OT: Week 10, Rollercoaster

If someone could please tell me where the exit is for this rollercoaster called ‘teaching Averi to eat,’ I would greatly appreciate it!

So, after a couple larger feedings and even taking a whole feed once last week, we spent this entire week trying to prevent her from crying every time she saw the bottle, again. I once more resorted to trying my crazy ideas. Trying to breastfeed even resulted in crying…and biting. Granted, she does have a little bit of a sore throat and wouldn’t even eat ‘solids’ one day.

Then, just when I’d given up hope that she would ever learn to handle liquids, Averi drank a whole feed (80 mls) Sunday afternoon. (I’m starting to wonder if she eats well on Sundays in hopes of tricking me into thinking that she doesn’t need to go to OT the next day and can sleep in.)

When I told Frances, she had me replay the whole day so that we could try to figure out what is promoting Averi to eat. We concluded that one, if she’s not pooping, she’s not going to want to eat, and two, she eats better when she’s tired, which is why she always eats best at lunch which is right before naptime.

She showed me a few ways to stimulate Averi right before trying to feed her, like laying her on her stomach or tilting her upside down. So, I now get to use my ‘free time’ doing that for 30 minutes before each feed.

I also tried breastfeeding again while we were there and Averi wouldn’t even latch on. I’m sure my hesitancy as she chewed on her bink had nothing to do with it. Frances then told me to wait until Averi opened her mouth and then shove it onto my breast as far as I could to remind her that she was not supposed to be nibbling. I told Frances that she could try that instead.

Oddly enough, as I fed Averi her other two meals today, she drank 40 mls at lunch and the whole 80 mls at dinner. Now I’m not complaining, but it makes her wimpy 20 ml feeds that much more frustrating when I know she can and has done better. Seriously, where is the exit for this rollercoaster?