I took off Owens Oxygen tonight to see how he does and look at his poor cheek! Pray that we don't have to put it back on. His O2 sats were in the mid 80's with 1/8 liter.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Why Owen NEEDS Feeding Therapy
Owen doesn't take much food .. by much I mean any... by mouth. We continue to try different bottles, nipples, flows, textures, baby cereal and juice....ANYTHING that will get him interested in eating. We have been taught to make eating a pleasurable experience and so that's just what we try to do. The speech therapist is coming out next week to do her initial evaluation and to get started working with Owen so he can actually get some nutrition the normal way. Her first suggestion was to buy this space saver high chair because it's smaller for him .. happened to be $20 off at Target this week...and we LOVE it!!!
She also suggested that we try putting his rice cereal baby food on the tray and just let him PLAY in it and smash it around in hopes that he'll bring his messy hands up to his lips and taste it. Apparently he doesn't like to be messy and sticky and wouldn't touch the cereal. We'll keep trying this! Kamryn LOVES to try to feed him and is very patient with him. Here she is tyring to give him a taste of cereal on his lips... he was having NOTHING to do with it.
Ooooo... sissy snuck some into his mouth! I'm not positive, but by the looks of this face... he's not LOVING it, but he's not grimacing at us either. After this SINGLE taste... he seals his lips shut!
Better luck next time Sissy... you are the best big sister ever!! Thank goodness for the NG tube... at least he gets enough nutrition to chunk up.
After 10 minutes of TRYING to eat some baby cereal, and attempting to drink from the bottle... we wore poor Owen out. NAP TIME!
She also suggested that we try putting his rice cereal baby food on the tray and just let him PLAY in it and smash it around in hopes that he'll bring his messy hands up to his lips and taste it. Apparently he doesn't like to be messy and sticky and wouldn't touch the cereal. We'll keep trying this! Kamryn LOVES to try to feed him and is very patient with him. Here she is tyring to give him a taste of cereal on his lips... he was having NOTHING to do with it.
Ooooo... sissy snuck some into his mouth! I'm not positive, but by the looks of this face... he's not LOVING it, but he's not grimacing at us either. After this SINGLE taste... he seals his lips shut!
Better luck next time Sissy... you are the best big sister ever!! Thank goodness for the NG tube... at least he gets enough nutrition to chunk up.
After 10 minutes of TRYING to eat some baby cereal, and attempting to drink from the bottle... we wore poor Owen out. NAP TIME!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
5 Month Comparison
It's official....my kids look NOTHING alike! This is a picture of Kamryn when she was 5 months. Of course this was 8 years ago and we didn't even have digital cameras yet. I didn't realize she was eating food so early...but there she is knawing away on a cold cucumber! They both have beautiful baby blues, blond locks, and appear to both be long and lean. But....the similarities kinda stop there.
Here is Owen at 5 months!! We had a cardiology appt today and he's up to 13lb 6oz --25"-- he's on the growth chart and steadily climbing. 
Owen's 5 month facts...
Accomplishments
*Smiles at everything
*Prefers people to toys
*Hates tummy time but can now lift up his head
*Grasps toys
*Chews on his fingers
*Chuckles...but only a couple times
*Sleeps 12 hours through the night as long as he has his binki and Snort
*LOVES his Snort (red bull beanie baby)
Challenges
*Won't take a bottle ...chews on the nipple and plays with it
*Tastes bites of rice cereal IF we put it on his gums and he only allows a few tastes
*Weaning the doses on some of his bazillion meds....
--Captopril (heart med)
--Digoxin (heart med that helps squeeze)
--Sildenafil (otherwise known as viagra ... pulmonary hypertension med)
--Aldactone (supposed to help heart function)
--Lasix (diuretic)
--Diuril (diuretic)
--Prevacid (heartburn)
--Asprin (blood thinner)
*Weaning off the O2 this week
*Physical & Speech Therapy once a week
When I look back on the past 5 months I can't help but be amazed at all of Owen's accomplishments!! He has overcome a lot -- 2 open heart surgeries, 2 cardiac caths, 70 days total in ICU -- and he is still keeping up with all the other munchkins his age. We are really starting to push the feeding issue at this point...if anyone has any advice...I'm ALL ears! HAPPY 5 MONTHS BUDDY!!
Here is Owen at 5 months!! We had a cardiology appt today and he's up to 13lb 6oz --25"-- he's on the growth chart and steadily climbing. 
Owen's 5 month facts...Accomplishments
*Smiles at everything
*Prefers people to toys
*Hates tummy time but can now lift up his head
*Grasps toys
*Chews on his fingers
*Chuckles...but only a couple times
*Sleeps 12 hours through the night as long as he has his binki and Snort
*LOVES his Snort (red bull beanie baby)
Challenges
*Won't take a bottle ...chews on the nipple and plays with it
*Tastes bites of rice cereal IF we put it on his gums and he only allows a few tastes
*Weaning the doses on some of his bazillion meds....
--Captopril (heart med)
--Digoxin (heart med that helps squeeze)
--Sildenafil (otherwise known as viagra ... pulmonary hypertension med)
--Aldactone (supposed to help heart function)
--Lasix (diuretic)
--Diuril (diuretic)
--Prevacid (heartburn)
--Asprin (blood thinner)
*Weaning off the O2 this week
*Physical & Speech Therapy once a week
When I look back on the past 5 months I can't help but be amazed at all of Owen's accomplishments!! He has overcome a lot -- 2 open heart surgeries, 2 cardiac caths, 70 days total in ICU -- and he is still keeping up with all the other munchkins his age. We are really starting to push the feeding issue at this point...if anyone has any advice...I'm ALL ears! HAPPY 5 MONTHS BUDDY!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
