Bottle feeding progress

The stubborn determination of hope

Posted on by amberhj

Good news. Stella is back to taking in about half of her daily calories from the bottle, just as she did before the recent regression.

However.

My feeling is that the tube is preventing her from recovering completely. I believe that it exacerbates her reflux and makes swallowing more difficult. I found and paid for two medical research papers that support my beliefs. I hope that she proves me wrong, and soon, but I am unconvinced that our current mode of treatment will enable Stella to return to 100% normal bottle feeding. I am ready to take urgent action. I am questioning the medical establishment and ready to try something else.

I learned about and have been in touch with a renowned feeding clinic in Austria. Their cold-turkey approach to tube weaning is radically different that what is practiced here in the states. They believe that the baby or child must drive their own intake, rather than the tube. They share my belief that tubes, over time, worsen aversions and lead to tube dependency. They have studied the topic for over 15 years and have a success rate of 92-95%, depending on the age group. The doctor who runs the feeding clinic told me that Stella’s age is ideal for weaning and that we may be able to achieve it through email coaching, rather than having to go all the way to Austria–although I am eager and willing to go to Pluto if that’s what it takes.

The drawback to this method, what is called the “Graz” approach, is simple. The babies and children treated may not gain weight for a month or two. I believe that Stella would be on the shorter of those timeframes, since she already takes half of her formula orally and the clinic treats many children who are 100% tube fed. Stella will be hungry and not fed until she asks for food. This may seem harsh to some, but I believe it makes sense. I believe that Stella, if able to have more control over her eating and freed from the discomfort and difficulties of the tube, would respond very well. But she would need some time to pull through once the tube is removed. Most doctors here are not willing to let a baby have low or no weight gain for any period of time, so the tube stays in. They, of course, have the babies’ best interests in mind, but they seem beholden to the tube and unaware of, or too willing to overlook, its detrimental effects in the name of weight gain. I believe that any short term weight gain delay would be more than made up for with the restoration of a healthy relationship with food and the resulting appropriate, baby-driven weight gain that would follow.

Stella’s life was never in danger. The tube was placed for therapeutic purposes, not just to help her gain weight. The tube was helpful in allowing Stella to say “no” and be heard, instead of constantly being force-fed, which must’ve been very traumatic for her. The tube took the fight away from eating. The tube has enabled her to make progress. But I believe that we have reached a point at which the tube’s negatives outweigh the positives. And I am ready to take bold action in the face of a lot of opposition in order to do what I believe is best for her.

Cody and I are going to consult with her occupational therapist and pediatrician on this. We will continue to bring Stella to a cranial osteopath. We are going to do some research into the Graz method and the Austrian clinic. And then we are going to decide how to proceed. Of course, in the meantime, we would love to see Stella down bottles left and right, thereby eliminating the need for tough decisions or new approaches.

Even on gut-wrenching days when Stella resists the bottle like it’s full of toxic waste, there is an incredibly wishful part of me that looks to the next bottle as a possible turning point. There is a clump of raw hope that sits smoldering in my chest like an ember in the darkness. It’s always there. And it’s going to light the way to a tube-free Stella.

88

Posted on by amberhj

First off, I have to wonder, do all four-month-olds yell at their parents like pissed-off NYC taxi drivers in Manhattan rush-hour traffic? Stella’s got a good set of lungs and/or pipes. And she uses them non-stop lately. Of course, five seconds after shouting with a furrowed brow, she’s smiling. Then she’s on the verge of tears. The she’s hollering as if filling me in on her deeply held political opinions. Then laughing. And so on.

She averaged 88 mls per bottle today. That included one 130-ml bottle, and one 40-ml bottle. The latter came at 11pm, three hours after the amazing 130-ml performance. She was exhausted, screaming and just wanted to go to sleep. So it barely even counts in our minds. We just hope we didn’t push her too much. It’s such a delicate balance, knowing how far to push and when to let go and use the pump, and we still struggle with it at times.

If it weren’t for that last bottle, she would’ve averaged close to 100. She continues to progress. And this evening, we realized something about her progress. I did a quick scan of the spreadsheet, looking at weekends and holidays, and my suspicion was confirmed: Most of her best days happen when Cody is home, even if I do most of the feedings. His presence makes me feel better–more calm and secure. Therefore, I see the numbers as proof that our attitude and energy directly influence Stella’s eating.  While my mental state doesn’t drive her intake completely, it clearly has an impact. I thought I knew this already. But somewhere deep down, I guess I didn’t fully buy into it. Well, there’s really no denying it now.

So, I still need to take better care of myself. Eat more, rest more, be around people more, do things I enjoy, etc., so that when Cody’s not around, I’m feeling strong and calm. What’s good for me is good for Stella. So bring on the champagne, massages and new shoes! Okay, and maybe yoga, exercise, healthy, hearty meals and time with my fabulous friends.

On that note, I wish you an early “Happy New Year!”

Fear

Posted on by amberhj

Stella took a step back today. But I keep telling myself that it’s okay. That it’s to be expected. Just part of the process. And her total bottle intake today, on a decidedly so-so day, is higher than what we saw on an average day just a few weeks ago.

Of course, we can’t help but feel let down and look eagerly toward her next upswing.

At her first feeding, the nipple clogged four times (the thickener is likely to blame). She wanted to eat, but only had so much patience. The fact that she went back to the bottle three times in one feeding (after three nipple changes)  is encouraging. In the afternoon, I think her reflux was a major factor. I heard the telltale gurgles and gulping several times during the feeding, but she still managed to take 80 mls, which isn’t bad at all. This evening, after a very, very long nap, she “should” have been quite hungry but was fussy and only took 50 mls. We decided to skip the pump and try again with the bottle an hour later, at which time she took another 55, somewhat begrudgingly. After that, we had to give a bunch by pump as she’d fallen behind in terms of her caloric intake for the day.

It’s so perplexing to us how she can go from taking 135 mls in one feeding yesterday, to taking just 50 in one feeding today. While the overall trend is upward, it still feels like she’s all over the place, and the highs and lows are emotionally exhausting. I wanted to hurl the bottle across the room with all my might again this evening, but I didn’t. I guess I deserve a lame-ass pat on the back for that bit of restraint. *Overly dramatic sigh.*

Underneath all the pep talks and tears and thrown bottles and every other reaction and coping mechanism under our family’s sun is big fat ugly old FEAR. In just a couple of weeks, she’ll have had the NG tube for two whole calendar months. There’s a little voice inside my head, a tiny neurotic bastard, who keeps asking undermining questions and making incredibly stupid statements such as,”Shouldn’t she be further along by now?” “Wow, she really doesn’t want to eat this morning. We’re screwed.” “What if she never takes enough by bottle and has to have one of those surgically inserted tubes that goes right into your stomach?” “Is the NG tube making her reflux and swallowing worse and will it eventually ruin everything?” “That feeding didn’t go well at all–maybe she’s finally had it!”

The truth is that when I really stop and think about her feeding issue, I get very, very scared. So afraid that, at times, I can barely stand it. It’s physically uncomfortable. It takes the form of that deep pain in the pit of my stomach during some feedings and a stubbornly low appetite, which is so not me.

When I was pregnant with Stella, fear completely overtook me on more than one occasion. I worried that something I’d eaten or applied to my skin would hurt her. I also fell down our icy front steps one morning and proceeded to bawl my eyes out during a meeting at work. Yup. The shred of a thought of an inkling of a possibility of harm coming to her (combined with all the hormones) was too much to handle. Too many times, I became very concerned because I had not felt her kick in what felt like a reasonable time. But I swear to you that whenever I became really, really worried about not having felt her move, I would tell Cody about it, and at that very moment she would dance on my kidneys. It was absolutely uncanny. With her incredibly timely kicks, she was telling me to chill the hell out. I got the feeling that she could sense my worry and wanted to ease it.

In a way, she does the same thing these days. Just when we’re feeling sickenly worried and downright discouraged about her eating, she’ll go and polish off an entire bottle. And voila! All hope is renewed and there is light and justice and peace in the world. Birds and angels sing, rainbows appear, and for at least a little while, I am neither scared nor worried. I am free of all that heaviness, and we dance lightly around the house like the silly fools we are.

We set ’em up. Stella knocks ’em down.

Posted on by amberhj

Another triumphant feeding! Daddy and Stella celebrate after Stella takes 135 mls from the bottle!

Another triumphant feeding! Daddy and Stella celebrate after Stella takes 135 mls from the bottle!

Cody, Stella and I had a relaxing holiday weekend. I’m sad that it’s over and that Cody will have to return to work tomorrow. He’s been working a lot, which has been tough. Just having him around makes me feel better, and Stella loves it, too.

When I get down, he helps pick me up, and vice versa. Of course, when feeding doesn’t go well, we both feel discouraged and can sometimes work together to find the positives and pull ourselves up together.

This weekend, we realized that our standards had really risen in regards to Stella’s eating. We found ourselves feeling bummed when she took “only” 70 to 80 mls. We had to step back and remind ourselves that not long ago, that was considered a good feeding! 

Today is an interesting example. She had only four bottles because she slept so much, and because we gave her the usual two feedings via pump while she slept. The average number of mls she took per bottle was 111.75 (yes, we are that exact). Remember, her formula has 24 calories per ounce instead of the usual 20 calories per ounce, so she gets more calories with less volume–big feedings can really exacerbate reflux.

She complained a bit before her first feeding, but other than that, she accepted the bottle right away and was very comfortable while eating. Stella has come so very far! This whole feeding fiasco–or should I call it a “challenge” instead–has been an exercise in the power and importance of positive thinking. Slowly but surely, I’m learning.

Tonight, I returned the hospital grade breast pump that I rented two months ago. I was surprised by how emotional I got during this seemingly simple errand. I cried a lot and it really caught me off-guard. Then again, that pump and I, we spent so much time together. We worked so hard! We were side by side through the scariest times with Stella. When she didn’t want to eat and I thought her health was in serious danger and that it was my fault. When my milk supply was low because she wasn’t taking enough. When we had no idea what was going on with Stella and were desperate to get answers.

I tried. I really, really tried. Hundreds of ounces of breastmilk still sit in our freezer.

I tried. I really, really tried. Hundreds of ounces of breastmilk still sit in our freezer. Just can't bring myself to dump it. Too much effort and love went into making it. I'm wondering if I can donate it somewhere.

That huge, yellow pump became a fixture in our living room. It represented my long, last, and intense effort to continue breastfeeding Stella–and I suppose I had a hard time letting the pump go for that reason. Breastfeeding was what I wanted for her, and for me. I really miss the closeness that we enjoyed through breastfeeding. The proud and assured feeling that I was giving her the very best nutrition. The knowledge that I was nurturing her in such a direct and intimate way. I am grieving the loss of breastfeeding, though it’s not as sharp as when she had her first bottle of formula, or when I stopped pumping a couple of weeks ago. Even though formula truly helped Stella thrive by getting her comfortable and willing to eat, part of me really feels like Stella and I are missing out on something. However, toward the end of my time with this impressive piece of machinery, pumping was taking away more than it was giving us. 

At the hospital,  Stella was put on hypoallergenic formula “temporarily” to see how she’d do and to allow the doctors to do their assessment. (Of course, it didn’t turn out to be temporary, as stool testing showed that the switch helped Stella in many ways. I think that deep down, I actually knew that it would not be temporary, or at least I feared that would be the case.) I was pumping eight times a day even though it wasn’t clear if she’d ever safely be able to enjoy breastmilk again without jeopardizing her comfort and willingness to eat. I’d given up soy and dairy for the cause, which was difficult but wouldn’t have been as big a deal if anxiety wasn’t already beating the crap out of my appetite. 

Feeding Stella with the bottle, then the tube/pump is time-consuming and then to have to pump myself–it was too much for me to handle. I wanted more time to spend just being with and enjoying Stella instead of operating various pumps for hours a day. I needed rest, which was impossible with having to wake up to feed her via tube and stay up to pump. As my friend and cousin Regan pointed out, breastmilk is very beneficial to babies. But just as if not more beneficial? Happy, healthy moms.

Happy and healthy is how we can now describe Stella. Sure, I wish breastfeeding worked out for us. But it didn’t. It’s that pesky parenting lesson that keeps popping up! In short, sometimes things don’t work out like you planned or hoped or envisioned, and you just have to make the best of it. Besides, I have three months of fond breastfeeding memories to hold onto. I remember nursing her for 30 minutes right after she was born. I remember her first few weeks, when she’d wake up hungry in the middle of the night, and Cody would change her diaper and then place this beautiful, tiny, wriggling little baby next to me. She’d be crying and squirming and sucking on her hands–and then she’d latch on and suddenly be so peaceful. Later, that all changed and breastfeeding was not so peaceful, of course. But I’m so glad we had those early experiences together. And, stepping away from my emotional attachment to breastfeeding, I’m so very glad that the formula took away much of the pain Stella was experiencing.

She may no longer get my milk, but she’ll always get my best! I just love her so much. And that’s really all there is to it.

Merry Christmas!

Posted on by amberhj

Stella's first Christmas.

Stella's first Christmas rocked (and rolled).

I thought Stella’s holiday outfit made her look like a candy cane. Cody said it made her look like an escapee from Leprechaun Prison. Either way, she looked adorable.

Sleepy after eating too much ham and sweet potato pie, it’s time for us to hit the hay. Just wanted to wish everyone a very happy holiday, and inform you that Stella raised the bar in the feeding department. She took 530 mls by bottle, which is outstanding progress. A new record! And a very thoughtful Christmas gift for her parents–she really nailed it.

Just as importantly, she rolled from her belly to her back for the first time in weeks, saw and talked to her grandparents, great-grandfather, auntie and uncle via Skype, and helped me and Daddy cook Christmas dinner. A very merry day indeed. Hope yours was grand!

Hope in a bottle

Posted on by amberhj

Okay.

Some days, the bottle looms so large that it casts a shadow over everything–but only because I let it. Because I’m so very, very tired and incredibly discouraged and wishing to the point of physical aching that Stella would just eat.

I mean, can you imagine if someone begged you, on their hands and knees, to eat tons more than you actually do? Wouldn’t you lose your mind due to the sheer abundance of joy and calories? What’s so crazy about all this is that there was a time years ago when I went to really unhealthy lengths to stay thin. Not anymore. But nwo I have a daughter who at four months won’t willingly eat enough. It’s circular and messed up and if I think about it too hard my brain hurts.

We had a bit of a tough day. Well, to be more accurate, I had a tough day. Stella was fine. She wasn’t enthused about eating. But she slept a lot, had fun with mommy and a bunch of new toys from her aunties, went for a walk, and just generally had a grand old time.  Really, she was fine, even though her tube came out again. Ugh. I’d like to point out that she doesn’t yank it out on purpose. She has a habit of grasping whatever is near her, and guess what? Her tube is always near her and if you take your eye off her for .2 seconds, she’ll grab it and flail her arms in her usual fashion except this time, because the tube happens to be in her chubby, cute, scrumptious-looking little paw, the tube comes flying out, the tape is torn from her face and my stomach drops to the floor with a loud thud. It’s happened way too many times, so upon seeing her waving the end of the tube around, the end that is supposed to be inside her tummy and not flapping around in the air, I resolved to NEVER let it happen again. It’s torture to put back in, and Cody and I fear that it exacerbates her reluctance to eat due to the irritation it causes to her throat. So, I hereby declare that the excess length of tube will now always be shoved down her onesie/outfit when not in use. I will  secure the bit that extends from the “tape” (Replicare underneath the tube with Tegaderm on top) behind her ear. I will watch her with even  more hawk-like intensity, removing the tube from her stunningly strong baby grip as soon as she snags it. So that’s settled anyway. Stressful, but settled.

In related news, Cody and I started going to a couples counselor. Being a new parent is really stressful. And being a new parent of a child with an NG tube is, I am pretty sure, even more stressful. And conflict inevitably arises. And it helps to have an objective, educated, helpful and kind third party to help work things out before they blow up in our faces. We believe that maintaining a strong relationship between is as important to Stella as solving her eating issue. Really. Our energy, the way we treat each other, the way we deal with conflict and stress, it all gets fed to Stella just like her $43-per-can hypoallergenic formula. It’s an eye-opening experience that really just boils down to us both learning how to deal with stress in healthier, more compatible ways. I am learning to not take my frustration out on Cody. And Cody is learning to not withdraw from me. We realized in our first appointment that “The Tube” has become an entity unto itself. It is the focus of a lot of attention and fear. We talk about “The Tube” like it’s Darth Vader, tempting us to the dark side. Well, I do anyway, and I’m working on letting all that go, which can only be good for all of us.

So, after her Obama-like, hope-filled weekend of feeding pr0gress, she’s had a downturn. There are some clogged nipples to blame, as the thickener we use in her bottles requires intense emulsification efforts–involving whisks, shaking, large containers and gourmet chefs–to blend properly or else little blobs of the goo will block the flow from the nipple. There are also ripped nipples and impatient moms (me) to blame. In an effort to clear out and prevent clogging, I aggressively cleaned those problematic bottle nipples with a tiny little Dr. Brown’s bottle brush and, without realizing it, tore the holes wide open so that formula gushed out at a pace that probably traumatized Stella. I felt horrible upon realizing what I’d done.

But in spite of everything, tonight at 9pm, after a discouraging day of what seemed like feeding regression and a blunderful gmail video chat attempt with my family back east, Stella downed a whole bottle in five minutes. If we’d had champagne on hand, I’d have popped that cork in a second and sprayed the alcoholic fizz all over Cody and Stella as if we’d just won the Superbowl. But we didn’t have any bubbly available, so we danced to The Kinks’ “Picture Book” again and ate Boston Baked Brownie Cake. I couldn’t imagine a better Christmas eve, really. I hope yours was just as good.

“We’re gonna need a bigger bottle.”

Posted on by amberhj

I said that this afternoon, when Stella finished a bottle and was sucking on the empty nipple. We were flying so high. (I apologize in advance for a less than sparkling post. I’m very tired and a bit grumpy, and lack the patience required for halfway decent writing, something I really care about and aspire to provide.)

This weekend. Stella took bottle after bottle–sometimes not finishing completely, but close enough. We weren’t even using the tube, except during the night feedings.

But then, a few hours ago, she pulled out her tube, even ripping the tape off of her cheek, leaving behind a pink patch. The feeding after that was a little rocky. She took 88 mls, still quite good, but during the feeding that followed, she was barely sucking and only took 20. To feed her, I still lightly swaddle her to keep her calm and stand up, with her in my right arm. After weeks of practice, I know how to use my hip to support a lot of her weight. But I often get a terrible pain in the pit of my stomach while feeding her. I don’t know if I’m developing an ulcer or it’s simply a matter of still having an unhealthy amount of hope and emotion and fear hinged on each feeding such that it affects me physically.

I’d let my hopes and expectations get so high that this setback (the 20-ml feeding) felt like a crushing blow. I jumped to the worst case scenario and wondered if the tube coming out was some kind of disastrous last straw that irritated her throat and erased her seemingly new and positive attitude toward eating. Cody urged me to step back and see it as the tiny blip it was. I’m actually embarrassed for getting so upset about it, given how incredibly well she is doing overall. Clearly, I still haven’t come to peace with the tube’s presence, as much as I try to accept it as the helpful and temporary tool it is. Then again, emotional raggedness and impatience comes with sleep deprivation and stress. I know that I need to be gentle and patient with Stella as she progresses at her own pace. And it just dawned on me that I need to treat myself the same way.

We just put the tube back in and as usual she was upset for a couple minutes, but settled down quickly. I can’t help but hope that this is the last tube. That we’ve put it back in for the last time. It’s quite possible. She has come so far. But we can’t rush this. She is where she is with feeding, and to fight that or be at odds with it is ridiculous and helps no one.

We took a walk in the snow tonight to show Stella some of the more dazzling Christmas light displays in our neighborhood, from decked out palm trees to a grand, electricity-hogging envisioning of Santa’s workshop. She was mesmerized.

During our stroll, we came across a sweet, sociable adolescent boy playing alone in the snow. His excited energy was in stark contrast to the tranquility of the dark, quiet, snow-filled streets. He encouraged us to make snow angels, informed us of the week’s weather forecast (more snow on Christmas eve? Awesome!), and told us how much fun he was having. I wanted to kidnap/adopt him. I’m not sure why, but as we went on our way, he wished us, “Good luck!” He had no idea how perfect a farewell that was.

Stella’s four-month shots made her a bit crankier than usual for a day or two. But, in the middle of a diaper change, she had her first bout of real laughter on Saturday and we captured some of it on video. Enjoy!

The latest trend in bottle feeding.

Posted on by amberhj

Wanted to make a quick note about Stella’s feeding progress. We only fit in four bottles today (in addition to her two pumped feedings at night) because she napped so much that it put us “behind.” The good news is that she took 100+ mls from two bottles. This has been happening more lately, so I thought I’d analyze her intake in a new way, with a new chart. Instead of just looking at the total she takes by pump/gravity and the total she takes by bottle each day, I plotted the average amount she takes each time we offer a bottle to her. It doesn’t account for other indicators of success, like how relaxed or receptive she is, but it helps me see more clearly how much she is taking at each bottle feeding. My previous way of charting the data lumped each day’s intake together and didn’t really account for differences in the number of bottles offered per day.

What I found was encouraging. This number–the average amount she takes per bottle offered–is trending upward. On average, she now takes about 80 mls from the bottle each time we offer it to her. The total amount we need her to take is 115. I have some ideas on how to help her get there.

For instance, once in a while, she really gets on a roll, takes a whole bottle and winds up sucking on an empty nipple. Occasionally she gets to  around 100 mls and stops–and I wonder if it’s because the flow is slower with less in the bottle. So, I’m going to get a bigger bottle to keep the flow going longer and to have more formula available for times when she wants to take more than 115 (the bottles we use only hold about 120). It’s a way of letting her drive her intake to a greater degree. If she takes less than 115 at one feeding, that’s fine so long as she takes more at another. I sure hope that made at least some sense and wasn’t too mindnumbingly boring.

Well, I’ve had enough of blogs and spreadsheets for one day. Good night, Cody. Good night, Stella. Good night, moon. Good night, Excel.

Hold please.

Posted on by amberhj

Stella finds her thumb.

Stella finds her thumb.

This was a day when we didn’t fall behind, or get ahead. For the most part, we were simply on hold. And that was okay. Stella did have a first, and she was delightful company as usual.

Stella’s first appointment, with our occupational therapist, was cancelled. I was not disappointed to miss it,  as we’ve been seeing progress and therefore want to continue with the strategies that are working. I received another cancellation call from Dr. Devorah’s office. The news that Stella’s cranial osteopathy appointment will need to be moved from tomorrow to next week left me feeling a bit crestfallen. My hope is that they will fit us in on Monday, or as soon as possible.

Her ultrasound appointment was not cancelled and went smoothly. Somewhat concerning to me was how well she handled several hours without eating–we were given strict instructions to ensure that she had an empty stomach. She’s definitely come along in the hunger department. Having self-limited her own intake for weeks, before the tube, she’d happily go for long stretches of time without eating (despite my best efforts). These days, she usually does get hungry every three to four hours. So I’m trying not to worry about it.

While in the Radiology waiting area at Children’s, a woman struck up a conversation with me. She remarked on Stella’s cuteness, and politely inquired about why Stella has a tube. I explained the whole situation, and she nodded knowingly. Her son had severe reflux that wasn’t treated until he was nine months old! He only weighed ten pounds at that age, and therefore required a tube for a long time. Another woman, sitting across the room, piped in, “That’s exactly what’s happening with my son!” He is four months old and his doctor only just recently diagnosed and began treating his reflux. She described the enormous struggle involved with feeding him, and it was as if she were telling Stella’s story. He was a lot smaller than Stella. He did not have a tube. Though I did wonder about how they were treating his aversion, I didn’t pry. We simply discussed our shared frustrations and took comfort in talking to someone who really “got it.” Both women said they were impressed with how healthy and big Stella looked, which made me feel great.

All in all, Stella did okay with the bottle today. Just okay. She ate with less enthusiasm. In fact, she seemed a bit bored, which made me wonder if I’d made the formula too thick and therefore too slow. On the bright side, she wasn’t upset about eating. She was relaxed. And she took about half a bottle while we were at Children’s–the most she’s taken away from home–even though she kept getting distracted by her surroundings. She stopped eating a couple of times, then continued, which is always encouraging. But her head swiveled as she ate and I had to move the bottle in an attempt to keep the feeding going. I could almost hear her thoughts unfolding one right after the other: “Whoa, what was that noise? Who’s that funny-looking guy? What’s that shiny thing in the corner? They call that a gift shop?”

While the ultrasound technician stepped out of the room, Stella did something with much enthusiasm, for the first time that I’ve seen. She sucked her thumb! That’s right. Stella has discovered her thumb and she loves it. Her Dad was a thumbsucker (if there was a hall of fame, he’d be in it) and it looks like she’ll be following in his footsteps. I captured this milestone on my cell phone camera. As happens so many times with Stella, I couldn’t stop smiling. Can’t wait to see what she does tomorrow.

Stella steps it up. Again.

Posted on by amberhj

I’m thrilled to report that Stella finished TWO BOTTLES today. And her others were solid performances as well. She had a fantastic day all around. There is still much progress to be made, of course. But Stella seems to be getting her groove back. Day by day. Bottle by bottle. Milliliter by milliliter.

It’s tough to do, but Cody and I try not to focus too much on volume. Just as important, if not more so, is her comfort level and receptiveness to the bottle. If she befriends the bottle, volume will surely follow.

Today, for the most part, she did not fight the bottle. There is still a bit of turmoil within her, however. At the start of most of her feedings, she’d take to the bottle quickly when I offered it. Then, a second or two later, she’d pull away and fuss a bit. But there was something different about the fussiness. I realized that in some cases she was telling me that  she wanted the bottle back! Yes, she was a bit conflicted, but I could see that she wanted to eat. So I’d offer it to her again, and off she went. (Or I’d offer it to her again, she’d pull away again, want it back, and THEN she’d be on her way.) As I’ve stated before, there will be more ups and downs, but I think Stella is coming around.

Not loving the camera. Or the outfit.

Not loving the camera. Or the outfit.

I had a more than my share of belly laughs this afternoon, during Stella’s photo shoot for our holiday card. Her range of expressions is so broad! And if she doesn’t like something, she will let you know in no uncertain terms! As a proud new mom, I bought her a fancy, adorable Christmas outfit: a black and white dress, with matching embroidered sweater, black tights and mary janes. To top it off, I bought a red hat, for a splash of festive color. Well, I had her decked out in this “aw”-inducing get-up for all of five minutes before Stella threw a fashion fit! Even after I removed the sweater, which was probably a bit itchy, she was clearly uncomfortable, writhing around and crying like her tights were in fire. So, I gave up on the chic factor and took it all off except for the hat. Somehow, the pictures wound up being perfect. The simplicity really worked, and she was so much happier, which made it a lot easier to get card-worthy shots. Another valuable parenting lesson, perhaps? I learned to roll with the situation, even if it didn’t fit my idealized vision. The funny thing is that the photos, card, and experience turned out better as a result.

That's better! (An outtake from the holiday card photo shoot.)

That's better! (An outtake from the holiday card photo shoot.)

The hat also served to cover up her patchy ‘do. Stella and I are both losing our hair. The dark locks she was born with are quickly giving way to blond peach fuzz, while my postpartum shedding only serves to clog the shower drain. Our paths continue their parallel trajectory. Before long, we’ll both have huge appetites and bald heads.

Tomorrow, we have two appointments at Children’s–an abdominal ultrasound and occupational therapy. Not looking forward to the disruption to our schedule, as it throws off Stella’s napping and eating rhythm. But the appointments’ longer-term contributions to Stella’s overall progress are worth any short-term inconveniences or minor setbacks. Besides, she’s shown that she can bounce back! Amen to that.