breathing issues

[deepa100]

Hi all,
My baby Noah had some breathing problems and was on a ventilator for 4 days following my c-section. He was at the hospital for 9 days. He did fine for 10 days after coming home but we are seeing some changes now (he is 5 ks). I did take him to his Pediatrician's office 3 times and they did not seem to think that anything is out of ordinary. I will try to summarize what we are seeing and what we plan to do about it as briefly as possible.
1. He is still breathing heavy. It gets worse at night, sometimes we hear
wheezing.
2. His chest is still retracting even though the dimple on his chest is
gone now.
3. His voice is still raspy and hoarse.
4. He is having difficulty drinking out of the bottle, each feeding takes a few hours. He seems to nurse better, even though he doesn't quite latch on properly yet. I am wondering if there is still swelling in his throat
from the tube insertion and removal. He also tries to pass stools while
he feeds and grunts, squirms around a lot and cries. He seems to cry while passing gas.
5. His pediatrician ordered an x-ray and said he had a lot of air in his
tummy that is making him cranky.

I have made an appt w/ a pulmonologist over at the Children's
hospital. It is not till the 13th of Sept. Meanwhile, I am at loss as to
what else I can do to help him.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[cmoscar]

Deepa100 - First off, congrats!

I know it is scary, but it sounds like your doctors are on target. To begin with, the gassiness is somewhat normal. My daughter is having loads of issues with that and we are adjusting my diet and also burping her frequently (one burping session for every 5 minutes of feeding). I am nursing her solely because bottles make the gas worse. Even if he is not latching on properly, you should try to nurse him as much as possible. However, I would ask for help with the latching. Nursing is supposed to be perfectly designed for their bodies and breathing and thus easier for then to handle when they have breathing difficulties. My oldest son was a c-section baby as well and he (he is now 11 years old) has asthma and he could only handle the nursing. Bottles were just too difficult for him. His breathing was monitored and the doctors kept up his medication through constant check-ups. As for the evenings, I had to use a humidifier (not steam) and place it on a dresser next to his crib(in fact, he still uses one in his room every night). I also elevated one side of his crib to help keep the muscus flowing downward. Try these for now and be patient as they work out his problems. The heavy breathing might just be him expressing mucus from his lungs (which in the end he has to do before he will get better). The doctors will take care of him, but you must trust them and keep them informed. I will keep an eye on you. Good luck with you angel.

[crasmus]

our boy was born and he had noise breathing, which was a little labored, he also had a raspy/hoarse vioce.. dose he kind grunt?? he too only usually poops while feeding and it's still like it's hard for him to doo, and he grunts and squirms... he also has a ton of gas, which is totally normal as their intestins are developing...

have you tried gas drops/? they help with the gas, many many burping sessions.. i too burp every 5 minutes or so... i was also told that nursing is easier with less gas then bottles... we also do the leg movements.. like riding a bike... and giving him a warm bath can help him with the poop... gavin usually has a BM after a nice warm bath, and the bath also helps him relax...he loves his baths in the big tub, i hold his head and neck and he floats...

now thatgavin is 3 months, his breathing is better, altho he does have sometimes that i think that he is breathing hard, but doc says tha t he is just fine... and the poop and gas will get better!!!!!!!!!!!!

colleen

[deepa100]

Thank you so much, cramus and cmoscar!
I really appreciate your tips and advise. It is just that he will probably be the only child we will ever have and we are really nervous.

Is it normal that the squirming and grunting also happens during his naps sometimes?

[cmoscar]

Deepa,

Yes it is very normal. Makayla starts at one end of her crib at night and winds up at the other by time she is ready for her midnight snack. This is how they build their muscles and coordination. I can understand your worry. Makayla is our last baby and we worry about everything. My poor ped hasn't seen me this bad since our first was born. I worry if she sneezes twice in a day. It is normal and even healthy to worry. Parents that do not worry are careless and will undoubtedly wind up with problems due to lack of supervision. Trust your instincts and do not be afraid to ask questions no matter how stupid!

Racheal