Addison's Story

My daughter began losing weight soon after birth as she was too weak to suck a bottle well enough. At the hospital they inserted an NG tube, taught us how to use it, and we were sent home. It was followed by months of figuring out what was medically wrong while also struggling with what doctors and dietitians were telling us was the amount of calories to provide her. We struggled with therapists trying to get her to eat after she developed an oral aversion from vomiting and tape constantly being ripped off her face to keep the NG in place. At 9-months old we got a G-tube, but by then we already had lost her trust.

The vomiting continued until we began her wean at 13-months when I just had enough! She was strong enough and seemed to love the taste of food but didn't have the skills and was terrified of vomiting. A day into our wean with Becky and Olga the vomiting stopped. She and I both struggled to find the balance she needed in the second week to reduce calories and drive hunger. I kept guessing, as every mother does, why she was so upset, what we were doing wrong. I had spent the last 13 months thinking that way. Becky and Olga suggested we stop trying to move forward and I just try to enjoy my daughter, be happy at the progress we made and set expectations aside. A few days later we reduced some more calories, and kept reducing over the next few weeks, never looking back. In about a month she was completely weaned from her feeding tube and we began gaining her trust back. She soon allowed us to feed her ourselves. She's not a great drinker unless she wants to be (another expectation we all set too high) and is such a happy little eater. She eats everything in sight! Now, 2 months later, I have very little stress about how many calories she's taking in and we can move on from what was some of the most challenging months of our lives. 

I am so grateful for GI Eaters and the help they provided. The wean was an emotional and stressful time, hoping that my husband and I were making the right decisions for my daughter every step of the way, but I expected it to be that way and we got the help I needed and made it to the other side. I will recommend GI Eaters to anyone needing the support and guidance for weaning their child off of a feeding tube.