Riley had his 2 month well check today, which also included shots. I cried more than he did. He has been fussier than usual today and has ran a little fever. I hope all is well soon. Here are his 2 month stats:
Weight - 12 lbs 6 oz (68%)
Height - 23.5 in (67%)
The Love of My Life
The Love of Our Lives
About Me
- Jenn
- I am a wife, mother and teacher devoted to my children and husband and a firm believer that just because you birth a child does not make you a parent.
My Little One
1 comment:
Hey Jenn-
When Bryce was assessed at our local Children's Hospital when he was 1 year old, they determined he had the weak tongue muscle. Since that was a year after I tried nursing him, they feel like that was probably the main issue, but I guess we don't really know for sure. While nursing he could never get his tongue maneuvered correctly. After about a month of trying, pumping, crying, dreading the next nursing/feeding session, etc. I finally made the decision that I needed to quit nursing for my family's sake.
When he started baby food around 6 months, we noticed that he gagged a lot, but everyone kept telling us he had an oversensitive gag reflex. By a year old, i knew something more was up because he couldn't eat the tiniest piece of anything solid (puffs, cheerios, etc.) without gagging/vomiting. He literally ate no solid food until he was close to 15 months old and then it was VERY few things. You can read all about our journey by clicking on the baby food label on the right side of our blog. All the posts about it are in there.
If I had to do it all over again, I would get in therapy by the time he was 1 and stick with it until I saw a marked improvement. We did therapy when he was 15 months, I saw a little improvement and we quit hoping he'd improve more on his own. He didn't. So, now we're in therapy again.
Additionally, I'd do a few things that I've learned along the way like (this is really for when he's around a year old...and you're babe may not even have an issue by then):
1. When feeding baby food, dump the food from the spoon into the side of his mouth/cheek. That requires him to have to move his tongue around to "get" to it.
2. When transitioning him to a sippy cup around a year old, use a sippy cup with a straw as that helps strengthen mouth muscles.
3. Constantly put all types of foods in front of him, even if he doesn't eat them.
4. Try to get him to eat homemade baby food as it's a thicker consistency and varying texture than store bought baby food, which is very "smooth".
5. Try and encourage your baby to imitate you sticking out your tongue, moving it all around...also improves tongue muscles.
6. When he gets teeth, take a tooth brush and brush all over his mouth...his tongue, cheeks, roof of mouth, etc. to stimulate textures.
7. If he does vomit with baby food (Bryce did this A LOT), take a towel and cover it up (don't react to it at all) and continue trying to feed him. Then, at the end of the feeding session, clean everything up. This helps to encourage them to take a few more bites so they aren't left with a feeling that "that" food made me vomit.
If I think of more things, I'll post them to you.
Just know that I don't think every kid with a weak tongue muscle as an infant has all the problems that Bryce has had with eating. You very well may not have any issues at all. But, if you do, please reach out to me. I'm happy to give you any advice that I've learned along the way.
Amy
P.S. Riley is a cutie! And, did you know my 2nd son (who by the way is a nursing champ and we've had no issues whatsoever) is named Dawson?!?!
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