Today was so great. Im fact the last few days have been great. Benjamin had his first taste of Apple and Pear puree. It wa ssuch abig thing for me and turned out to be abig thing for him too. It was so sweet to watch him try the food. Helen the SALT nurse sat with me and we tried the puree as it was to start with but I thnk it was too much for him. So we watered it down and he seemed to take that better. He licked his lips then had an expression of complete concerntration.
Feeding your baby is something you take for granted but when it comes to feedinga baby of 6 months who has never had anything in his mouth , you realise how much babies hae to learn and how everything is so new and scary. Benjamin did really well eating the tiny amount he did and we will be trying it twice a day to build up his swallowing actions.
Benjamin has aloso been introduced to water in a bottle. We put blue dye in it so we can actually test if its his belly by asprirating his NG tube. The only thing with blue water is that the doctors etc panic when they come over to see him as the last thing you want to see ona cardiac baby is blue lips!!
He doesnt take the whle teat in his mouth but he does lap at the water like a kitten, its so cute! Im hoping in a couple of weeks he will start to drink from the bottle properly and be eating a little more food. It will be fun trying it all.
Benjamin has had such a good week, he is now 10LB, finally double figures, and has started having baths again. He couldnt have a bath properlly due to all his lines and wires so bath time is one of my favourite days.
Benjamin is smiling alot more, he is interacting with people and fixing and following.
Mom helped with Benjamins last bath . It was fun sharing those times with mom. Justice decorated Benjamins Emergency Tracheostomy box and sat watching while I carried out a suction. He is such a brave intelligent lad.
Life is starting to feel normal again, as normal as it can be. He is doing really on his tracheostomy and adjusting well. I have learnt to change his dressings and tapes, I can suction when he needs it and Im more confident about getting him out of bed and holding him like anyone else would hold their baby.
Im hoping to be able to do floor play soon as well, and put him in his buggy. We also hope that he will qualify for a mobile ventalator called a nippy which would mean we can take him out of the ward. Can you imagine my joy when I heard that, I nearlly bear hugged the doctor.
The only down side is the doctors have told us that they plan to get us home and hopefully without the tracheostomy but it probably wont be for a while. They hope were home for Benjamins first birthday. That means we would have been in hospital a year, away from family for a year and most importantly away from Justice for a year.
We know that benjamin will come home well and I know the time we have spent away from everyone will be worth it.
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