Welcome to Pacen's blog!
Today he is 2 months old, and what a journey we have already been through.
His 2 month well child check up is scheduled for 21December & Gastro 22 December
Two month milestones: Holding his head up more consistently, rolling to his sides, smiles, cooing, little pterodactyl shrieks, tracking objects and people, recognizing voices and people. He sleeps from 11pm-2am and 2:30am-545 or 6am.
His 2 month well child check up is scheduled for 21December & Gastro 22 December
Two month milestones: Holding his head up more consistently, rolling to his sides, smiles, cooing, little pterodactyl shrieks, tracking objects and people, recognizing voices and people. He sleeps from 11pm-2am and 2:30am-545 or 6am.
We will be praying that the One who knit him together in your womb (Psalm 139) will heal him of anything that may be wrong and help him to gain weight. Nothing is impossible for God!!! (Thanks for these kind words Chris!)
Here are his weights to catch you up to where he is currently at.
19October2011
Birth: 6 lbs 13 oz 20"
Week 1: 6 lbs 6 oz 20"
We were told it is normal for a child to lose some weight after birth, and they usually catch back up after a week or two, the doctor wanted us to come back in for a weight check in a week.
We were told it is normal for a child to lose some weight after birth, and they usually catch back up after a week or two, the doctor wanted us to come back in for a weight check in a week.
Week 2: 6 lbs 3 oz 20"
Still losing weight, we go through the normal "how long does he nurse for?", "how many wet and poopy diapers is he going through in a day", "how is he sleeping" routine.
Still losing weight, we go through the normal "how long does he nurse for?", "how many wet and poopy diapers is he going through in a day", "how is he sleeping" routine.
Week 3: 5 lbs 15 oz 20"
Still losing weight. He should be back up to his birth weight by now, but we got a slip of paper to come back in for another weight check next week since he has lost almost 1 whole pound. This is when I started giving Pacen 1 oz of formula after he would nurse, I pumped to keep my supply up. Most times he would vomit it back up because he was too full and his belly would be bloated.
Still losing weight. He should be back up to his birth weight by now, but we got a slip of paper to come back in for another weight check next week since he has lost almost 1 whole pound. This is when I started giving Pacen 1 oz of formula after he would nurse, I pumped to keep my supply up. Most times he would vomit it back up because he was too full and his belly would be bloated.
Week 4: 6 lbs 3 oz 21"
Pacen gained some weight, but not enough for what a normal baby should gain each day. Most kids gain 25-30 grams per day. We get another slip of paper to come back in the next week for a weight check. At this point I was still giving him an ounce of formula after he ate. He still spit up most of the formula.
Pacen gained some weight, but not enough for what a normal baby should gain each day. Most kids gain 25-30 grams per day. We get another slip of paper to come back in the next week for a weight check. At this point I was still giving him an ounce of formula after he ate. He still spit up most of the formula.
Week 5: 6 lbs 4 oz 21"
One ounce up from last week. Another slip of paper to schedule a weight check for the next week.
One ounce up from last week. Another slip of paper to schedule a weight check for the next week.
1December2011 - Thursday
Week 6: 6 lbs 6 oz 21" This is when Dr. Harwood decided Pacen would need to be hospitalized for Failure to Thrive. Hospitalized to run some blood tests to see why he wasn't gaining, monitor his input and out put. We left his 6 week weight check, and I took Pacen home to pack a suitcase for a few days worth of things while he was at the hospital in Alamogordo. Once we arrived at the hospital Pacen was weighed again on their scale. 6 lbs 6 oz. He had urine and stool samples taken, blood work done, and an ultrasound of his belly to see what his little organs were up to.
2 December 2011 - Friday
Dr. Harwood wanted to monitor exact ounces that Pacen was taking, so I pumped and fed Pacen formula for 24 hours. He vomited a lot of it back up. But we kept at it. Finally I was able to feed him just breast milk again. He had more blood taken, and another urine sample. We continued to monitor his input and output of fluids.
3 December 2011 - Saturday
Another day, another day. More feeding, diaper changing, napping, and feeding. Dr. Harwood visited every day to make sure we were doing ok. More blood work was done, and Dr. Harwood said the ultrasound of Pacen's abdomin was normal.
4 December 2011 - Sunday
Pacen and I were transported to El Paso to Providence Childrens Hospital. We arrived about 2:30 PM, got settled into our room and met with his new pediatrician that would be caring for him during our stay in El Paso. Dr. Sterner was great, she answered all of my questions and talked me through Pacen's plan of care. More blood work, urine samples, and repeating the abdominal ultrasound. Levi & Merik drove down, and stayed in the hotel across the street from the hospital.
5 December 2011 - Monday
We met with the pediatric GI doctor, Dr. Santos. He wanted me to continue pumping so we could track Pacen's input, and add extra calories into pumped bottles of breast milk. Grandma Reba flew into El Paso from Iowa to come help out and take Merik back to Alamogordo so Levi could help me care for Pacen at the hospital. Pacen weighed in at 6 lbs 14 oz. FINALLY reaching one ounce above his birth weight.
6 December 2011 - Tuesday
Pacen weighed in at 7 lbs .4 oz , Dr. Santos wanted us to continue using the calorie supplements because he seemed to be responding well to them. Another day of waiting, feeding, changing, and documenting every tiny milliliter of fluid going into his body.
Pacen weighed in at 7 lbs .4 oz , Dr. Santos wanted us to continue using the calorie supplements because he seemed to be responding well to them. Another day of waiting, feeding, changing, and documenting every tiny milliliter of fluid going into his body.
7 lbs 2 oz. The doctors could see Pacen was gaining weight being on his strict regimen of 60 ML's of breast milk and one packet of calorie supplement. He decided we could go home that afternoon. His diagnosis: Pacen's liver does not process fats and proteins correctly to digest, so he was using all of his energy processing his food instead of growing. It is something he will outgrow. Follow up with your primary Pediatrician on Friday. We were given a perscription for breast milk fortifier packets.
9 December 2011 - Friday
7 lbs 4 oz. I explained to Dr. Harwood that I had tried to fill the RX on base, Wal-Mart & Walgreens and no one had the fortifier packets or even knew what they were. Dr. Harwood called the hospital here, Ruidoso, & Las Cruces pharmacies for them, no one has them. So now we are told to add 1/2 ounce of prepared formula to 2 oz of breast milk. Also to come back in for another weight check the next week. And he also write a referral for Pacen to see the GI doctor again the following week.
16 December 2011 - Friday
7 lbs 6 oz. Dr. Harwood said he would like to see Pacen gain more than that. I can't force feed him, and I don't know how much he gets if I nurse him, so I am still pumping and making bottles for him and adding the formula. 2 oz of breast milk, and 1/2 ounce of formula. I ended up finding a fortification table and recipe for adding formula to breast milk to make it higher in calories per ounce. So we are doing 2 oz of breast milk with 1 teaspoon of formula to make it 25 calories per ounce. Normal formula and breast milk is 20 calories per ounce.
No comments:
Post a Comment