Still No Food

Today I arrived to find E back in his cot. Apparently he had been very unsettled during the night (as I feared he would be) uncovered in his humidicrib. God I hate that he was unsettled and I was at home!!! His stomach looked much better. Last night it had been measured at 28.5cm and this morning it was 23.5cm. His weight has dropped, not surprisingly and he is now 1.510kgs.

The poor little man sucks furiously on his dummy. I can hear him from quite a distance. I am sure he is very hungry but at least I know his sucking reflex is well developed.

He had another x-ray today which shows an improvement although the bowels are still slightly dilated. John, the neonatal fellow told me about the horrors of NEC, how it can be fast and fatal (Dr C had only told me that sometimes in severe cases some of the bowel had to be removed). Dr C’s notes say “Treat as NEC, but probably not”. E will have to stay off feeds for another wo days and is going back on TPN. This in itself is stlightly devestating as really all we need to do is try and get him on full feeds so that he gains weight and come home.

The fact that he is on triple antibiotics is also causing some ripples in the extended family - ripples that I could well do without. I am trusting the medical staff fully and if they say triple anti-biotics I am going with that rather than the floral and herbal suggestions thrown at me from concerned family members. Funny that - I belive modern medicine may be a lot more productive than the bark of a tree!

E is still very quiet although when he does complain he gets great comfort from his dummy.