Supplemental Nursing System

Sometimes I feel that we make one step forward and two steps back. Sigh. After being so excited that Cerise finally gained weight last week, I feel we're back to square one. The medicine that the pedia-cardio gave to relieve the pressure from the lungs is a diuretic. Meaning, Cerise will be urinating more often and consequently may lose weight. Since she is peeing more often, this is suppose to make her want to feed more also. But as it is, she takes the same amount of milk and maybe even less now. Sigh again.

I bought her these Breast Flow bottles that's suppose to mimic the breast. It has two nipples that regulates the flow of the milk. Only when baby sucks can the milk come out. At first, she readily took to it and was taking enough milk in a day. I think she gained weight already when she started taking this bottle. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, she just rejected it. No warning, no symptoms. Just no bottle. I tried the Evenflo bottles. I tried Avent. I even went back to the Pigeon bottles that she used to drink from with breastmilk. Still no progress.

I was able to feed her with a sippy spout that Alyssa used to take when she was an older baby. The spout is closed and liquid will only flow when sucked. The beauty of this is that the baby is able to regulate her milk intake. Cerise took to that and can drink in it but only in small amounts. She refuses to drink more than half an ounce in that cup. Frustrating, really!

I'd like to monitor the quantity of her milk intake so I can see how much she's drinking in a day. For her age, infants usually take in 3-4 ounces in a 4-5 hour period. That's about 20-24 ounces a day. I checked the Dr. Sears book and it says that 2-2 1/2 ounces per pound is a better way of quantifying a baby's milk intake. Since Cerise is 3.5kg, she should be taking 15 to 20 ounces a day. As it is, she barely reaches 10 ounces although we can't really quantify the breastmilk she gets from direct breastfeeding.

Then I thought of researching about the Supplemental Nursing System of Medela. I wasn't sure if this would help but I was thinking since Cerise preferred feeding directly from me, this would enable her to get more milk without jeopardizing also my breastmilk production. Good friend, Jen Tan of Next9 slings was able to hook me up with Medela Moms and I was finally able to get this:

This works by attaching a tube (connected to supplemented milk) right beside your nipple to allow baby to suck on the breast while getting milk. This is usually used by adopting mothers who wish to breastfeed. It is a good way to relactate and to feed preemies or slow weight gaining babies. I thought this would be perfect for Cerise! Good thing Medela Moms has this in stock!

I tried using it tonight. Not easy! It takes practice for you to shoot the tube into the baby's mouth. Cerise was getting frustrated at first. But we were able to manage and she was able to take in one ounce of milk. I tried using the medium tube at first but will try the bigger tube tomorrow for faster milk intake. I hope that this would enable Cerise to take in more milk so she'll gain already.

We'll be seeing a pedia-endocrinologist when we go to Manila. Cerise's pedia here in CDO recommends it. My friend, Dr. Zeka Tatad-To also suggested the same thing and mentioned that most failure to thrive babies is an endocrinological problem. I hope that we finally find out why Cerise is not gaining weight so we can address it right away.

However, amidst all the trials she is facing, Cerise remains to be an alert and active baby. She loves looking at her play gym friends and talks to anyone who would listen to her, usually mommy or her sisters. :-) I hope that she'll be ok soon for her sake and for my sanity.

Small Steps

Cerise had her 2D Echo yesterday. The holes in her heart (PDA, 2 VSD's and 1 PFO) are still there but have reduced in size already. Praise God! I also weighed her in the pedia's office and she has gained another 100 grams. I am so relieved! 100 grams in 2 days! Things are looking brighter for her and I am so happy! I know that things will be better soon.

The pedia-cardio said that the condition of her heart is not bad enough to be the reason for her failure to thrive. Honestly, I think it is all a combination of problems in her health that caused it. Her heart, anemia and the sepsis. She was given an additional medicine to help relieve the pressure from her lungs which consequently can help her gain more. Slowly, these problems are being addressed and I think Cerise is on her way to recovery. :-)

Hopeful

It has been quite a hectic week and a roller coaster of emotions for us. Cerise went to see her pediatrician again last week to assess her growth and if she has improved with the steps that we have undertaken. It was disheartening to find out that again she did not gain weight. Her weight two weeks ago was the same as last week! How can that be? It was so frustrating. I could feel the pain in my heart boring a deep hole. I've sacrificed and worked hard in helping her gain and yet it was all in vain.

Her doctor suggested to supplement my breastmilk with formula. If he asked me that a month or a week ago, I might have said no and let me work on her weight gain through breastmilk. But right then and there I felt that I needed to give her formula too. I wanted her to gain weight so badly already before it's too late, before I regret it, before something happens that might be detrimental to her health.

He also recommended that Cerise be checked by a pedia-gastroenterologist when we go to Manila. And since we'd be going to Manila on the 18th pa, Mier and I decided that Cerise and I should fly off for a few days to have Cerise checked immediately. We were able to get in touch with a pedia-gastro from St. Luke's Hospital and bought tickets right away.

Thank God the pedia-gastro cleared Cerise from liver and abdominal problems. She said that she believes that this isn't a metabolic problem and that Cerise expends too much energy breastfeeding. She suggested that I quantify her milk intake by pumping milk and giving it to her through a bottle. Cerise should be taking 8oz of milk aside from breastfeeding.

Honestly, I don't think I can pump 8oz of milk everyday. Although I do have stored milk at home, this won't be enough and it would be a struggle for me to reach that goal. Pumping takes time. As it is, I am taking too much time with Cerise already. I need to be able to bond with the other girls too. Thus, with a heavy heart, I've decided to continue to mix feeding. My goal is for Cerise to gain weight as soon as possible and if formula is the key for that then it is so. I tried my best and did what I could.

I went to have Cerise checked again yesterday, this time by a pedia-cardiologist. It was great to find out that Cerise finally gained! 100 grams. Not much but something. I am hopeful that things will get better soon. We are scheduled for a 2D Echo tomorrow and I pray that I will hear good news.

I forgot to mention, on our way home from Manila, Cerise was crying in the plane. She refused to feed either from the breast or the bottle and I was feeling really down. But when I looked out of the window, there was a rainbow among the clouds. Not a full one, just half a rainbow and I wasn't sure if it was visible only to me. But I felt God's presence and his assurance that all will be well. I am hopeful.