to stay on...he had two episodes in one night last week...not sure what that was about. We don't go back to the ped until 6 mo so we will at least be on till then. Good thing is we only use it at night...I would rather be safe then sorry, though our ped doesn't seem real concerned either because he thinks DS's reflux causes his brady's as well.

ksproul

Thanks ladies! I appreciate the help and advice. Its just so hard to trust them since they were going to take him off bc he was getting increasingly better but I wanted him to stay on and good thing I did Just scary thing! Its also hard bc his alarm goes off all the time bc he is a shallow belly breather and now I dont know whats false and what not since he already gets so pale when sleeping! I used to have him on his monitor a lot more but now hes only on at night and when he naps with the babysitter since I carry/hold him most of the day and can feel him breathe. Also, his patches give him a bad rash underneath but the belt doesnt work Oh our poor LOs!