Ng tube

Went to the doctor and therapist yesterday. It was really my idea to try another ng tube. I told them both that I feel like Maggie is getting more stressed out when we feed her. And maybe if we tried a ng tube for a solid three weeks it might relieve some of her stress. We are still going to feed her as often. But instead of pushing her to eat when she doesn't want to, we are going to offer it a few times and let her take as much as she will. And then when she starts to protest we are going to put the rest though the tube.

My biggest reason for doing this is that I am so scared that if we push her anymore she is going to develop a major oral aversion and not want anything in her mouth - bottle, solid foods, anything. So this will give her a break for a few weeks and then we will start solid foods when she hits six months adjusted. My prayer is that she will love solid foods and the textures won't even be an issue for her. If we can get her to eat solid foods and manage the bottle feeding as we have been, I think we can avoid the G-tube. Or at least that's my hope.

Yesterday I learned how to place the ng tube down her nose and into her stomach and, I have to say, it's pretty awful to do it while she gags and cries. I feel I am now playing nurse like I did when I was a child, with all the syringes and tubes and stethoscope (to check to make sure the tube didn't get into her lungs). I am doing all this serious stuff but I really have no idea what I'm doing. This morning I pushed two ounces of milk into the tube in the dark and didn't realize until daylight that I didn't push it down correctly and it went all over her bed and her legs. Poor thing! Sometimes I can't believe they let parents do all of this...

PS I'm still collecting "like new" stuffed animals and any DVDs for Our Children's House at Baylor. Drop them off at my house anytime!