Infant Reflux - Brooks

Like most NICU parents we were not expecting to have another premature baby! Losing our first born at 22 weeks was the hardest thing we've ever had to deal with being a newly wed couple, and then 11 months later we got the news we were expecting again. I did everything my OBGYN told me to and at 20 weeks I started dilating again, so emergent cerclage was placed and I lasted 5 more weeks. 

Brooks was born at 25 weeks weighing in at 1.13 pounds and a whole 13 inches long. That wrinkled tiny guy had my heart from the moment I saw his frail little body. I have never experienced such an roller coaster ride. I remember the day that completely changed my NICU world like it was yesterday! 

I had just walked into his room when I noticed him not sitting very well, his alarms were dinging and he was not coming back up like he usually did. When all of the sudden it seemed like the bottom dropped out! My tiny guy was BLUE there was several doctors and nurses who kinda pushed me out of the way to get him back where he should be, all of the sudden my little guy vomited all over his incubator, and then it was like he was fine! 

This happened everyday, and sometimes all day. He was so tired and worn down with all the energy it took just for him to get over his episodes. We finally got the doctor on board to do an upper GI, he got his first trip off the NICU floor. Turns out our tiny guy had stage four reflux. 

What does this mean? All it means is that, once it goes in it comes out! What can we do for it? Not a whole lot really. All the medicine that could help had bad side effects the main one discouraging me would be death. He was fighting with all his being in the first place and this could or couldn't make it harder for him. 

So we decided against the meds, we would figure out a way to help him keep his food and everyday meds down. With him still feeding NG and on a pump we decided to slow his feeds down to him taking almost an hour just to eat. It helped a little and shortly after he seemed to be doing a lot better! 

A whole 107 days we spent in the NICU. We finally were able to go home. He was taking a whole 3 ounces by mouth with the best bottles for reflux I can name, wont name drop but with the initials DB! Today Brooks is your typical two year old! Talking up a storm, getting into everything and anything. At times we still have issues with his reflux, especially if he drinks milk too late. But he is doing very well! Here's to hoping this helps any parents who have had trouble with reflux with your premature angels!

---