Sorry it's taken me a while to update from the girls' appt on Monday. Was a very busy week, and then Darrell was out of town Fri and Sat, so I was on my own with the kiddos.
The girls saw the neonatologist in Fontana on Monday. Mackenzie only weighed 5 lbs, 13 oz on their scale - but she's never been weighed on that scale before. The doc was obviously concerned, as we have been. She said to start alternating her feedings between breastmilk and 22-calorie formula (regular formula and breastmilk have 20 cal/oz). She also said to increase her Reglan (for reflux) and started her on Tagament (also for reflux). She put in a referral for Mackenzie to see a geneticist to make sure there's not some genetic syndrome that caused her clefts and the other problems, including her failure to thrive. The good news was that we got to stop using the apnea monitor for her and she's off her breathing medicine!!! Yay!
Makayla weighed 10 lbs, 13 0z - no eating problems here! The doc increased her Reglan and left her on the Prilosec (both for reflux). The doc said she will not discontinue her apnea monitor before 7 months, since it is still going off every night multiple times. Crazy child - doesn't she know that breathing is sort of important???
Both girls will go back on May 9 for another visit with the neonatologist and to get their shots.
On Wednesday, at my breastfeeding group, we weighed the girls - and they have been weighed on that scale many times, so it's a bit more accurate. Mackenzie officially hit 6 lbs!!!! Woo hoo!!! And Makayla was a whopping 11 lbs, 8 oz!!! She really is trying to double Mackenzie's weight, I think! You should see the rolls on this girl! Those thighs!!
In the meantime, we started giving Mackenzie the formula at every other feeding, and she didn't do well on it...became very fussy and started spitting up a LOT - like still spitting up formula 3 hours after a feeding - and then didn't want to eat at her next feeding b/c she still had a tummy full of undigested formula! And of course, I'm such a lacivist, I hated the idea of giving her so much formula anyway - especially when our freezers are overflowing with breastmilk!! So after doing some research and talking with my lactation consultant and the pediatrician, we are now just adding a little bit of formula powder to the breastmilk at every feeding, to bring it up to 22 cal/oz. This way, she's still getting most of her nutrition from breastmilk, and only getting a small amount of the formula. So far, it seems to be working better. She's not spitting up as much and not as fussy. If she continues to tolerate it, her occupational therapist and the neonatologist said we could slowly increase the amount of formula so she gets more calories per oz - more "bang for the buck."
In case you didn't notice, I've added a link over on the right side for Barefoot Books. They are the most awesome children's books ever, and I signed up to sell them! If you click on the banner up on the top right, or on the bottom of my blog, it will take you directly to my website, where you can learn more and even make purchases!
I'll try to get some new pics up this week! Have a great week, everyone!
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