Feeding....
Sometimes gets messy....
VERY MESSY....
Before Mason was born, they said "Babies with Down syndrome cant breastfeed". We were quite discouraged that Mason wouldn't be able to breastfeed or take a bottle, due to "low tone". When he arrived 6wks early, they talked about needing a feeding tube. We were planning on taking him home with a NG tube to feed him.
Mason had other plans. A few days before we left the NICU, I asked the nurse if I could try to breastfeed him. She shrugged her shoulders and said that we could try. Well we tried, and he actually did pretty good! We got to leave the NICU, on partial breastfeeding and a bottle. Well the bottle was A LOT of work! It was taking him 30-45 min to drink 2-3oz. So I kept working on the breastfeeding. He started at 1/8th of an oz and went from there!!! He caught on quickly and became VERY efficient as well. He impressed everyone. He can transfer 8-9oz in about 15min. "Low tone" is not his problem when it comes to nursing.
Here were our helpful items
A good
BOPPY
A
nursing stool
and a
Nursing Sash
Our next hurdle was introducing solid foods
Mason has done pretty well with solid foods so far. We brought in the speech therapist before we started so she can tell us what to do, and what not to do! She gave us great information. We were also given the best "tools" for him to start solid food.
these
spoons have been amazing:
They have a long narrow bowl and are designed for poor lip closeure & tounge thrust (Mason's biggest problem )
This has been helpful in straw drinking
Bibs are always good idea!
And this
sippy cup has done great also
With help from the speech therapist, lots of work, and the right tools.... Mason is doing great with solid foods now! He is now really interested in trying to feed himself as well..
I have learned that the right tools, support, and perseverance..... Mason has a bright BRIGHT future!
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