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12-21-2012 at 12:22 PM
Brummy14
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Joined on 02-28-2006
Cincinnati, OH
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Brummy14 is not online. Last active: 05-17-2013, 1:59 PMBronze

Seven week itch...and blowing off steam

Our 29 weekers are 7 weeks old today! And, wow, that time has flown -- they're each over 5.5lbs and growing so well.

Now the vent...we are literally stuck at a bottle feeding standstill. We introduced them a little over 2 weeks ago, and still no dice. One of the girls got to 30% by mouth one day, but they both are generally 10% or less. One just hangs out and seems relatively uninterested, the other is SUPER eager (most of the time), with a great suck, but just ends up choking and having major episodes. It's gotten to the point where I don't even want to be around during feeding attempts, since that's so hard to watch.

I know that one of these days they'll just 'get' it, but after weeks of seeing nasty, scary choking episodes, it's really, REALLY hard to convince myself that will ever happen. ::sigh:: I'm not even super impatient about getting them home (although that would be nice) -- I just want to be able to not be terrified of bottle feeding attempts. It's impossible to watch. :( 

 


TTC Since 11/10 due to Unexplained IF
4 Rounds of Clomid, 2 Rounds of Femara + IUI, 2 rounds of IUI+ Injectables (Bravelle + Menopur) = First BFP! TWIN GIRLS!

November 2, 2012 - Claire (2lbs 8.9oz) and Paige (2lbs 10oz) arrive at 29w3d due to PTL and pPROM at 28w5d
Lilypie Premature Baby tickers 
12-21-2012 at 12:52 PM
Missa_g
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Joined on 04-12-2011
8,703 Points
Missa_g is not online. Last active: 05-19-2013, 8:08 AMSilver
Happy 7 weeks! And huge hugs to you. Learning to suck, swallow, AND breathe is tough. It took my boys almost a month to "get" it and we still struggled a bit when they came home. It will get easier for all of you, although I totally get that it doesn't feel that way.

 photo birthday_zpsdea94acd.jpg
Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
Married 9/22/07, began TTC 8/10
BFP #1 12/31/10, EDD 9/10/11, natural miscarriage at 6w
Diagnosed with DOR, LP defect, mild endometriosis and cysts
9/10/11 Femara + Gonal-F + Ovidrel + TI + Prometrium = BFP on 10/6!
Twin boys born 4/4/12 at 29w4d. Grow babies, grow babies, grow!
Our blog: One + One Is More 
12-21-2012 at 1:16 PM
BostonKiss...
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Joined on 05-05-2006
131,821 Points
BostonKisses2 is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 8:02 PMPlatinum
Hang in there!  I know how frustrating it is, but they will get it, and they'll also grow out of the choking spells as well.  Happy 7 weeks to your girls!
12-21-2012 at 1:51 PM
thishappyh...
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Joined on 09-13-2010
3,550 Points
thishappyhouse is not online. Last active: 05-19-2013, 4:45 AMNewbie

I had an extreme choker.  A & B every time, several times she had to be bagged, people running into the room... the whole works.  It was awful.  Im pretty sure I cried more in those 5 weeks than I did during the 7.5 weeks that she was on the vent.  It got better, one week (unfortunately not one day... it wasnt exactly like a light switch) she got it.  We were on the verge of a g-tube actually.  

I hope your girls "get it" soon.  It is incredibly frustrating and  scary and no one can seem to get what you mean.  When my daughter was in very critical condition people got that she couldn't breathe, was very sick, etc.  But when she couldnt eat... people couldn't wrap their head around that.  So vent here when you need to.


mom to V; 25 weeker born at 1lb 7oz Lilypie Premature Baby tickers www.virginiakkent.blogspot.com  
12-21-2012 at 3:29 PM
CurlingRoc...
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Joined on 10-12-2009
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CurlingRocks is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 11:53 AMGold
7 weeks is awesome!  Hang in there; nippling is so hard for preemies.  DS took weeks to get the hang of it, too.  It was really hard to watch him struggle.  Keep coming back for support.

Preemie Resources: http://preemiemomblog.blogspot.com/ Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers Lilypie Premature Baby tickers Lilypie Maternity tickers 
12-21-2012 at 9:30 PM
Obrntwinmo...
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Joined on 10-02-2012
237 Points
Obrntwinmom is not online. Last active: 04-19-2013, 7:53 PMNewbie
Ugh I remember those days. My daughter hated nipples and I felt like we were torturing her to just try to feed her shed scream so loud. My son was like yours, wanted so badly to eat but would always Brady multiple times a feed. I don't know if you have tried this yet but for my son we finally had to feed him laying down on his side. Gave him just enough of a pocket of air and the milk didn't pool in the back of his throat. That was a life saver he wouldn't have come home my guess is for a couple weeks if we hadn't done that. We fed him like that for a couple weeks at home too til he graduated and we fed him upright. Good luck, it will come, but man it feels like forever. Just snuggle those babies, they'll get there soon :
 
12-21-2012 at 10:36 PM
DrRx
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Joined on 03-15-2005
10,969 Points
DrRx is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 11:38 PMSilver

I totally know what you mean about not looking forward to feedings.  Adalyn would have "episodes", even after we got her home, where she would desat and brady.  It was so frustrating when the feeding would be going so great and then, boom, brady and desat. She was on oxygen and an apnea monitor at home, and we knew what to do (bump up her oxygen, stimulate, etc) and she always came right back, but it was really stressful.  Looking back, I still can't believe all that we went through when we brought her home and dealt with all of those choking/desats.   As PPs have said, it does get better, so hang in there!

For us, we had to try to find the best nipple for her, and then the best position.  What worked for us in the NICU was to sit her on her butt and hold her upright with the bottle.  In fact, I still feed her like that on my lap (although it seriously hurts my hand now that she's so much bigger!) We did have some luck with having her eat on her side (my dad said she was like a Roman emperor, being fed while lazying about Smile), but then it stopped working. 

GL! I hope your little girls have better feeds tomorrow!


TTC Since July 2008.
Me: PCOS DH: Low everything (MFI)
Clomid with TI x 3 2010 BFN
Clomid+IUI+Ovidrel 2010 BFN
IVF w/ICSI #1 2011
9/8 Beta #1: 2082!! 9/19 Beta#2 34,689!! U/S 9/22 HR 127! 11/8 HR 150! 12/6 HR 136! 12/14 HR 139! Born at 26w2d on 2/4/2012! After 83 days in the NICU, Adalyn came home on 4/26/12  
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