I took Porter to the GI Specialist last Friday afternoon. I was happy that the appointment was in the afternoon because I thought that might help him tip the scales a bit. No such luck.
Porter was weighed (11.11 lbs) and measured (25 3/4"), and then we were in our room waiting for the doctor. It wasn't too long of a wait, but we did look out the window and watch cars and people go by. Then the doctor came in, sat down on his rolling stool, looked at Porter's chart and said, "Well, this sure doesn't look good at all." Now, I like this doctor, but those words are not the First Words you want to hear from any doctor.
So far it seems that everything is related to his severe reflux - a "mechanical problem" as the doctor called it. (Meaning, his little valve that is supposed to close after eating...to keep burps from coming up...just isn't working correctly.) The doctor still feels that the results we got from Porter's Upper GI are indicating that surgery isn't necessary at this point. Sigh of relief.
The doctor decided to try Porter on a hypo-allergenic formula to see if there could be anything else in my diet (after omitting dairy and soy for the last 8 months) that is triggering such severe reflux. Yeah, that hypo-allergenic formula is $104/SMALL can. Thank goodness we left with 5 cans of samples!
Well, Porter is beginning to show his true colors because the sweet little fella who used to take 1-2 bottles of pumped breast milk a week while I took Ella Beth to our co-op will now not even put a bottle to his mouth. After trying the new formula and Pitching.A.Fit. about it, we tried giving him breast milk. Nope, he won't take anything "artificial." He is now even refusing his paci. Oh My Word!!!!! I know I should be grateful that the paci is gone, but seriously? He used to take his paci and be asleep in seconds. Now??? Not so much. It's awful. And all over trying some stinkin' formula.
I can literally feel gray hairs sprouting on my head.
So, now, we are back where we were before the GI appointment: with a baby who is "extremely underweight," "hollow" in his upper body, and "failing to thrive." According to the doctors.
But the tiny fella eats. He eats so well! We have yet to find a food that he won't eat - which is amazing. Now if we could just get him to keep things down.
I'm just trying my best to feed him a LOT. Which means I feel like an open buffet most of the day. Which means that Porter is off his amazing nap schedule. Which means the more he eats the more he spits up. Which means the more outfits we are going through each day. Which means...
MAMA is going CRAZY.
But it's a season. Right? Say it is; lie if you have to!
1 comment:
Realized today that I hadn't checked in with you for awhile! Hate to hear that Porter is struggling, but you ARE RIGHT. It is a season, it will pass, and someday he's going to be so big and you're going to miss that tiny baby. Gus doesn't love formula either and when he gets it we're using Nutramigen because I was given samples and it's lactose free. I think he's doing better, though. all I can do is heat it and make it really warm, well, that's what the others do. I don't ever even try to give him a bottle. And he sleeps on his tummy almost always which freaked me out at first, but he did it rolling over and now I'm just so grateful he sleeps. If I were you, I'd keep a bib on baby boy all the time to save outfits and if you were nearby, I'd loan you what we've outgrown to help you avoid laundry! Hang in there, this too shall pass.
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