Charlotte was discharged from the hospital on January 12, and I can honestly say that every day up until this past Friday has been a struggle of infinite proportions. We had the NG tube that kept getting pulled out (not to mention a puking baby every time we used it). Once the tube was out we had a battle with every single bottle. When I say battle I mean full out pursed lips and head shaking. When we finally got something in her, she would show us who was boss by letting it all come back up...all over me...all over the carpet...just to make sure we were paying attention. Solids were a feeding dream come true, but that bottle, it got the best of me. It just didn't make sense.
After 3 weeks of our 2 man circus trying to get her to eat and many frustrated tears (from both Charlotte and myself!), I hit my wall. With every bottle I felt my tolerance getting less and less. I knew it wasn't her fault, but I was getting angry that she wouldn't eat! Then 20 minutes later I would feel terrible for being so impatient with her. What a vicious circle.
Thursday I took matters into my own hands. I was going to figure this out if it killed me. Bottom line, Charlotte's milk/soy-free formula sucks. It stinks to high hell and I can't imagine that it tastes any better. Well, she finally figured that out for herself. After experimenting, I learned that she now hates anything with the word formula in it. What does she like? Milk. Straight up WHOLE MILK. (Mind you, this is my baby who has a milk protein intolerance that caused bloody stools.) We fed her milk all weekend long. It made her so constipated that I had no way of knowing if we were going to have issues again--but I prayed and prayed and prayed some more that she had outgrown it.
Today it finally happened. She pooped. I was like Sherlock Holmes with my face closer to a dirty diaper than I ever wish to have it again.
No blood.
This is going to sounds absolutely crazy, but I literally sat on her floor with a poopy diaper in my hand and I cried. I think that I was so terrified and stressed that there was going to be blood and that we were going to have to stop the milk. Then what would we do? We've already established that she will fight anything else. I cried like a stinkin' baby! THANK YOU GOD!
So that's what we've been up to. Feeding, fighting, feeding, fighting, success. Lets just hope it continues! We went to the GI doctor today just so that we are all on the same page. Charlotte is officially 15 pounds, 12 ounces. That puts her right around the 7-8%, but when they plot it relative to her height she's 25-50%. Good girl Charlotte, good girl. She really didn't lose much ground through all of this--surprised and relieved.
2 other things and I'll quit rambling.
#1 GO PACKERS!!
#2 Today marks the start of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness week. Most of you probably didn't know that there was such a thing...sadly, it doesn't get much publicity. But let me tell you, heart families around the world are doing our best to change that! Each year ~40,000 babies are born in the United States with a CHD. Thousands of them will not reach their first birthday and thousands more will die before they reach adulthood. Expect lots of CHD facts from me this week! Also, Charlotte and I are heading back to Omaha this weekend for the Midwest Heart Connection CHD Awareness Banquet. We're looking forward to spending the evening with family and lots of heart friends...and to see some of our doctors and nurses OUTSIDE of the hospital.
While this life we are living is hard--full of ups, downs and tears for both sorrow and celebration--its our life and we embrace it. We are fortunate to be a part of such a supportive heart community and blessed to have each other. Keep fighting Charlotte Delene...and always know that Mommy and Daddy are fighting right along side you!
Give her some ketchup & see if she reacts like Matt. haha!
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