I am a bit worried about Wren so I called the cardiology clinic and spoke to the nurse. The problem is not really that he wakes so often in the night but that he is so sluggish in the daytime. Its now 5pm and since I woke this morning he has had only one significant wakeful period (of 2 plus hours - quite a bit fussing). The rest of the time he naps, nurses for 5 minutes and sleeps deeply, then wakes to the grunting and looking around occasionally stage, then nurses for a short period (or a few short periods) and naps again, poops again and wakes for a short while etc. Other than diaper change and a few breaks of alert time of 10 minutes or so he has been asleep!
I asked the cardiology nurse about his behaviour and she feels there is nothing worrying enough to bring him in before his scheduled echo on Monday but that the frequency and short duration of his regular nursing is a concern. She had a few ideas - that he is tiring after a short period, that he is day-night reversed (apparently more common after long hospital stays), that he is disturbed by reflux so nurses till only a bit full or that he has colic (not). That he is not struggling to nurse, not sweating or doing anything else odd is a good sign but she wants to check his breathing as well as rapid breathing can be another sign of "working too hard".
She said that they will evaluate him after the echo but really want him to nurse in a more "normal" way. I am not so concerned about normal but I want a more alert baby. He worries me this way. His breathing has always been fast so I am not sure how they are going to make sense of that one.
3 comments:
hey Shannon - of course, I know nothing about neo-natal cardiac issues (or any other cardiac issues, for that matter). But as a more objective observer, I'm inclined to pursue the possibility of Wren being day-night reversed. You've written so much about his constant awakening--a.k.a. his total failure to sleep long and deep--at night; and now you're saying that he's sleeping long and deep during the day. Hmmm... methinks we're onto something here.
I loved the family photos by the way.
love, Tam
Tam, you may be right. It is so difficult to be objective with this list of things to watch out for. I was just freaking out because the side of Wren's head where he had lain against me an hour was sweaty. OMG - sweating is a sign of heart failure. Deep breath. Anyway, I would hate to miss some serious medical issue so I am at risk of hyper vigilance.
He just fell asleep and I put him down and he woke up again. Ugh. Daytimes I can lug him around like a sack of potatoes and do the washing by him and he doesn't wake. I hope that is it.
if you feel nervouse call the er there is a cardic nurse in the ER named Karen K she is called KK sometimes. She used to work in the clinic and might be able to help you also. The weekends can feel very long if you are scared. did you talk with his peditration today? I would call there too so that they can look at him and yuou might fel better knowing that they looked at him. Izzy doctor has looked at her and had cardilogy take her that day before (ended up being a ENT thing but still important) your doing a good job and I am just offering ideas because I know that it is worrisome to not know and feel scared email or call anytime
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