Home Again

Jimmie is home! He's doing good. He has been very uncomfortable and fussy the last few days though. Poor little guy. He has been through so much.

We may know the results of the biopsies by Friday, but Rach thinks it's more likely Monday.

Rach spent 30 minutes telling me all of the details of her struggle to feed Jimmie something that he tolerates and that he'll grow on. He tolerates straight breast milk VERY well. The nutritionist thinks all breast milk is usually 20 calories, but Rach doesn't think hers is anymore. It's very thin and watery. So she spoke with a lactation consultant who confirmed that her milk may NOT be 20 calories. The LC said there are machines that can measure out the calories, but they don't have one here in KC (as far as she knows). She is going to look into sending Rachael's milk off to be tested. It would be nice to know for sure so Rachael and the nutritionist can calculate exactly what he needs. The volume and how often etc...

Rachael wants to try to come up with a way that Jimmie can grow on exclusively breast milk. The nutritionist is on board for this. Rachael is positive Jimmie does not tolerate Alimentum. She is willing to try fortifying with the Neocate. But Jimmie did not tolerate the Neocate when he was on only that for a few days so Rachael has her doubts.

The LC has given her some tips to increase the fat content in her milk, all of which Rachael is doing. First of all she's going to start using older milk that she pumped and stored. It is obviously more yellow in color and thicker. Rachael had been using fresh because of the antibodies and such, but she'll mix a little fresh in to keep supplying those. Rachael had spaced out her pumping sessions to every 6 hours. The LC wants her to increase them to every 5 and then maybe even 4. She's going to pump for a couple of minutes and set aside the "foremilk" and then keep the "hindmilk" which is higher in fat content. A mothers breast milk starts out very fatty when the baby is forst born and then over time slowly decreases with the babies needs. Well Jimmie is a special case. Rachael has been lactating for him for 7 months, but he's barely the size of his gestational age of 3 1/2 months. Rachael has cycles again and her milk is just more for an older bigger baby. She is really hoping by increasing her pumping again and doing the other things that the fat content will increase.

Rachael is so dedicated to doing the absolute best thing for Jimmie. I am constantly in awe of how hard she works for that boy!

Pray that Rachael's milk gets fat! And that Jimmie will too. He is finally 11lbs as of today.

Thank you for fighting for Jimmie!

Love,
Amber