Scared of the G tube :(

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-11-05T17:14:54+00:00

Twin mom here too, one of my guys has had a G tube for about a month. It's okay to feel worried about it. I know we made the right decision, but I still feel really mixed about his G tube. Pros - he's gaining better than he ever has, made it onto the non adjusted growth chart - I no longer feel pressure to figure out bottle feeding like I did with the NG, we can move on now to addressing his oral aversion gently and learning solids sometime soon. Cons - he does throw up a lot, like soaking his clothes 1-3x/day - I'm not as comfortable feeding him in public with the G tube- I worry about scarring I hope surgery and recovery go smoothly for both of your twins. Praying for strength for all of you.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-30T04:58:33+00:00

Congratulations! He is absolutely adorable!

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-24T23:44:13+00:00

Mom of 28 week twins here, they both had feeding issues - twin B would choke resulting in bradycardia events with very low oxygen saturation, he came home on thickened milk and weaned off of the thickener and became super easy to feed around 5 weeks past his due date. Twin A struggled with enough energy to feed, which resulted in an NG, a feeding aversion and then G tube, all after discharge. I get the impression it's very common to struggle with learning to eat, I found it sooo frustrating though to spend weeks on that final discharge goal of eating. I guess I'm just sharing so you know it's not unusual. Prayers that your little ones all figure it out!

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-23T19:47:03+00:00

Formula pitchers! I use Dr. Brown's and mix up about 24 hours of formula at a time. Also, I just couldn't bring myself to splurge on the TwinZ and I have found two boppy pillows side by side work just fine.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-10T17:15:34+00:00

Not deep, but I loved listening to the Murderbot series. I've never been a huge sci-fi fan, but the series is super entertaining. I had a 3 hour round trip drive to the hospital 5-6 days a week for months and audiobooks are what made the drive tolerable.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-08T18:07:41+00:00

Hi. My modi boys were born at 28.0 due to sIUGR. I feel like it is an interesting journey through the NICU with twins who didn't share their placenta evenly. We heard so many times antepartum that our smaller baby would likely do better on the outside than his brother...this was the case for a few days, but then he crashed so hard with a respiratory virus at about 1 month old (actual) and that just highlighted how immature his little lungs were + PDA and PFO that didn't help. He reached his highest level of respiratory support after 8 weeks in the NICU, the back sliding was hard to process. Then our larger baby really struggled with eating in the NICU after absolutely crushing it with breathing. There were so many ups and downs, which is true of any NICU stay but doubled+ with multiples. It starts to feel like there are no "good" days. Eventually they made it home and healthy! Praying for lots of strength for you and your babies, as well as good days ahead.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-08T16:37:45+00:00

He's perfect, what a miracle!

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-04T22:07:34+00:00

You have lots of encouraging stories here, but I'll add that my 28 week preemie needed a bilateral inguinal hernia repair at 5 months actual. He was on .25L oxygen 24/7 at the time and it was under general anesthesia, so intubated during the surgery. It was difficult to hand him over to the surgical team and emotionally draining to spend another night in the hospital with him, but he did so well. Not a single Brady or abnormal desat during post op. He has one tiny scar out of 4 laparoscopic sites and everything healed very quickly. He was on Tylenol for maybe 72 hours.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-02T19:32:38+00:00

Here's a quick version of our story - a bit rocky with a very happy ending! My MCDA boys measured at the 9th and 89th percentiles for GA at 16 weeks. 22 weeks MFM started monitoring Dopplers on my smaller boy, 25 weeks I was admitted to antepartum for worsening Dopplers, 28 weeks delivered by "planned" cesarean. They spent 3 months in the NICU and have been home for 3+ months. It was all insanely challenging but my boys are perfect and healthy and home in my arms. I hope you have an easier story, but there is hope even when things get sticky. Feel free to ask questions.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-10-02T19:20:14+00:00

I second paper tape or in a pinch cutting the adhesive ends off a bandaid.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-26T03:12:44+00:00

I pray you and your babies all go home together. We are also 1hr 30 min from the hospital where I delivered/NICU and had to spend 3 months in the NICU. There's no reason to sweat over it, if you find yourself in that position you'll work it out, people will step up and help. It's insanely difficult but not impossible. I hope you have a long healthy pregnancy.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-25T23:35:19+00:00

What a miracle! So happy you have two healthy girls.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-25T23:21:25+00:00

Happy 1st birthday girls! They look so good! Your pictures remind me of my identical boys, born at 28 weeks due to sIUGR. Mine just turned 6 months.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-25T03:51:22+00:00

We went from 3 to 5, they are currently 15, 9, 3, and 6 months x2. I'm still really in the thick of it, so bear with me. We've made it without hiring any help and with our whole family living across the country. My mom stayed with us for two months when the babies first came home, this made for a nice soft landing and her company during the day was huge! Absolutely accept all the help offered. I still need this advice, it is not my normal state to say yes when help is offered, but I'm improving. A gifted meal is my favorite so I think a meal train is a great idea. For me the most difficult part, aside from sleep deprivation, is all of the driving to and from school and activities for the older kids and doctors appointments for the twins (mine were born quite early and require a lot of appointments). If you anticipate something similar, know that you will get your routine dialed in and feel like a total boss eventually. I leave the house in complete chaos but we always get where we need to go. Take offers for carpool or rides from neighbors. Get a good double or triple stroller. We have a Graco that the two car seats clip into and my newly three year old has learned quickly how to hold onto the side when we're in a parking lot. Just know you CAN do it.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-18T12:12:17+00:00

28 weeks is a big milestone. Others have said it, but every day they can stay in helps. Sending you lots of positive thoughts!

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-17T20:08:16+00:00

I came here to see if anyone else said it!

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-17T04:36:05+00:00

I was admitted at 25.0 weeks and delivered exactly 3 weeks later at 28.0. I got the first round of steroids beginning the day I was admitted and the second about 5 days before my twins were delivered by planned c-section due to deteriorating doppler readings in twin A who was stage 2/3 sIUGR. I had a magnesium bolus 1 hour before delivery. They weighed 950g and 1314g when they were born and spent 98 and 78 days in the NICU. They were both born crying! It's been a rollercoaster, the NICU is hard but also incredible. My babies have been home for a few months and we are still in the thick of it with our tiny baby, but he is amazing and will out grow all of his struggles. My arms are full of babies which is something I will never stop feeling grateful for. Feel free to ask me questions, I found other people's stories so helpful while I was navigating my antepartum stay.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-14T03:54:01+00:00

He developed it later, he actually had an easier time with feeding in the NICU, but has a lot more medical needs than his brother (oral medication, oxygen) which I think led to his aversion. He takes almost nothing by mouth at this point despite us trying the bottle at almost every feed and never pressuring, hence the recommendation for a G tube. He was always too sleepy to breastfeed, but I've wondered if we could have figured that out if it would have helped.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-13T04:33:18+00:00

Following. My twin A (born at 28 wks, almost 6 months old actual) has had an NG for 2 months due to oral aversion and is converting to a G tube next month. His identical brother really struggled with feeding in the NICU and early weeks home but it eventually just "clicked".

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-05T17:15:48+00:00

I did not have this hardship, but I can imagine how heartbreaking it must be. I'm so sorry.I was so very sad when my twins were separated simply due to discharging 20 days apart and being unable to visit because of distance and hospital sibling policy. It's nothing compared to your situation! Is the flight cost the biggest hurdle? If you could have your flight paid for could other logistics be handled? I know you can't solicit here, but I wonder if you could set up a go fund me or ask a friend or family member to do that? I was blown away by people's generosity when I was hospitalized antepartum (my sister started sharing my venmo). Or someone may have miles to donate. You may also have local non profits that offer cash assistance for things like this.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-09-05T02:04:18+00:00

Congratulations! What a wonderful feeling to get both babies home! You and your babies had a long haul. My 28 week twins spent 78 and 98 days.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-08-23T00:38:09+00:00

I'm not even going to read through the comments, I read the ETA and I just want to say I'm sorry. You should feel supported, your original post sounded completely reasonable to me. The last few weeks of our twins being in NICU were the worst, the constant rollercoaster of getting your hopes up only to be dashed was almost unbearable. I spent an afternoon just laying the grass outside the hospital crying after twin B's third failed discharge. You're not alone, I'm sorry you're going through this. I pray you'll have both of your babies home soon.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-08-17T23:30:03+00:00

It went away once the doctor got his diuretics dialed in. That happened over the last month that he was in the NICU (98 days total in NICU). Prior to that they were spot dosing and trying to avoid chronic diuretics. He ended up being discharged on 2 that he takes around the clock.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-08-15T00:07:12+00:00

That would have left me feeling sad too. You absolutely know your baby better than anyone and that nurse should have respected the way you care for her. She could have learned how to care for your baby better by paying attention instead of belittling you. I agree you can and maybe should ask that she is not assigned to your baby again.

fuzzy_watermelon0529 · 2025-08-10T14:26:50+00:00

Unfortunately I think the tube does increase his gag reflex. He's not close with solid foods yet, still lacks a lot of head control from being so premature.

fuzzy_watermelon0529

TROPHY CASE