Shortly after Lily was taken off the ventilator, they started trying to bottle feed her. The first time, she ate 5 mLs. Soon she'd moved up to 15 mLs (half an ounce). However, she seemed stuck there. Now, when she was in the regular cardiac unit (C5), we concentrated primarily on feeding her.
They had told me when Lily was placed on the ventilator that there was a chance she would not be too fond of eating afterwards. Negative associations or something like that. However, soon a pattern developed. Lily would eat like she was starving up to about an ounce to two ounces... then she would just stop. Abruptly. You couldn't coax her to eat anymore. She was receiving most of her nutrition via an NG tube (feeding tube up the nose.)
This is a picture of Lily in C5 with Harry the Hippo, which some of the March Mommies sent her.
It soon became apparent that her feeding issues was not something going to be easily fixed. Around August 11th, they came to me and said it was either an extended (months) hospital stay, or we could put a Gtube in (Tube through her belly) and send her home. Obviously, I opted for the Gtube.
August 14th, Lily was released from the hospital.
This is a picture of her with the Gtube.
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