From the day Aly was born, she was always a poor eater. She would only drink about an ounce of milk every feeding. Then what she did drink, she usually was spit up within the hour. When she was three weeks old she began rejecting her bottle during feedings. She would be hysterical for at least two minutes before she would reluctantly eat. And then when she did, it was small amounts and it didn't stay down. I took her to the doctor repeatedly because this problem kept escalating and I was told to try different bottles, nipples and formulas. Well, we tried every bottle, every nipple, and every formula for 7 weeks. Within that time, I brought her to the doctor about twice a week because her bottle rejection was getting worse. She would cry hysterically, arch her back, and constantly turn her head from side to side each time I tried to put the bottle to her mouth. The problem got so bad that we couldn't even cradle her in our arms because she would think that we were going to feed her. Throughout all of this, Alysson continued to loose weight and became very lethargic. She would sleep for most of the day and didn't engage us at all when she was awake. She just didn't have the strength to do anything.

I felt so helpless because my child was virtually starving right before my eyes and I didn't know how else to help her. The last straw for me came one day when Alysson went 14 hours without eating. I knew she needed help, so we brought her to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital.

I was so relieved once we got there. I finally felt like I had doctors that were going to help us. Alysson didn't just have a doctor there; she had an entire "feeding team." The team consisted of four different doctors. They each had a slightly different specialization and were able to use their extensive expertise to find a way for the formula to stay in her little stomach. What they developed for her was a "feeding plan." The plan required us to try cup feeding, thickening her formula with infant rice, propping her up at a 45 degree angle in her crib, keeping her upright for 30 minutes after eating, and burping her after each ounce she ate. Alysson also went through a number of tests. She had to drink barium and a radio active agent that was added to her formula. She was poked and prodded and consistently monitored. When all was said and done, we were there for an entire week. Eventually they were able to diagnose Alysson and now with her "feeding plan" and proper medication, she can eat again. 

I am so thankful to the doctors at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. They were able to help me and my husband in a time of great hardship. No parent wants to feel helpless when their newborn is ill. I cannot convey how difficult the time leading up to her stay at the hospital was, but I hope her doctors know how grateful I am for their superb care of my daughter.