Hospital Useless! Any Ideas?

[shan]

we are finally home from hospital, after 2 and 1/2 weeks, plus 2 weeks in another hospital! phew!! BUT they still have no idea what is the matter. they are basically saying that if your child doesn't want to eat its my fault and problem!!

the problem is that i have no idea what to give a 10 month old to eat - he is on a gluten, dairy, soya and egg free diet - and he is very fussy on textures... anything too liquid he can't swallow... he won't take a bottle, which is where he would be getting approx half his daily calorie and nutrient intake, so i am really stuck!! any ideas?! please?? my family think i am nuts keeping him off all these things - why are you giving him these foods, you are spoiling him etc... so i you guys are my only help

thanks

[blueeyedmanda]

Could they consider a feeding tube? I know it sounds drastic but if he wasn't eating that would land him right back into the hospital.

[Ridgewalker]

Why can't he can't swallow liquid? Is that something temporary, like irritation from a tube at the hospital or something? I would think fluids would be easier than solids!

A couple ideas for food would be

Canned peaches and pears

Canned green bean pieces

Diced bananas

Chopped broccoli

Peas

Diced hotdogs

Maybe he would gnaw on a rice cake? Or toast from a bread that is free of the foods you mentioned.

Protein is tough, since he is dairy free, and too young for peanut butter. If he would do hotdogs, that would be one source, also beans of course, which are a good finger food if he'll eat them

I will keep thinking!

-Sarah

[taweavmo3]

Where are you located? I don't know your whole story, but after 4 weeks in the hospital, you should have more answers than that, or at least a solid plan in place.

What will your son eat, and what kind of texture food can he tolerate? I could give you some ideas if I had more of an idea of what foods he does eat. Another idea.....do you have access to therapy for your son to help overcome his texture issues? I believe it's usually a speech therapist that can work wiht a child to overcome texture issues.

I know a g-tube seems drastic (the one that goes directly into the tummy, not through the nose) but if he truly isn't eating anything, it might be necessary until you can figure out why he won't eat. Good luck, and keep asking questions, I'm sure someone here can help.

[gfgypsyqueen]

Here are a few random thoughts. Maybe one of them might help

At that age my picky eaters loved deli ham, grits - with buter (dairy free vegan butter like stuff) and sugar (make very sweet), apple sauce, bananas.

My kids still refuse baked potatoes, but some kids love them. Mix dry formula in with a hot baked potato. Or mix any pureed fruit or veggie into a hot potato

Soy formula was the only one my dairy free kid could handle. One kid hated bottles, she went from nursing to sippy cups. The other still tries to demand a bottle. She likes to drink her Soy milk from a bottle or cups that have straws.

Soy yogurt is still a favorite and different brands have distinct tastes. She loves Soy & Co. brand yogurt.

For when the teeth start coming in: Pizza crusts have worked wonderfully as teething items for us. Make a dairy free, gluten-free, egg free pizza crust. They gum it forever.

Still, I would see a speech pathologist about the swallowing issues.

[Michi8]

we are finally home from hospital, after 2 and 1/2 weeks, plus 2 weeks in another hospital! phew!! BUT they still have no idea what is the matter. they are basically saying that if your child doesn't want to eat its my fault and problem!!

the problem is that i have no idea what to give a 10 month old to eat - he is on a gluten, dairy, soya and egg free diet - and he is very fussy on textures... anything too liquid he can't swallow... he won't take a bottle, which is where he would be getting approx half his daily calorie and nutrient intake, so i am really stuck!! any ideas?! please?? my family think i am nuts keeping him off all these things - why are you giving him these foods, you are spoiling him etc... so i you guys are my only help

thanks

Since your son is 10 months old, is he breastfeeding at all? If not, did the hospital suggest donated mother's milk at all? Since he won't take a bottle, have you tried a sippy cup, cup & straw, or just a regular cup?

My son (now 7yo), though not on a gluten free diet and not apparently allergic to anything, is very food sensitive. Textures, taste, smell, colour all affect what he is willing to eat. He has a strong sense of bitter (even carrots are bitter to him) and he must chew everything thoroughly before he can swallow. Oddly enough he likes spicy stuff! He hates mushy or liquidy foods and would gag on & throw up baby food when he was started on solids.

He breastfed until 2.5 yo, and probably would have gone longer if I hadn't been ready to quit at that point. If he hadn't breastfed for that long, I fear he would have definitely lacked proper nutrition and be even thinner than he is now...he definitely got the majority of his calories from breastmilk during his babyhood. BTW, he did not and still does not like drinking cow's milk (unless it's chocolate), though does eat yogurt, ice cream and some cheese without issue.

Michelle

[tarnalberry]

have you tried working with an OT to see if it's oral motor issues? I don't have kids, but have heard from OT's that this can be a problem sometimes.

[ryebaby0]

Most major pediatric hospitals (not to be confused with the pediatric department of conventional hospitals) have at least one pediatric GI who specializes in swallowing/feeding disorders or dysfunction. They often have "clinics" i.e. offices in neighboring suburban areas. I would think you need to get in contact with whatever one is "closest" to you; closest being a relative term. (we drive 3 hours to our peds GI) You also might consider a pediatric prescription for a nutritional supplement called Peptamen. It's what they give kids with feeding tubes but my son, when he was 9, actually bargained to drink his in order to get his ng tube out. There's also an infant version, but I don't know what it's called!

This isn't a matter that you can work out yourself, IMHO.

[shan]

Thanks all for your support!!

Now that we've been home for a weekend, and i have (kinda!) gotten over the trauma of hte hospital, things seem to be getting into some type of routine... not that he's eating that muchin the way of variety!!

he likes babyjars, so i mix it with babyrice, and a little bit of formula, and he has that for breakfast and for supper/bedtime. If he eats that nicely, he won't eat anything till lunch - he'll have a piece of chicken. and then he'll eat rice cake in the afternoon, and maybe a little bit of potatoes later on for supper... not very many calories or variety...

he is very aneamic (sp?) and we haven't yet found an iron supplement that doesn't cause D!!! they all say the side affects are constipation, but he's unique!!!

we are going in about 5 weeks (they only work one day per week) to an eating clinic, where they see what he eats, and try to advise us further, but... We are travelling to my parents for three weeks now, next week, and they are driving me crazy - i am gonna come back more stressed!! they are telling me its all my fault, their kids never had allergies, so it must all be in the head!!

Just a side question - if i stopped nursing about two months ago and have already started my cycle, can i start again to nurse? or is that impossible?

[blueeyedmanda]

Shan- good to hear things are going a bit better for you. I know the first few weeks/months are rough. Hope things continue to do well!

[kevieb]

shan---does your baby have reflux, by chance?

you can start nursing again. it would be a little bit of work, but it can be done. there are a couple of prescription meds that will increase your milk supply. one of them is called reglan. it is a motility drug, but it increases the chemical in your body that controls your milk supply---can't think of the chemical off the top of my head. you would need to get your baby to breastfeed as much as possible and using an electric breast pump would help to stimulate milk production, also.

[barbara123]

shan---does your baby have reflux, by chance?

you can start nursing again. it would be a little bit of work, but it can be done. there are a couple of prescription meds that will increase your milk supply. one of them is called reglan. it is a motility drug, but it increases the chemical in your body that controls your milk supply---can't think of the chemical off the top of my head. you would need to get your baby to breastfeed as much as possible and using an electric breast pump would help to stimulate milk production, also.

drink lots of liquids and let the baby nurse as much as your breasts can handle

[Michi8]

Just a side question - if i stopped nursing about two months ago and have already started my cycle, can i start again to nurse? or is that impossible?

You most certainly can relactate. Since it's only been two months it shouldn't take too much work on your part. If you want to, then I think it's worth a shot!

Starting your cycle does not matter. My cycles after each baby started again at 4 months, 2 months and 6 six weeks. It had no impact on breastfeeding...and I breastfed on demand exclusively for the first 6 months with each and continued breastfeeding with them until almost 2yo, 2.5yo and 2yo.

The difficult part will be getting your 10 month old to start breastfeeding again. They tend to forget how pretty quickly. I remember my first wanting to try breastfeeding again after my second was born (it had been a couple of months since we weaned) but he wasn't really that into it and wasn't really sure what to do. He never tried a second time.

Michelle

[Michi8]

shan---does your baby have reflux, by chance?

you can start nursing again. it would be a little bit of work, but it can be done. there are a couple of prescription meds that will increase your milk supply. one of them is called reglan. it is a motility drug, but it increases the chemical in your body that controls your milk supply---can't think of the chemical off the top of my head. you would need to get your baby to breastfeed as much as possible and using an electric breast pump would help to stimulate milk production, also.

There are also natural herbs that can help with lactation (there are also herbs to avoid, like sage, that tend to have the opposite effect.) Open Original Shared Link makes an excellent breastfeeding tea that really works well for helping your supply. Even just steeping fennel seed as a tea (I liked to mix it with chamomile and keep it iced in the fridge) is helpful...also helps with easing tummy troubles in both mom & babe.

Michelle

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Yes, you can nurse again! It might not even be all that difficult.

Contact the La Leche League (www.lli.org, or there is probably a 1-800 phone number, too)--they will hook you up with a lactation consultant, possibly free of charge, and give you good advice about relactating. The doctors are usually totally clueless here, by the way.

Why do you think the baby does not like liquids? I'm not second-guessing you--you are the mom and you know better than anyone what your baby likes and dislikes. I'm just looking for more information here.

[shan]

thanks all! i am gonna try to give it a shot back at nursing, i miss him!!

he has maintained his weight (went again today and he has finally passed the 15lb mark) so we are all proud of him and he's clapping for himself, all proud!!!

to all those questions about how i know he can't take liquids, well, if you would see his t-shirt after he has tries to drink, you'd know exactly what i mean!!! he just lets it wet his tongue, and then spits it back out... and thinks its one big joke!!! (At least he has a sense of humour!!)

how long would it take for me to rebuild my milk supply, and would it be a problem if i am on the Pill?

[Michi8]

thanks all! i am gonna try to give it a shot back at nursing, i miss him!!

he has maintained his weight (went again today and he has finally passed the 15lb mark) so we are all proud of him and he's clapping for himself, all proud!!!

to all those questions about how i know he can't take liquids, well, if you would see his t-shirt after he has tries to drink, you'd know exactly what i mean!!! he just lets it wet his tongue, and then spits it back out... and thinks its one big joke!!! (At least he has a sense of humour!!)

how long would it take for me to rebuild my milk supply, and would it be a problem if i am on the Pill?

Check out La Leche League for good information and support. They have a FAQ on relactation after an interruption in breastfeeding here: Open Original Shared Link Consider contacting a local LLL leader for one-on-one guidance and support as well.

Michelle

[vanillazeis]

just jumping in the conversation... but yay breastfeeding!!! and also it is a problem if you are on the pill... however, they have pills for breastfeeding women they call them POPS. ask your ob/gyn for a prescription, but im not sure i would rely on them, especially in your situation

[shan]

hello, somehow couldn't get on the site for a few days, dunno why!! i tried to get my son to start nursing from me, but he had no idea what i was on about, i guess i'll just have to give up on that idea...

but, on a happier note, it seems to me that he is gaining, even if only slowly, but at least his appetite seems to be going up!! i think i am gonna try him on baby tea, like 'hipp' - anyone have any idea if it is ok? also, does anyone know any good homemade biscuits that are gluten, dairy, soya and egg free?! everyone just laughs at his allergies and says "so what does he eat - water? or is that also a problem?!!!!!" now that i have more strength and seem to be more positive about the whole story, i decided i want to bake... any and all recipes appreciated