one step forward, one step back

[Deleted User] · October 2013

First, let me just say o know how lucky I am that my son is doing as well as he is. He is 10 days old gestational age 33 weeks 4 days. He has never had any breathing support, already off his caffeine with no apnea episodes, off his feeding tube and was moved to an open crib yesterday!

He us still only 4 lbs 2 oz, but people were starting to say the word "home" around me a lot. One of the most promising things was how well he was feeding. He would slam his bottles in about 10 min and was breastfeeding like a champ.

Yesterday, for the first time I had a hard time getting him to eat, he didn't finish about half his bottle, but he had been breastfeeding earlier and the nurses thought he might be full. Sure enough the next feeding he was back to his ravenous self. I called early this AM because I was up to pump and I wanted to know how he was doing temp-wise in his new bed. The nurse said his to was fine but that every other feeding he's real sluggish taking eight at or a little over half an hour to finish...they may be putting his feeding rube back in.

Has anyone had this happen? If so how long had you been off the tube and how long did you stay on it when it came back? I know its not that bad and really we are asking a lot of some so young and little. In the end I want to do what is best for him and will help him grow.

Throw3ks · October 2013

Hard to say how long it will be in. The NG tube is easy in easy out. They wouldn't take my LOs NG out until she was 100% PO. That meant meeting her minimums with only a small margin of error. Hopefully it will only be a couple days but this is pretty typical preemie behavior. Don't be discouraged. It all clicks and comes together. Goodluck n

ashleymarie512 · October 2013

I agree with both pp. Our LO was a 30-weeker and had a lot of trouble with eating. She struggled with sucking-swallowing-breathing all at the same time. The dr said that reflex doesn't really kick in until at least 37 weeks and won't let a baby eat by breast or bottle until at least 35w.

We had the forward and backward movement a lot too. Sometimes they said she just kicked butt so much one day that she wore herself out and had a setback the next day. Eventually she just took off with feeding and didn't look back. Like pp said, NG tube is easy in and easy out. My daughter pulled hers out at least three to four times per week and each time they popped it back in easily.

Hang in there, sending thoughts of forward moving progress your way!

rkcaraway · October 2013

No experience myself, but I just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you. He'll get there!!!!

staceymack · October 2013

My girls were born at 33/4 also. They wouldn't remove the tube until the day before we went home even though they were full PO a couple of days before that. That was a frustrating time. As many nurses told us eating isn't something that is learned or taught. We just have to wait until it clicks and they're ready. Hang in there!

LaciJaxx · October 2013

My LO was born at 31 weeks and stayed for 37 days. We had this happen too. They put the tube back in for 48 hours and then it was out permanently. He wad just getting worn out from eating and that gave him the break he needed. The NICU is a dance. We usually did one step forward, two back. And then all of a sudden everything was going forward. You'll get there too. It's preemie steps!!!

[Deleted User] · October 2013

Yep feeding tube is back. He has the suck/swallow/breath down pat, he just gets tired trying to get through a whole 42 ml bottle.

Thank you all for your words of encouragement, its not as bad as I thought.

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