Mega Changes

Yesterday T had his appointment with Jessica, his RD.  (Registered Dietitian)
Major highlights are as follows:
1.Weight: 23 lbs 8.5 oz = 25th %
2.Height: 2' 7.85" (can't remember the percentile)
3.Weight for Height is right around the 50th %
4.Take him OFF of night feeds.  Completely.
5.Start the Blended Diet.

It is difficult to choose which of these is my most favorite!

Last night marked his first night not being fed at night.
Ever.
In his entire 20 months of life.
He has only slept through the night a handful of times.
Ever.
In his entire 20 months of life.
Most nights he is up between 2 and 4 times.  Occasionally only once and sometimes as many as 7!
These two things MUST be connected.
As Dr.P put it, being fed all night must be confusing to the system, if you consider that your body is trying to rest but metabolically it is active.  All night.
There was a time when we simply had no choice but to feed through the night.  And unfortunately we can often get stuck in habit.  We could probably have switched him off the night feeds several months ago.  Oh well.  We are making the transition now.
I am cautiously optimistic that with the elimination of the night feeds will come a better sleep routine for my young Tiernan.  (and ME as well!)
Cautiously optimistic.  Not expecting a magical immediate fix.
I was not disappointed.  :)
Not surprisingly, he was up.
At 1 AM. For 45 minutes.
And 3 AM.  UP up.  Wide awake and wanting water kind of up.
I gave him some water and he sucked it down like he was parched.
He did not go back to sleep until 5:45.
45 minutes AFTER I generally get up for the day.
(Jason graciously tried for approximately 45 minutes to get him to sleep during the 4 o'clock hour.  For this I was thankful.)

Today we will change our approach.
We will bolus him with 120 mLs at around 9:30 or 10:00.  Hopefully this will help to hold him over until the morning.  We shall see.  Even if it helps him only wake up once.  Or twice.  Or go back down more easily.
Ultimately we hope that we can begin letting him cry it out.  This option has, until now, been out of the question.
Well, that's not entirely true.
We could have let him cry it out.
If we want to clean up puke several times a night.
Eh....no thank you.
So now that he is very stable cardiac wise, and he won't have food in his tummy all night, let the sleep training begin.  I am not exactly looking forward to this, but it is definitely time.

This weekend I will also begin blending some REAL food for him to have through his tube.  The quote beneath my profile picture on this page expresses my feelings perfectly.  So many times I have felt paralyzed and helpless to soothe my son.  The ONLY method I had was to hold him.  Constantly.  This is frustrating and exhausting for both of us.  I am so looking forward to giving him food that I prepare myself.  Food that I can pronounce.  Food that is not laden with chemicals.  He will not get all of his tube feeds this way.  But we plan to switch from Pediasure to Compleat Pediatric formula which is made mostly of whole foods.  This is good for my mind.  I feel like I am going to be doing something really positive for him.
It is an interesting feeling as I get ready to start the blending.  I was so nervous that I would not get the proportions right.  That he will get too much of something and not enough of something else.  But the reality is that if it weren't for the tube, I would be choosing his diet anyway.  So this is not really that different.  I am just putting it through the blender and then a tube rather than placing it on a plate in front of him.  I actually have the opportunity to give him the most balanced and healthful diet possible.  I mean, what 20 month old eats flax seed or quinoa on a regular basis?  T will.  :)
I am extremely grateful that there are many amazing mothers who have done this before me and are excited to pass on their wisdom and advice.  I am also thankful T has an RD and GI doc who are excited to support me in preparing homemade blended foods for my son.