My baby was switched to "thickened feeds" because he was aspirating while nursing. Now we are giving him formula with rice cereal mixed to "nectar" consistancy and he's not drinking very much at all!
When we first started it it took him 2 to 3 days to really take it well at all. Now it's been about a week and a half and he will only take about 2-3 ounces 4-5 times a day! He used to drink 8 ounces of breastmilk 4 times a day .
Does anyone know if this is normal?
He's already very small for his age so I hate for him to not be eating enough!
Thanks in advance!!!
I've asked the OT (who prescribed the thickenened feeds) and she said he should be eating the same amount but didn't sound too sure of that. HIs other dr's have all said that they don't know :o/ I was hoping that someone might've been in the same type of situation and what their baby did!
Okay...I was trying to NOT put all the history just because I hate it when people put a whole story on just to ask a question but I guess I need to give more information.
He had open heart surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago. He's already small because of his heart condition. During the surgery, his left vocal cord was paralyzed and that is now allowing him to aspirate when he eats. They did a "swallow study" to find this out. He also has a delayed swallow and that is causing him to choke also. They had us switch him to thickened feeds to keep him from aspirating. (we haven't found a safe way to thicken breastmilk)
Before surgery he nursed 4 times a day. (when he took breastmilk by bottle he took 7-9 ounces 4 times a day) He also ate 2 things of baby food a day. I had started adding rice cereal to his BABY FOOD (not bottle) to help him gain weight a little before surgery.
NOW, he's taking 2-3 oz of the thickened formula 4-5 times a day and he'll eat MAYBE 1 thing of babyfood. I have always nursed or given a bottle BEFORE offering babyfood and am still doing so.
I hope this information helps. I was thinking SOMEONE here had probably done thickened feeding before, even maybe for reflux? And would maybe know if the amount of what they take changed much!
The Dr's I've asked are, his Pediatritian, the ENT, the Cardiologist and his Occupational and Speech therapists. The speech therapist said he should take about the same amount but oviously he isn't. The other dr's have no idea and I guess have never dealt with this issue before..
He isn't able to eat any finger foods because of his swallowing issue. He was supposed to start swallow therapy last week but we were having a hard time finding outpatient therapy that offers what he needs. We found one that he should start next monday!
Thanks again!
As this is WAY over my paygrade - I'm deleting my answer.
I'll keep both of you in my thoughts. :)
Would your pediatrician or the nurse be able to answer this question for you? Call them--don't hesitate.
Good luck!
ETA: After your update...well I think he's taking in a significantly lower amount than he was (8-15 oz. vs 32 oz.) and while the rice may be more filling, I still think you should check with the doc. All the best!
15oz a day of formula thickened is pretty good especially if he gets at least one or two jars of food also.
If he is happy then you are doing just fine...We had to do the milk thickening route for our son who suffered from silent acid reflux...the amount he drank went down from 32oz a day to 26 so almost a 10 oz difference. He was younger and didn't eat solids at this time...so going from 30 oz to 15 is a lot but you are getting that one solid feeding in a day which is good.
So do you mean he cannot nurse, anymore????
What seems to be happening is, he is getting too full for his nursing or Formula feedings. Because it is thickened now.
All I know is, per our Pediatrician, nursing or their Formula should be given before, their solids. Otherwise, a baby will be too full to nurse and it may cause them to "wean" from breast.
And "solids" should be given after nursings/their Formula.
But per your son's situation, he is getting Formula that is mixed with the cereal. So this Formula amount to me (that is used to mix with his cereal), would be also counting toward his total Formula intake as well.
Hey! It sounds like you have had a rough couple of weeks. I would have to agree with Victoria. It has only been 2 1/2 weeks since his surgery, perhaps he is still trying to heal and get back to feeling good. He is probably still tired as well. If you have already spoken to all of his doctors and therapists, I would say to keep working with him and offering him a bottle every few hours. On another note, has your Occupational Therapists mentioned VitalStim to you? It is supposed to be great for kids with swallowing problems. As long as he doesn't have a pacemaker, he should be a candidate.
Good luck! I hope he fells better soon!
It's only been 2 1/2 weeks since his major surgery. It may just take more time for the adjustment. That being said, my pediatrician recommended to me to put cereal in my daughter's bottles. I tried and she just wouldn't take it and it was a nightmare. I ended up going back to just formula in her bottles, but giving her oatmeal cereal (she hated rice) separate. I made it very liquidity, but for some reason she took it off the spoon and not in her bottle. I think the problem with my daughter is that because the formula was thicker, it was taking longer to get out of the bottle and she was having to work to hard to get it, so she gave up. Maybe you need to check the flow from the nipples.
We thickened my daughters feeds after learning her lungs were dangerously filling with milk. We used a thickener, not cereal. Also made adjustment to the nipple. You dont want the baby to have to suck a bowling ball through a garden hose for lack of better words, or perhaps you could consider a sippy. We had to purchase the thickener from a medical supply company. best wishes.
What else is he eating? He should be eating fruits and veggies and some dinners. How many teeth does he have? Does he eat anything from a bowl and spoon?
At 8 months he should be eating purreed foods and finger foods like baby crackers, and snacks.
Just asking not being critical.
My son had reflux and we did thickened feedings. he sucked about 8 ounces at a time. Once I started adding the cereal (I used rice bc there's no way i was going to use a thickener, personal choice) he dropped down to around half of that at normal intervals. Over time he built up to his normal feeding, but that was after a couple of months. So, taking the surgery into consideration, your little one is doing just fine. Give it a little while and dont worry in the mean time.
