Just add water

Two things…

1. Water.
2. Thomas.

Put the two together and what emerges is a happy little fella. It wasn’t always this way though, oh no. For the first six months or so bath time was an unhappy time for Thomas and myself. In the end we had to resort to wrapping him. Due to Thomas’ cerebral palsy, his muscles move involuntarily without warning so bathing was tricky business but because Thomas has CVI (very low vision – almost blind!) this contributed to his anxiety levels being on high, constantly. Bathing was an especially anxiety inducing experience. When Thomas gets a fright, he will stiffen up and his arms and legs spread out wide. Imagine this in a baby bath! Fun times!

So the wrapping was recommended and boy did it make a difference. It wasn’t a sudden difference, more a gradual thing. I can remember when Thomas was wrapped and I unwrapped one arm to clean him and then I must’ve forgotten and left it unwrapped for a moment and when I realised this I noticed that Thomas was okay with this for a short duration. It was a gradual process of this overtime that encouraged Thomas to feel confident enough to have his arms free. He eventually moved into a specialised bathing chair and it wasn’t until about a few months ago that I stopped wrapping him for bathing. I would wrap him to keep him secure at the beginning of the bath and then unwrap during. After his bath, he would get quite unsettled due to being transitioned from different areas. I resorted to keeping his arms secured until he was quickly transferred into a towel where I then wrapped him up tightly. The crying would continue once the creams and clothes were initiated.

I think that time is the biggest factor for Thomas. He has needed more time to adapt to his environment. I have learnt a few tricks like wrapping and distraction but I believe that time and a solid routine are key. What I also find interesting is that not only has Thomas adapted to the experience of bathing, he actually has a love for water. It is also such an awesome thing that Thomas can communicate his love for water in different ways. When in the bath he will open his mouth for me to trickle the water in with the detachable shower head. I give him a countdown for when the water stops and he cries in protest! When cup feeding him water, he becomes really animated by making noises like happy sighs and even a couple of squeals!

When in the pool, wow! Very animated also! Smiles and happy sighs and a bunch of exciting noises! It’s his happy juice!

Enjoy the video!

Cup feeding smoothie style

Happy New Years everybody!

2015…I don’t really make resolutions. Last year Thomas was in NICU until late January. My goal at that time was to establish breastfeeding. I am very thankful that I can still breastfeed him. Although Thomas still has not taken to a bottle, my goal is to continue to breastfeed him for as long as possible. I believe that has helped With Thomas’ general wellbeing having had 1 cold and it’s a wonderful way to bond with each other still (maybe not so much when it’s 4am in the morning haha!)

I have good news for Thomas. As you know he has been working on cup feeding. With water it has been tricky due to its runny texture. However, thanks to a blogger friend, Gwen, for recommending a healthy fats smoothie recipe. I was really unsure how Thomas would cope with the texture and flavours. Here’s the video for you to enjoy. I am so proud of Thomas. This has been a huge achievement for him. The cup we used is a small 30 ml with a bendy material similar to his pink cup. It’s a perfect fit for his mouth and a good way for me to measure his intake. In the recipe, it is coconut cream, a banana, and either canned peaches or fruit salad. My next goal is to try the formula milk in the same cup. He continues to gain small amounts of weight. He is nearly 7 and a 1/2 kilo. He is certainly feeling a little heavier!