Friday, February 27, 2009

Time for an angry rant


Ok, so I know that nobody else thinks this is quite as annoying as I do, but I need to get it off my chest.
As you probably already know, Ivy has a nurse that comes to our house once a week to weigh her and check her oxygen levels to make sure she progresses well before her next surgery. Every week Ivy is supposed to have gained 5 to 7 ounces and her oxygen level needs to be between 75 and 85 to be considered thriving. Her oxygen level is always great, but for the last month or so she hasn't gained enough weight, it's always between 1 and 4 ounces. The nurse made me put her feeding tube back in about a month ago, the first week she didn't gain 5 ounces. I took it back out about 10 days later because I disagreed with her (Ivy didn't gain more weight with it in). It is known that kids get oral aversions when they have a feeding tube for too long, and I think the nurse didn't know what else to do, the tube was the easy solution. It turned out not be a solution, just a giant pain in the butt.
Last week when the nurse tried to tell me to put the tube back in I refused. I told her that it wouldn't help, and we needed to find a better solution. I suggested that one of the reasons she failed to gain weight could be that she spits up quite a bit. The nurse agreed and sent us to our pediatrician to see if he could prescribe her a second reflux medication (she is already on zantac). Our pediatrician decided to look at her overall progress instead of week to week. He said she is still within her growing curve and sees no reason to be concerned. She has gained about 2 1/2 pounds in just under 2 months, and that is fine. So he didn't prescribe the other reflux med because he thought the risks outweighed the benefits. He suggested we feed her less formula(45mL), every hour and a half, instead of the full amount(70mL) every three hours to cut down on her spitting up. So that is what we have done (except at night, because really, every hour and a half, I would probably murder someone).
Nurse Nancy came yesterday and again Ivy gained only one ounce. I have really come to dread the days that she comes because I know Ivy didn't gain enough (I weigh her myself), and Nancy is going to give me that look, like your not doing enough to make her gain weight. She asks every time, "How much are you feeding her, and how often?" Even though she knows the answer already, and then she looks at me like she doesn't believe me. It's so frustrating, I'm not lying, I feed my child, all the time it seems like. I can't do anything else, because I am always feeding her!
So now I ask you, (those of you with children)how much did your babies weigh at 4 months? Do you think your kids gained 5 to 7 ounces EVERY week? Is it possible that Ivy is just small, like my boys who are both in the 10th percentile for weight. They weren't like that when they were babies, but they are now.....does that matter.....I don't know what to do. I'm frustrated and feel like I've tried everything. If you have any suggestions please let me know, I could really use some good advice.
And FYI - In other areas Ivy is right on schedule, she smiles, coos, and laughs. She is becoming an expert holding her head up, she swats at toys dangling above her, etc. I can't imagine that anything is really wrong when she is doing so well in all other aspects!

13 comments:

Angela said...

She might just be a smaller baby - my boys were both that way. I think Ben weighed around 13 pounds at 4 months. He's always been in the 10-20 percentile for weight and height, but he grows at a consecutive rate so they never worried about it. He's almost 4 now and barely weighs 30 pounds.

Kimi said...

Payton was way small, she hardly ever gained weight!! Wic use to yell at me cause she was so little. I think she weighed almost 10 pounds at 4 months. You are doing everything you can, don't let her tell you your not doing enough. You know you do, don't second guess yourself. You are mother, you know her best!!

Anngee and Shane said...

I don't have any advice Chelle cuz I haven't even remotely had to go through the things you have. But before you even posed the question I thought it a little crazy that she has to gain at the rate. She seems healthy and happy by all accounts, and at least she's not not ever gaining or losing weight. Good luck!

Dawny said...

jeclanChelle, Relax, you are doing the best that you can for your Ivy. Pat started out at a fairly high weight, but the rest of you were smaller. You being our smallest.All of you were always on the lighter side weight wise. Shane was under weight, and taller than what was considered normal. The nurse needs to back off,and let you be the mom. I wouldn't have liked somebody coming to my house weekly to check on my baby. Take a deep breath, let it out, and go back to being the super mom that you are!

Anonymous said...

In the words that only I can use...
Tell the nurse to kiss your ass.

Every child is different. Every loving parent knows their child.
If you think Ivy is where she needs to be, you are right. If your pediatrician agrees, then who is the nurse to question it?

Bah.

Rachel Sue said...

I don't know how her health issues affect her weight gain, but in my personal opinion it just seems like some babies grow faster than they put on weight. They get taller, but they don't add enough weight. I don't think I'm making any sense. Okay, let's try this. Seth, for a while grew really fast. He gained about 3 inches in like two months. But he didn't gain as much weigh as he had been so he looked really skinny. Once the growth spurt was over his weight caught up with his height. He just used all of his food growing.
I still don't know if I'm making sense. But I think that you are right to be frustrated. Some babies are just small and no matter how much you feed them, they just don't gain weight. Good luck. I hope it gets better.

Unknown said...

it is annoying when the home health nurse thinks they know everything, ours even told us that Ryan is a boys name and that we were crazy to think it would work for a girl.

I think you should show her the curve on the growth chart and tell her until it starts showing that there is a problem there you are going to continue doing what you have been doing.

Good luck, hopefully you don't have to deal with her too much longer.

Cranberryfries said...

I was so curious now that you mentioned it I went back and checked my kids weights. My girls were both 8.14lbs and my son was 9.4 at four months. All of my kids have been in less than the 1% and about 23.5in.

Thats so sad that the nurse is making you feel so horrible. Especially at a time when you'd really need the support.

I agree with everyone else. Moms know their children and you are a supermom! Keep up the good work and if you ever need a listening ear I'd love to help!!

The Leonard Family said...

It sounds like you have a happy baby! Really you know your baby better than any dr. or nurse! I'm very proud that you stood up to your nurse! You know your baby better than she does. . .what she's eating, if she's progressing, etc. Sometimes nurses just don't know what to say or do. Way to go Chelle for being a GREAT Mommy!!! :D She's doing great!!

Busy Lady said...

I know we talked about this when we came and visited this month, but I agree with you that she is just a small baby. She looks healthy, she is eating and the nurse is crazy to think that a baby should gain almost a half of a pound every week. She would be huge by the time she is a year old if she did that, that would equal 2 pounds per month and and so she would end up being over 30 pounds at a year which is way big big for any kid. You need to go with your gut instinct and you know she is eating and health in every other way, so don't worry about the nurse. Can you request a different nurse, maybe this one has lousy bedside manner? Hang in there, you are doing a great job!

Amber said...

I think that it would be crazy for her to have to gain that much every week. Like someone else said that you know your baby better than the nurse does. Your baby looks well fed. When I was looking at her the other day I was thinking how I thought maybe she might be smaller with all that she had to go through, but she looked about the same size as all my babies did when they were her age. I have seen many smaller babies that have no issues at all. Hang in there! I hope you. Big hugs to you.

Jessica Reid said...

As a nurse I understand why she is judging by the numbers, because that is all she has to go by, but as a mother I am inclined to agree with you.

Day Family Blog said...

I agree with your pediatrician more I mean the overall weight gain is really what matters. I mean each baby is different and heck if she is smaller than let her be smaller. Maybe she just has a really good metabolism and will be nice and slender all her life, lucky girl :) Plus I think you are right about the other milestones being so much more important.