G-Tube

It has been about a week since Elijah has been home. The bottle feedings haven't gone according to plan. Elijah gets fed 8 times a day...I know seems like a lot. Each feeding is 55 mL. When he was in the NICU at St. Vincent's he was taking full bottles or consistently in the 40's & 30's. Since we have gotten him home he is no where near that.

Some of it has to do with a change in the surroundings, but he has continued to stay in the 10's & 20's and gets fussy more quickly. We think it has to do with the feeding tube that is currently in his nose, runs down his throat, and into his stomach. The irritation of that tube moving around has to make it difficult to stay comfortable when he is eating and everything bumps into each other.

Whatever he doesn't bottle feed we put down the tube which can take up to 30-40 minutes on top of the 20-30 minutes we try bottle feeding...remember he eats 8 times a day!!

The Gastrostomy Tube, (G-Tube), is surgically placed in his stomach. So we can continue to work on his bottle feedings without the tube in his throat and we don't have to wake him from a deep sleep to feed him and then he is really cranky!

Our goal is to get this done ASAP. Elijah may have a couple more days/nights back in the hospital, but this procedure would help him be more comfortable, along with mom & dad! Once we know when the surgery will take place we will keep you posted. Take care and thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and kind words!