Success, if only for a moment!

I don't know if this is pretty common with other preemies, or if it just how Bree is, but she is a one trick wonder. She will say something once, only to not say it again for months. Or she'll eat really good for one meal, then will refuse to even look at a spoon the next meal.

Every so often, (every couple of months) we try to wean Bree. This means that we do not offer any foods or liquids by tube during the day. At night we try to "pump" as much formula into her as we can to offset any calories that she missed during the day. We follow her cues with telling us if she is ready for this huge step of weaning off of the tube in some form.

In the past we've only gotten about three days into it before Bree cries uncontrollably from hunger, but refuses to eat anything at all. I can't stand to see her in such distress so I cave and take that as a sign that she is not ready. Usually it takes until the second day of not eating before Bree will respond to hunger.

This is the fourth (??third??) time we've tried this. Lately when we go to feed Bree by tube she lifts up her shirt and plays with her tube. I'm not a fan of that behavior because I want her to associate hunger and eating with her mouth. So I decided to try weaning her again this "weekend". So for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday we are buckling down and remaining positive.

This morning I gave Bree some toast and bananas on her tray. I made her some chocolate milk to drink, and got some yogurt to spoon feed her. She ate about half the container of yogurt with much encouragement, silly noises, and funny faces on my part. She tried two drinks of chocolate milk and then did not want more. At that point she pulled up her shirt and started playing with her tube, while refusing to eat anymore by mouth. I told her that we were not using our tube today, and only our mouths. She adamantanly signed "All done" so I honored her request.

About three hours later she was getting to be really whiny. She came up to me and lifted her shirt up, pointed to her tube, and stared at me. I told her we're not using your tube today, we're eating with our mouths to fill our bellies. She just stared at me with a blank expression. I told her if you're hungry, sit in your chair. She sat.

I went and got the yogurt she didn't finish for breakfast, but she was refusing to allow me to feed her. On a whim, I gave her the spoon and I held the yogurt container. She loved dipping the spoon into the container then smearing the yogurt on her mouth and nose. I allowed her to do that for five minutes, then I held her hand over her spoon and showed her how to put it in her mouth. I then encouraged her to take bites herself. Every bite I would remind her, and soon she started to comply every time.

Soon she had finished the half a yogurt container so I went and got a new one. It was slow going, but an hour later it was gone!!!! Yes, she made a mess but she ATE!! I was bursting with pride (and still am!). When that container was gone, she threw her spoon on the floor and signed "All done". 5.25 ounces of mixed berry yogrut!! Impressive!!!

Now after naptime, we are trying out spaghetti o's. I can't wait to see that mess! (Really...I can't...seeing Bree with a messy face is so rewarding!)