baby due Oct 15th born Oct 3

[gramma103]

I've seen posts for other "early" deliveries.. my granddaughter was born a little early.  She appears perfect - tone, muscle, heart, lungs, etc... she weighed 5lbs 11oz. She didn't "cry" loud when she was born.  She wants to sleep ALL the time, and does not feed well.  On Oct 4 she was sent to NICU, on Oct 5 they put in a feeding tube (used when she won't take her bottle). Nothing else seems to be wrong, or so they keep reassuring us (but we're having a hard time believing).  We're supposed to be patient, and they keep saying the "light will come on for her", she'll get it, it's just going to take time.  I'm scared, why aren't they doing more testing? like scans, etc..blood work is fine, everything else appears fine - why won't she wake up and eat?  She can suck, she just doesn't want to. How long should we wait before we push harder for something else to be done??
thanks
worried Gramma

[gramma103]

Thank you for comments.  Yes, I do ask the questions, even to the doctor.  He actually said - "can't get much more perfect" ... it didn't seem like a big deal to him, or the NICU unit - the fact that she wasn't really eating yet - they kept saying, she will...
as it turns out - the little stinker is doing MUCH better already.  Taking "almost" her whole bottle now!  I don't think there's any need for genetic, as I said - everything is normal other than the fact that she didn't want to wake up and eat... her blood tests were great - no low sugars - nothing high or low... billirubin level is fine - she isn't jaundice at all, and never was... Apparently, (and thank God) she was simply a slow starter.  She was born Friday Oct 3rd at 5lbs 11oz - yesterday (Oct 6 - she weighed 5lbs 9oz) so she's doing great..
I see the worry never ends... :)

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
Congratulations on your new granddaughter!  It sounds like she will have a loving and concerned family, so is off to a good start.

I may not be the right person to answer your questions, as I don't know a lot about babies AFTER they're born, except the experience I've had with my own (4).

I HAVE been in NICU with all of my children and I found it to be very scary and uncomfortable.  I felt that everything was totally out of my control (and it was!)

I would encourage you to ask the DOCTOR (not just the nurses, as they may not know the whole plan) and yes you have a right to speak to the doctor.  Ask him/her exactly what you asked me--is she making progress?  Is she gaining weight?  If there is something wrong with her, what is it most likely to be?  When are we going to do tests (for example a karyoptype--which tests the babies genes for Down's syndrome or Turner's syndrome) ? What tests are we going to do?

Another thing you want to know about is her billirubin level.

Things may still be out of your control, but if you speak up,  at least you'll understand what's going on a little better.

Best Wishes

Dr B