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Announcements Babies Pregnancy Yah Yah Photography

Our Combined Pregnancy and Gender Announcement

When we found out we were pregnant with baby number 6, there was one thing my husband and I were sure of. We were going to wait to announce our pregnancy until after we knew the gender of our baby. Quite honestly, I didn’t want to hear what people thought I must need/want/be having.

Waiting 16-20 weeks to announce a pregnancy is not always easy. Especially when it’s number 6. You tend to be showing much earlier and if children notice — children talk. This meant we also had to keep it a secret from our kids. There were a few “mom, you’re belly is kind of getting a little big..” from our very blunt 5 year old.. but overall my boys were oblivious.

The day came. As I sat in my OBGYN’s office 16 weeks pregnant, he wheeled in the ultrasound machine and declared “we’re going to look..” and look he did. Very closely. As the words came out of his mouth, there was a pause. I honestly was waiting for “and there’s another boy!” — but that is not what he said. “You know, It’s not what I am seeing, but rather what I’m not seeing.. ” Then, we stared intently for more than 10 minutes. Poking, prodding, getting images of every angle baby would cooperate for. We knew his verdict wasn’t 100%, but because hiding it was getting increasingly difficult as each week came, we decided that his “95% positive” was assuring enough to do our announcement. We could always amend our photos later if our 20 week anatomy ultrasound happened to show something otherwise. Haha.

We messaged back and forth with our family photographer, Olivia of Yah Yah Photography here in Portland, Oregon. She has been photographing our family for over 10 years and her excitement over this uncharted territory was equal to ours. Together we knew we needed to do this big and obvious. The photo shoot would not only be telling the world we were pregnant AND having a girl — but the shoot itself would tell our boys they were going to have a baby sister. Something they have begged for. She invisioned a lot of pink – and together our Pink Tea Party “Baby Sister Boot Camp” came to fruition.

We were a little worried our boys would figure it all out before we captured it.. but lucky for us, our kids don’t think twice about the color pink or the random things we do for photo shoots. As the pink treats and balloons came out, they just assumed it was for Spring. Olivia set up the tea party at a park and then she waiting as we all walked over to join her. It was the perfect way to get the little details captured before making the announcement obvious. She then proceeded with a seemingly normal photo shoot at first.

We then walked our boys over to the table, where they began to get confused by the tiaras on the table – but brushed it off fairly quickly. I mean, there were cookies, cupcakes and jellybeans to be had.

After a moment, Olivia declared that she had forgotten something in her car and needed Dad to go retrieve it. He came walking back with “It’s a Girl” balloons and two chalkboard signs. One said “Baby Sister Boot Camp” and one was adorned with baby sister’s name. That’s when it hit them — and we captured their reactions both on video and in these amazing photos.

The hardest part was the week after we did this photo shoot, having to keep our children away from anyone they may spill the beans to. Hahaha. Proud to say, we managed that nicely and it was a very successful surprise for everyone.

By the way — We have since had 2 more ultrasounds, with a total of 5 people in all telling us she is, indeed, a girl. I guess I’ll believe it. Hahaha.

How and when did you announce your pregnancy and/or the gender of your baby?

Categories
Announcements Babies Baby Gear Baby Registry Pregnancy

Rolling in the pink..

If you following me on social media, you’ve likely heard the news already. Our family is expanding once more this coming September!

A little different, however, is that this BOY MOM is about to have a GIRL. *insert nervous, freak-out emoji here* As a boy mom, I was very much the type who would say things like “Boys can do and wear whatever they want.” and “Colors don’t have genders.”

While I have nothing against pink and purple, and do wear them.. I’m really not an overly frufru girl. Neither my house, nor my closet, is full of throw pillows, scented candles, and ruffles.

When we found out  we were expecting, I was firm in my thought.. if by some crazy obscure chance this baby is a girl, she will be more “Princess Leia” than “Sleeping Beauty” — and I honestly still feel that way in an empowerment sort of way.. (trust me, baby girl will hold her own!!) but the moment the ultrasound tech confirmed “OMG IT IS A GIRL” all of my gender neutrality flew out the window like a tornado had engulfed it. “Pink! All the pink! We need pink. And purple. And flowers. And metallics. Gold and silver and rose gold and sparkles!!!”

This photo courtesy of the amazing Yah Yah Photography in Portland, Oregon!

My husband just laughed.. then handed me the car keys and sent me on my way. I entered the store, about to make my first purchase for my baby girl.. and I shocked even myself. Bows. Headbands. Pink. (Bright pink, soft pink, neon pink.. I did not descriminate.) Purple. Florals. *blink*

Who is this person? What?!? It’s like this dormant girly girl had unleashed itself. I never felt like I needed a girl, but apparently my inner self was just waiting for the chance to explode in a puff of glitter — and here I am.

 

 

Categories
Kids Stonyfield Uncategorized

Do you think a cow can save a Penguin?

Note: This post is Sponsored.

Happy World Penguin Day!! We love those tuxedo clad flightless birds in our house!

It is with great honor, on a day like today, that I get to share with you that a company I already love for their dedication to the environment, food, and the well being of humans — is sponsoring the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program.

Stonyfield has begun a year long mission to bring awareness to this program. Through the Stonyfield YoKids’ sponsorship of the SAFE program, they will support conservation efforts of TEN (!!) endangered species — Including the African Penguin! What better day to kick this all off than World Penguin Day?! They even hosted a fun interactive FB Live broadcast on the Stonyfield Facebook Page, Live from Mystic Aquarium’s Penguin Encounter.

As part of their efforts to bring awareness to the cause and educate not only parents, but the future generation on the importance of saving our endangered species, Stonyfield YoKids’s packaging will feature most of the AZA SAFE species, as well as an on-package offer to bring families to AZA accredited Zoos and Aquariums. From now through September 2017, families that purchase TWO (2) specially marked YoKids multipacks will receive a FREE kids admission to their local AZA accredited Zoo or Aquarium! (There are 131!! Click here to find one near you!)

Even better news for parents! You arent just helping endangered species when you purchase YoKids yogurt! You’re giving your kids a USDA certified Organic, non-GMO yogurt that now has 40% less sugar than the leading low-fat kids yogurt brand!! Available in cups, squeezers and smoothies, you’re bound to find one (or many) your kids will love.

While you wait for your kids to finish their yogurts and planning your trip to your local zoo or aquarium, spend a few minutes checking out these other resources about Stonyfield’s sponsorship of the AZA SAFE program and also watch these super cute videos!

 

Categories
Babies Stonyfield

When a good thing gets better! Stonyfield YoBaby yogurt, now with Probiotics!

As parents, we try very hard to give our kids the best we can. We want them to grow and thrive and be happy. What we put into their bodies is an important factor in that.

We try to give our kids the healthiest variety and options – which is why Stonyfield Organic YoBaby Yogurt has always been a staple in our first foods journey.

Not only is it organic, it’s made from whole milk, low in sugar, a variety of flavors, and now — they’ve added the probiotic BB-12! This means baby’s already healthy yogurt will promote good gut health as well.

YoBaby yogurt is the number 1 pediatrician recommended refrigerated yogurt for babies between 6 months and 2 years. I know that it’s the yogurt our pediatrician has been recommending to us for the last 11 years, for all of our kids. We know it, we trust it, and now it’s even better.

With five kids, someone is always coming down with something.. a snotty nose, a stomach bug, an ear infection. If any of those instances require an antibiotic, or just leave them with an unhappy stomach, the added benefits of probiotics in yogurt they already love to eat makes my life much easier. I can rest assured they’re getting what their bodies need when it needs it most.

Available in several flavors, you are sure to find one your baby will love! (Vanilla,  Banana/Mango, Blueberry/Apple, andPeach/Pear) You can even buy a non-sweetened Plain yogurt version. What better to add to other foods for bab – or even to make dips out of without losing any of those benefits that make YoBaby so wonderful. (A ranch dip made from plain YoBaby is the perfect exploration dip! A little bit of that, some chicken nuggets and a few fries. Baby is in artistic self-feeding heaven!)

For more information on Stonyfields commitment to healthy food for babies, or to find YoBaby near you, click here!

 

Categories
Babies Baby Gear Baby Registry Baby Shower Baby Wearing Gifts Lillebaby Review

Meet SeatMe. The newest carrier in the LÍLLÉbaby family.

Note: This product was provided to me for this post. This post also contains affiliate links.

Hip seats are nothing new in the baby carrier industry. They’re extremely popular in Asian regions and are starting to make their way here to the States. They have always intrigued me, as I’ve never used one and I’m very much a fan of floppy SSC’s (soft structured carriers), ring slings, and wraps. You know, the carriers that conform to myself and to my baby. When I saw that LÍLLÉbaby was planning to release this new carrier, I knew I had to try it.

First, I am slightly obsessed with learning the ins and outs of new carriers.. fitting carriers on people is sort of a niche of mine, and I enjoy feeling confident in doing that by knowing a carrier through and through. Second, it just seemed so different than what I was used to, that I had to find out for myself if it was worth the hype. (Spoiler alert: it is!)

Let me start by talking about the feature that makes the SeatMe so much different from LÍLLÉbaby’s standard SSC lineup — Complete and Essentials. That notable feature is, of course, the structured seat insert. It’s exactly what it sounds like it is. A hard (yet slightly padded.. it’s still comfy for baby!) insert that forms a physical seat for baby to sit on. It’s like having a small stool attached to your waist for baby.

On the SeatMe, with 2 very simple steps (one zipper and 2 buttons), you can remove the back panel and straps and use this sturdy seat all on its own as a hip seat, or on your front. I have been asked “but why?!?” about this feature a lot. My answer is simple. Parents are not ignorant to the toddler on the hip.. swing one hip out to the side and stand/walk at an awkward back and hip tilt so your child can essentially sit on your hip bone as you carry them around. This simple hip seat ability of the SeatMe eliminates the need for that swing of the hip and bent back. It basically gives you a hip bone for your child to sit on while you can stand normally. Woohoo!

 

Another added benefit to this structured seat is, if you choose to face baby outward, that structured seat gives baby a nice seated position that so many struggle to get when outward facing in other SSC’s that support that carry style. It even gives a supportive seat to bigger children when outward facing, as well. I will say, wearing a larger child (over 25 pounds) on the front, especially in the outward facing position, does put a lot of pressure on that structured piece, which can push into your pubic bone area a bit. For short amounts of time, it’s neglegent, but I wouldn’t suggest it for a larger child on front for extended periods of time. Stick to the hip seat, or back carries.

Below the structured seat insert of the SeatMe is another A+ feature. It’s essentially a built in fannypack, without the 80’s stigma and neon colors. This deep belt pocket is in addition to the now-standard large LÍLLÉbaby front pocket so many of us know and love. Yes! Twice the storage!! (I’d actually almost say more than twice.. the bottom pocket definitely holds a hefty amount of stuff!) it’s easy to access, even with baby on you.

You may have noticed, when talking about the structured seat, I used the word insert. The hard seat structure is, indeed, an insert that can quickly and easily be removed and you instantly have a standard SSC to use. Its a fabric and padding covered hard plastic structure that securely velcro’s into the zippered pocket on the belt. It’s like the magical carrier that transforms itself into 3 different carriers. A structured seat carrier, a hip seat, and an SSC! Amazing. Removing the structured seat also gives you even more space in that belt pocket!

One of my favorite features of the SeatMe is most definitely the adjustable panel width feature. The panel is already more narrow than the other LÍLLÉbaby carriers, and then the simple sliding adjustment ability expands its flexibility for baby’s size and makes going from inward to outward facing carries so much easier! Because of the way the slider works, you can essentially customize the panel fit for the size of your baby. Not just two set sizes, wide and narrow. As someone who’s toddler stayed between the wide and narrow setting for a long time, I think this particular ability is a fabulous! You can also, for back carries with larger children, unclip the sliding seat adjuster, since you would use the panel on the widest setting in that scenario anyway.

A small but notable detail that the SeatMe has that other LÍLLÉbaby carriers do not (but I wish they did!!) is a lovely, soft, and plush lining along the inside of the neck support seam. It was one of the first things I noticed when I was examining the carrier, and my baby loved laying his cheeks against it.

The SeatMe, like the Complete, has the tell-tale LÍLLÉbaby neck support that is a very popular feature! It was definitely a selling point for me when I first discovered LÍLLÉbaby, as I know it is with many LÍLLÉ lovers. Along with this neck support is also the nice and large, and easily removable, hood that is also a well known LÍLLÉbaby feature. Same snap attachments as the other LÍLLÉbaby carriers. It also had the same two-way strap adjusters, making adjusting your strap tightness easy in both front and back carries.

A difference you will notice, probably immediately, is the belt. This is not your typical LÍLLÉbaby webbing buckle belt and lumbar support. It’s, instead, a wide canvas belt with sturdy Velcro to secure it around your waist, followed up with a webbing belt and buckle closure. I am not typically a fan of Velcro.. however, I definitely see why this structure is made the way it is. Especially when the SeatMe is used as a hip seat only. The thick, all the way around belt makes it very secure and supportive. It reminds me of those pregnancy back support belts, or the heavy lifting back support belts people buy. (Bonus.. it’s also a bit of a tummy hider! Hahaha)

The SeatMe can be used for the following:

  • Front inward facing carries
  • Front outward facing carries (only once baby can hold head in upright position)
  • Back carries (Minimum 6 months of age)
  • Hip Seat only (front or hip positions, 12-45 pounds)
  • As an SSC with no structured insert (front carry position)

These are the ins and outs of the new LÍLLÉbaby SeatMe. I am impressed and highly recommend it! Especially if you are looking for something new and different. It most definitely feels and fits differently than the SSC’s I’m accustomed to — but in a good way. I am thrilled to have it as part of my collection and know it will be used often.

*** You  can save $10 on your LÍLLÉbaby purchase by clicking this link: http://lillebaby.refr.cc/tracim   ***

I (Please note: I will also receive credit for purchases made via this link)

 

Categories
Kids Tech

Kids and Social Media – The quest for Internet approval

This post seems so odd for me, a blogger, to write. After all, my “reach” is the measurement of my success, right? Companies email and ask for my stats. How many people read my posts? How many followers do I have on Instagram? I have to work, and work hard, in order to get people to “like” me in order to stay relevant. Every post I make, I hope surpasses the last. How many people saw that? Did it garner enough “likes”? Is my engagement on Instagram strong enough? How can I increase my engagement?

This all seemed normal to me in this “industry” — the cutthroat world of bloggers.. where one day we can be the bees knees and the next day, we’re yesterday’s laundry. I should say, it all seemed normal to me until my children downloaded, after an absurd amount of begging, the LEGO Life app.

It was presented to me as a harmless, safe, and age appropriate social media site for kids *under 13* who love LEGO. A way to share their passion for all things LEGO. Okay. Sounds good! I love me some social media.. I see nothing wrong with it.

Then it started. “HEY!! My picture got 5 likes! I can’t believe it!” I paused. My husband and I both looked at each other and he made a comment about how the “search for likes” was already beginning. I laughed, because I didn’t actually think about it. After all, that is my normal. Then came the conversations back and forth.. “Someone commented on my picture!! So cool! Has anyone commented on your pictures?” Oh. Okay. Now it’s a contest between them? I don’t know how much I’m liking this. However, I’m not a hypocrite. Let’s see how this goes.

Fast forward a week or so.. “I got 28 likes! That’s a first! That’s so crazy that 28 people like my picture! I wonder if I can get more!”

That’s when this all hit me. Is this really an acceptable “normal”? Am *I* teaching them this behavior? Are they hearing me make comments that I hadn’t even thought about having an impact? Why is an 8 year old worried about the reach their picture of a LEGO is getting from other 8 year olds?

Is this behavior actually okay? Am I over thinking it? Right now, it’s relatively harmless.. just a crowd of under-13 aged kids sharing with other under-13 aged kids, giving them likes and emoji filled comments. Right? Or is this a slippery slope in the world of social media I know all too well. The parts of blogging that even I cringe at. Where community suddenly becomes competition.

How many of your kids are using LEGO Life? What are your feelings? I’m especially curious about my fellow blogger friends.

Categories
Stonyfield

The *new* Stonyfield Whole Milk Smoothies!

Please note: I am a Stonyfield Ambassador and the product mentioned below was provided to me. All opinions are my own.

———

When you have five kids, life gets busy. When you homeschool 3 of those kids, life can be downright chaotic.

When it comes to meals, especially snacks, I constantly struggle between easy, convenient, and healthy. Did I mention my kids are all boys? This means they are hungry all the time. (No, really! ALL the time!)

For a while, I would keep crackers, granola bars, string cheese, and fruit where they could readily get it on their own without a hassle.. but these weren’t always the healthiest or most filling options.

Enter my new favorite household staple! The Stonyfield Whole Milk Smoothies! Let me tell you, these have saved me on more than one occasion. Be it a kid who slept in too late and was about to miss their online homeroom, but still needed breakfast, or the picky toddler who flat out refused to eat his dinner.

I know when my kids grab one of these smoothies, they are getting healthy protein, they aren’t full of added sugars and other junk, they’re organic and they are satisfying! My kids aren’t instantly looking for another snack less than 5 minutes after drinking one.

They also help with me feel better about those after dinner random hunger pains.. a healthier option to stomp out those cravings.

The Stonyfield Whole Milk Smoothies currently come in two flavors, peach and strawberry. Lucky for me, my household is evenly split on who likes which flavor most — but everyone loves them both.

I plan on keeping these smoothies well stocked in our fridge.. they will definitely be our school week go-to!

You can find out more about th Stonyfield Whole Milk Smoothies here.

Categories
Baby Gear Baby Wearing

Vote Líllébaby in the #cribsieawards

Its that time again!! Voting in the Cribsie Awards. You know that Líllébaby is my favorite brand of baby carrier and I know many of you feel the same!

Our group of ambassadors has joined forces once again to give you a chance to win a Líllébaby carrier of your own for voting!

Just click on this link and follow the instructions. Happy Babywearing!

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories
Babies Baby Gear Baby Wearing Lillebaby Parenting Tekhni Wovens

The benefits of babywearing – bonding, safety, convenience

If you have been a reader of The Diaper Bag Confessions for a while, if you follow me on Instagram, or perhaps know me from my days as a babywearing group admin on Facebook — you know I am an avid babywearer. When you have five kids, you’ll do anything you can to free up a hand or two.. but especially when you have kids with special needs. I always wore my babies. It allowed me to shop easier, vacation simpler, and even do chores more efficiently. I really delved into it, though, when our 3rd baby was born and had physical impairments that delayed a lot of milestones. (He was hypotonic and had a muscle fatigue syndrome.) Babywearing became my “thing” very quickly. It is something I am passionate about, and it’s something I do well. (Have a fit question? Feel free to message me!)

With our two youngest kids, babywearing became a tool beyond just freeing up hands. It assisted with bonding in the most amazing way. Skin to skin time was crucial. One of the best ways to help a baby thrive early on is skin to skin time. Wrapping was my favorite way to facilitate this practice as much as possible. (The stretchy wrap pictured is the LÍLLÉbaby  Tie-the-knot wrap) Even through the most basic activities. My woven ring sling was the best carrier when our baby was too small for other carriers. (Pictured is the Tekhni Wovens Adelphi Gothic Wrap Conversion Ring Sling) It allowed me to wear him close and safe. I will note.. I sought out the advice and safety opinions for wearing from the hospital staff before bringing our low birthweight baby home, as well as our pediatrician. This is important if you want to wear a baby that is small and especially if baby is a preemie. There are safety concerns you need to be mindful of.

Along with skin to skin, another benefit of wearing babies — especially newborns and medically fragile babies — comes the ability to help shield them from the affects of cold and flu season. I love the clip up neck support on the LÍLLÉbaby  Complete (Pictured below! *aff link*) especially for this!! It  puts a nice shield, of sorts, around baby’s head. This stops (most) people, especially strangers, from attempting to touch baby or get in their face. A nice little buffer. We almost always wear at the grocery store and the doctors office mostly for this reason!

Wearing baby also provides a safe space. It doesn’t take long for baby to realize the comfort and security of being worn against mom or dad’s body. Crowded places, loud and chaotic surroundings.. even family gatherings when you don’t want baby passed around. Baby is snuggled up to you and calmed from the chaos around them.

When doctors starting altering our baby’s diet, I found myself leaning on my carriers even more than I did before. Playing with his diet meant one huge thing for me — He was suddenly breastfeeding less than he was used to, and not nearly as much as I would have preferred. (It also resulted in an abrupt halt to our nursing journey in the end..) I longed for those snuggles. I found myself hooked up to a breast pump multiple times per day, mixing bottles frequently, and just getting frustrated. I wanted to feel that closeness that we had when we were nursing. Babywearing. Cheek to chest. Sleepy snuggles. Was it the same? No.. I can’t even pretend it was the same thing.. but I was something we were both needing. Craving, even. That bond never broke. 

Then came our time in the hospital. I wore him throughout our stay. The staff was very supportive of it, complimenting me for my choice. One of the doctors even did her entire morning exam while he was in the carrier. As she walked in the room I said “Oh! I can take him out for you.” With a smile on her face she said “No. You leave him right there where he’s comfortable. There isn’t anything I need to do that requires him to be out, so you just leave him where he is.” Heart melted. You see, his world had just been rocked upside down. he now had a tube in his nose. His feedings were all clinical. It gave him what he was familiar with. He would lay his head down on my chest and quickly fall asleep. If you find yourself in the hospital with your infant or toddler, ask the staff if wearing is a possibility for you! 

As the weeks with his tube progressed and our new normal began to shape, babywearing was our constant. His wraps. His SSC’s, his ring sling. His happy place. It also greatly helped me keep his graspy little fingers away from his tube. If you can’t reach it, you can’t pull it out.

Babywearing has given me so much. It has given me a passion, made my life easier as a mom of five, allowed me to continue the physical bond with my baby through his medical challenges, and helped keep my kids safe, healthy and comforted. For that, I feel blessed. I enjoy using my experience to help other parents. Embrace your circumstances and explore how wearing your baby can help you and your little one.

Categories
Babies Baby Gear Baby Wearing Lillebaby Nook Sleep Stokke

#growbabygrow – Our journey through failure to thrive and NG tube feeding.

When I was pregnant with baby number 5, we had already started the conversations with our doctors. The plan of action for the seemingly inevitable battle with Failure to Thrive. (FTT) You see, each of our kids has fought this battle and to this day, no one has a definite answer as to why — just some observed solutions and suspected causes. As my due date approached, I knew this situation would be no different. Call it mom instincts (or just common sense based on the fact that I was 39 weeks pregnant and looking more like 33 weeks) but I knew he would be born small. Each of my 5 kids has been born smaller than their previous sibling. Small for Gestational Age is a term we are familiar with. He was born small.  We (with the guidance of his medical team) decided to see where time got us. My milk came in quickly and with abundance and he was nursing well (despite a fairly significant tongue tie that was examined by no less than 6 doctors and feeding specialists and determined not an issue at all!) However, as each of his first 4 weeks of life flew by, his weight gain was not enough.
This is when the fun really started. He was gaining, just not enough. We began playing with equations. Could we still let him be EBF but increase the calories? Didn’t work. Could we supplement a few feeds per day? Didn’t work. He kept plugging along the same ever-so-slow weight gain pattern. So, we turned to the amino acid based elemental formula that had worked for his brother and then upped the calories with what is essentially an emulsified liquid fat.
As we approached 3 months, things were still stagnant. We now had a scale at home and were weighing him once or twice a week. It was stressful. My heart would race every single time I had to put him on that scale. Would it yield a better result? Would things be worse? What will his doctor say after I email it to her? Then it happened. At 15 weeks old, things weren’t improving and his lab results were starting to show signs of a malnurished body. As a mom, I saw those words and felt like a failure. (If you are in this situation, it is natural to blame yourself.. but if you are doing everything in your power to help your baby gain weight and these diagnosises are still in front of you.. STOP blaming yourself!) Here I was, feeding my baby as I was told. Breastmilk is supposed to be the best thing for babies. My supply was fine, I could feed him and pump like no ones business. We had turned to formula. We turned to a crazy concoction of a food solution and “extreme protein malnutrition” and “failure to thrive” were still front and center on his medical charts. We ended up in another specialist office and that’s when it was decided. He would be admitted to the hospital and put on an NG tube. I spent the next day sobbing in self pity.. I knew why this decision was made and my husband and I both agreed with it. We knew it had to happen if we were going to have any hope at helping our baby grow and possibly finding out why he wasn’t. That didn’t mute the hurt, though. I sat there the morning before we checked into the hospital nursing my baby for what I knew might be the last time and I cried. I felt mad that my baby would be taken off of breastmilk at 3 months old. I felt nervous about what an NG tube would entail. I felt so many emotions.. I can’t even describe what it felt like. As I sat and held my baby, though, I forced myself to breathe and my husband helped remind me that I would do anything for our baby and this was no different. So off we went.
They insert his NG tube immediately upon our arrival. I was somewhat overwhelmed and a little traumatized. They took a LONG tube, lubed it up, held down my screaming baby and proceeded to feed it down his nose. I watched it get shorter and shorter and my baby get more and more angry.. and then one of the nurses looked up at me, smiled, and said “It’s okay, mom. We’re going to make him better!” I was calm.
While he was admitted, I continued pumping. I don’t know why. I think somewhere in the back of my mind, I hoped they would tell me that he would be able to nurse again.. or that he could have breastmilk in his tube.. something. My entire baby raising experience has been filled with people telling me breastmilk is best for baby. If there was any chance that he may be able to have it again, I wanted to make sure I was prepared to make that happen for him. He was in the hospital for 8 days. The first 4 days yielded no change.. but the last 4 showed wonderful progress! I’ll never forget the nurse coming in right before rounds to ask if there was anything I wanted to make sure they bring up to the doctor.. I mentioned that his legs were swollen. He had socks on (he has trouble with temperature regulation) and his once-too-big socks were now tight on his calf and leaving indentations. She pushed on his leg, looked at me and smiled “He’s not swollen.. That’s fat!” We celebrated. Those nurses were almost as invested in his health and well being as I was.
When we came home, he came home with the NG tube still in place. This was a whole new experience. It was definitely overwhelming to think about.. and the first week was a balancing act for sure. He was not only on the tube, but a high calorie density. I swear, those first two weeks — my life was measuring and mixing specific caloric recipes for formula, pumping, and attempting to keep his hands off of his tube.  There were definitely some tears as we adjusted, but life adapted quickly as we got used to our new normal. Ultimately, after 3 weeks, I decided to stop pumping. I cried almost as much then as the last time he nursed, but I was also oddly okay with it.

The NG tube definitely comes with its difficulties and learning curves. Priming the pump, making sure you’ve mixed enough formula to last the entire feed. (In our case, when he came home.. he was on a continuous slow feed for 10 hours overnight  so that he could do bottles during the day to keep up his oral motor abilities) Our baby also loved playing with his tube. So much so, that he managed to pull it out no less than 8 times. We quickly learned some hacks to keep it out of his grasp, and I even learned to reinsert the tube myself. (This was a whole new level of nervousness and self doubt! Eep!)
Life with the NG tube, for the most part, proceeded as normal! It was more work, as I mentioned above, but for him.. business as usual. It wasn’t invasive for him at all. He was just as happy and content as he always was.. he just now had a tube in his nose.
As he approached 4 months old, you could finally see the progress he was making. I finally felt like it was doing its job and things were working. Like our baby could actually thrive. How long he would need the tube, however, was still not clear. Day by day, week by week. 
He also began meeting more developmental milestones. This was huge for us!! Our previous two kids had gross motor and developmental delays — this was a concern for us and his doctors.. as he grew and began doing things typical babies his age were doing, I was even more confident that this was the right decision for our little man.
We have been, and will continue, to document his progress on our social media channels. I was hesitant at first, but as I began posting, more and more moms either facing FTT diagnosis or with tube fed babies began reaching out. Whether it was looking for support and comradeship or to offer support and reassurance. I knew then that using our voice was a good thing. If you’re reading this to follow our journey, our little man is 5 months old now. He’s made amazing strides in his growth. He’s still very small for his age (well below 3%) but compared to where he was, he’s doing amazingly well! I don’t know what the future holds for him. He has an amazing medical team that we trust (this is critical!!) and I finally feel like he is thriving.

If you’re reading this because you find yourself in similar shoes.. about to climb the Failure to Thrive mountain and unsure of what it means, blaming yourself, or just looking for someone who understands — I hope our journey offers some support and reassurance.

“I’ll never reach my destination, if I never try. So I will sail my vessel, until the river runs dry” — Garth Brooks “The River”