So, back to our accessory. Reese has been sporting a nasogastric tube (NG tube for short) since November 18th. Her weight gain had started to slow & she was just getting too tuckered out during her feedings. Both the home health nurse & cardiologist thought this was the best solution.
Please don't mind the crusted milk on my lips - I'm a messy eater
So now we offer her a bottle every 3 hours. She takes what she can by mouth & when she gets tired, we finish via the NG tube. She gets continuous feedings administered through a pump at night to pack in some extra calories. This method has definitely worked. Reese weighed 10.8 pounds at our last appointment & is tracking nicely on her growth curve.
Reese has amazing aunts & cousins that help out with her meals
Now she's getting the calories she needs to plump up & get stronger in preparation for surgery. Her cardiologist is pleased as punch with her progress & sees no reason to set her surgery date anytime soon. On one hand, I'm thrilled that her heart is showing no obvious signs of failure & we are granted the precious gift of time to allow her body to gain strength. On the other hand, the waiting game is torture & I absolutely hate watching her struggle with the simple acts of breathing & eating. I cannot begin to tell you how relieved this household will be once we get her little ticker fixed.
In the meantime, we are just enjoying her metamorphosis from not-doing-much-of-anything newborn to the smiling, cooing baby she is today. She honestly is the happiest bundle I've ever seen.
