How did I know?
The first hint was the "washcloth" sucking in the bath tub. For about 3 weeks the dude SCREAMED if there wasn't a big, thick and very wet cloth in the bath. I guess he was thirsty. There was some coughing involved the first week or so but since then happy coughing free washcloth sucking.
The real clue? The smack me in the face it is so obvious clue? The wee guy has taken to dipping his favourite tonka trucks in the dog's water bowl and then sucking on the wheels. I know, gross. I have been putting up the water bowl in order to avoid this "aspiration in the making" habit but there have been a few days where dude's aspiration habit inadvertantly caused a thirsty pup when we left for work and the water was still up on the counter.
So? Got out the "WAY nice yes they were a gift I would never spend 20 bucks on a sippy cup" foogos and gave it a whirl. That was Sunday, two days post-tylenol-aspiration episode. I was nervous but he was determined. It took a few days to get past the oral aversion thing and realize that there was WATER...fresh and cold and not even thickened in that cup and that he would in fact take a sip and not die from it...but yesterday was THE day.
He sipped, he smiled, he sipped, he chortled, he sipped and sipped and sipped. 15 minutes later half an ounce or so was GONE!
Water sipping will remain a belted into the highchair activity for quite some time. A calm not laughing no leaping about activity. He has a duplicate sippy at the babyistters and he even enjoyed a bit of water with his lunch today.
His milk is still thickened (3 level tbsp of rice cereal to 7 oz milk) as the whole suck swallow breathe thing takes time to coordinate and the thickener gives him that time. He doesn't sip from the bottle, more of a guzzle.
But this is progress...towards the pediatrician's and speech pathologist's goal of no thickener no bottle by 2.
Seems almost achievable today.
3 comments:
he looks so happy & pleased with himself!
progress!
Hurray! Great news. So happy to hear the sippy cup is working. Molly loves her bottle piping, but loves to dive face first into our glasses of water, juice or whatever. Zack watched the only video on our blog and said, "baby needs a sippy." I guess we'll have to get her one.
J
Way to go Ben! Isn't water delicious?
Mine like to tip over the water bowl and play in it. Like it so much, in fact, that we never see them move so fast as when we inadvertently leave it down. Our Shadow is thirsty a LOT. What's your secret please?
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