G tube baby blues? turn that frown upside down

G-tube baby blues, Turn that frown upside down.

Mom or Dad worries over their baby, especially a newborn,

every cry, every moan, your baby starts blinking too much and your heart races. One cough can make your stomach turn, so how does it feel when your baby needs surgery? Yes its terrible, you feel guilty, comparing your baby to everyone else's baby, wondering if they will blame you, that you did something wrong. Moms and Dads it is okay. 

If this is your first blog of mine that you are reading here is our background. I was a raw vegan, yoga 5 times a week living in southern California, living the dream with my high school sweetheart of ten years. Yay we're pregnant!!!! Our first ultrasound we found out our baby had gastroschisis, a rare anomaly linked to the pesticide in round up called atrazine, banned in Europe and so many other countries for years. Alas in the American medical field it is considered a fetal anomaly. They called us into the specialist and she prepped a room for termination, My sweetheart and I said No Way Jose your absolutely out of your mind. Our baby was born 6 weeks early in Las Vegas NV by a gastroschisis specialist because the cases of it is more prevalent here than anywhere else in the country. She spent 5 months in the NICU, undergoing 6 surgeries her last one for a g-tube. 

  The photos of Gtubes are hideous, and its not your baby so you don't feel a connection and it will scare you, my advice don't google it unless your strong enough to handle sifting through photos of babies with the gtube. I did it I cried, but then our baby had one and it was nothing to me. No big deal, she was still the most beautiful baby in the world, smiling and happy. Cuddly and silly. You will feel the same way, Don't worry it's normal to be scared and to feel guilty, but remember your baby has it's own way into this world. 

   It's healthy to talk about it, but choose your ears wisely as in my experience some will may make you feel worse. Like my mom would cry if I told her anything, so I'd skip subjects and only tell her happy stuff. Menopause I tell ya, can't wait :) .

   If your Child is in the Nicu and getting a Gtube from birth, heres what you should know. Depending on the severity of the case, success this is great!!! They can now feed your baby and this is wonderful!!!! Our baby didn't eat for 3 months in total it was difficult I'm not going to lie, but you will get through it. 

At first it will be a standard Gtube with a plastic ring around it, don't be scared to hold baby, the cords and lines will be tough but the bonding is so worth it. If your baby has a tube for a long period of time they will replace it with a micki button. It is much smaller and can be disconnected as needed. Much easier for tummy time. Depending on you doctor they will not remove the tube if its flu season, so hang tight! And be an advocate for your child stick with your gut instinct if something doesn't feel right talk to your dr, be the squeaky wheel. In the Nicu the nurses will be responsible for cleaning it, but be hands on just incase your baby comes home with it. Hopefully not, but its better to be prepared. 

   If your baby is coming home with a gtube, here we go! Our baby at first was on continuous feeds at only 3 ccs an hour. A month later she was up to half her feeds by mouth. Your baby will do 300% better once baby is home, and so will you. The first week will be the hardest. In our first month we were at the ER every weekend. Our baby pulled out her g tube. What do you do? Stay calm, tape some saran wrap or something medical you have handy onto the site and off to the er you go. They will pop that baby back in and the calmer and smiley you are the better your baby will do.

If your baby pulls the micki button out, Don't freak it may happen! our baby wrapped the feeding line around her foot and pulled that thing right out at 4 in the morning while we were sleeping on the couch. You have had the gtube class grab that syringe makes sure that the button water basin is intact and holding water, suck out the water pop that right back in or a new micki button if you have one handy reinflate the little bubble and waalaahh! You did it! Crisis averted. It was so scary to me until it happened and it was so easy. I was worried about seeing the hole it's not that bad and you don't see much. 

Feeding through the Gtube at night? Heres my tips and tricks

Use a onesie and put the line through one leg on the side of the crib that the pump will be on. Put a blanket on top of the line so prevent baby from grabbing at it at night. This seems to do the trick even for the squirmiest baby. 

A little tape will do the job also if your nervous. Cut a hole into the onesie and tape that line down.

If your baby is rolling over talk to your doctor about feeding during the day or getting baby off tube asap. If thats not an option for your baby you'll have to check back because ours hasn't started rolling over yet! :)

The silver nitrate treatments?

I'd say no. Talk to your doctor about a neosporin type treatment to stop/heal granulation tissue. We did the silver nitrate once and it was terrible. I didn't think it helped it actually made her tube leak and took so long to heal not to mention it hurts them….. ALOT! 

Triamcinolone acetone cream does the trick for us, I apply it 2-4 times a day and its wonderful. 

The Gtube will have discharge, clean as needed and don't worry its normal. 

One really awesome thing about the Gtube is… If your baby is gassy vent them, vent them often. It really is a fail safe when it come to gas. Also it prevents and helps dehydration since you can feed fluids as needed. Fluids will also help tummy issues. Take is slow though, one time I put 2 oz of pedialyte and our baby vomited all over the couch and me, happy accident though because she had taken iron which cause stomach irritation causing her stomach to bleed. Minutes later she passed two blood clots into her ostomy bag and she pooped red  bloody poop for a night I stopped iron and supplemented with formula. Sometimes  you gotta be the dr. Sucks but ya know what your baby will thank you.

Hopefully your baby just has a gtube, mine has a broviak (line to her heart for iv nutrition) which I will write on in a later post, and a illiostomy bag. If you have these things you're going to do great!!! Why? because if I can do it you can do it, just the fact that you are still reading this proves you are a stellar parent and your baby is so lucky to have you! 

If you have a trach baby I have no experience with this but I will try to get a fellow lung baby momma to write up for you so check back! If you have heart baby chances are you won't leave the nicu til things are a okay!! Our friend Zachary lost his colon and had 4 heart defects, he is now 13 months old after a 4 and 1/2 month nicu stay and is healthy and almost walking eating solids and cutest baby ever! So stay positive, vent often, cry when needed and smile more!

If you have a brain baby keep your head up! Our friend Julian was born at 23 weeks stage three brain bleed on left and right hemispheres. I am proud to say julian has made a full recovery and eating almost to full feeds still in the NICU but hey each baby will make its own way into the world and he has amazing parents that are by his side each day. Stay positive babies are so resilient!

Spend as much time as you can with them but take time for yourself too, stay strong and until next time!

Post your own stories! and email me with questions if you'd like

rachaelplassmeyer@gmail.com