Just Peachy

We have been working a teeny tiny bit on eating orally. Mainly just when Mrs. Tamara is here. So this morning we gave it another try, and this time you tasted Bubby’s peach flavored yogurt. Mrs. Tamara put a few dabs around your upper lip, and you managed to suck a bit off and swallow it down. After a couple tastes you started doing your usual coughing, gagging bit. We figured it was just because you didn’t want the yogurt in your mouth or because you were getting caught up on some mucus. After a few more minutes your cough started sounding very croupy. And that’s when it dawned on me. You were having an allergic reaction. Croup sounds the way it does because the airways become inflamed. I realized yours must be swelling. I grabbed you up, took you into your room and attached your pulse ox monitor. Your heart rate was almost 200 and your oxygen level was in the low 90’s/high 80’s. I looked you over a little closer and saw your lips were swelling also. Goodness.

Thankfully, we have the monitor so I knew exactly what your stats were and didn’t have to play guessing games on whether you were getting enough air. I have oxygen on hand, although we didn’t need it, and an epi-pen for last resort. They don’t make epi-pens for babies your size, so the one we have is too large of a dose. Still, if you ever aren’t breathing at all, we will take our chances with an overdose.

I am so sorry you had to go through that again. It doesn’t make eating seem super appealing, I am sure. I wish I knew everything you were allergic too. The strange part is that you haven’t ever had yogurt OR peaches before. In order to have that strong of a reaction, you usually need to have been exposed to the food previously. And it was such a miniscule “bite”. We will just have to practice eating with your formula from now on. It isn’t yummy, but at least it’s safe.