milkshakes

We continue to have our weekly visits to the clinic or hospital to figure out poor little Bean and his reflux. It seems to be getting better but then we will have an episode of something big and we're right back where we started. We are there so often that the nurses all know us by name and giggle every time we walk in. I don't even have to check in anymore. I just say hi and find a seat.
Last week we went in for a follow-up after his GI to see how things were going. We decided to thicken his bottles a little bit with cereal to see if that would help, which it seemed like it did. At least it helped with his sleeping. He now wakes up only once during the night and then again at 6:15 for bottles. A HUGE difference for me! I get more sleep now. And as for Bennet's reflux, I think its under control as much as we can have it. There is no or little projectile vomiting now, which is very pleasant. We still have the pukes but they are not often and little. However, since he's been born he's had about four or five episodes where he just stops breathing and turns purple or blue. I'm not sure if he forgets how to breath and/or swallow at the same time or what, but it's not something that is not fun to deal with. His last episode was on Tuesday when our friend Jessie was holding him on her lap. He had been done eating for a few hours, so it took us by surprise. He just turned redish/purple and couldn't breath. I've learned quickly to flip him over and start pounding on his back to help him get going again. With a few tries it seems to work. I called his pediatrician the next morning to let them know about it, as well as what could be the cause, and immediately Children's Hospital called me back to set up an appt for a swallow study.
So yesterday we ventured back to Children's and they watched him drink a normal consistency of barium in his bottle with a moving x-ray machine. He just sat in a little chair and pounded his beverage of choice. As he was drinking, they noticed that some of the barium would go towards his airway, which would then go into his lungs. Not good. This is what has been causing him to stop breathing at any given moment. They then mixed him up a thicker barium drink to see if it helped, and none of it went near his airway. Finally an answer to our problems! So now his bottles are mixed with so much cereal it looks like a milkshake. It's the only way to refrain from this happening. He likes it; I like it b/c I don't have to freak out anymore--a win-win situation. I guess this is very common for preemies to have this immaturity in their throat. It will only take time for it to mature and go away. We revisit them in 3-4 months to see if its any better. Until then, he gets to pack on the pounds and enjoy his milkshakes:)