7 Week Old Needs G-tube

I also am a NICU nurse, so I am very familiar with your situation. I think that you guys are on the right track with the g-tube. If her tone is interfering with her ability to nipple an adequate amount than the tube is the way to go. You guys will be able to go home and get on with the business of being a family without constantly worrying that she isn't eating appropriately. Shell be able to eat what she can, then the rest goes down the tube. Speech therapy and occupational therapy will still work with her outpatient to help her optimize her development with her low tone. But, as I tell all my families in your situation, the tube let's you GO HOME and get on with your lives. I know this situation is very hard. Good luck.

You can try another opinion, but if she is also hypotonic (low tone) there is probably something else going on. Hopefully its something that with a little therapy she'll thrive and do well - I wish you the best with that! I'm a pediatric ICU nurse, and when we've had kids get new GT's (for a variety of reasons) I always tell the parents that a GT is one of the easiest things to learn to use. And also know that a GT is reversable. I have taken care of alot of kids who required them and then were able to get them removed down the road. It is an invasive procedure, but is also a very common procedure. I wish you the best and hope the best for your little girl!
Quick question, with the NG tube, is she getting fed continuously or intermittently? Are they allowing her to feed orally first (for no more than 30min) then feeding the rest in the tube? Maybe with the GT they'll allow you to do oral feeds during the day and continuous feeds at night. Just remember she does require a certain amt a day and even trying to eat orally burns calories. But work with ST and the GI doctors to see what you can do to best help her learn to take PO and still have her get the calories she needs. Again, I wish you the best!

I work in a NICU, so G-tubes are no stranger to me. From your description you and your doctors seem to be on the right track. She needs to get in good nutrition to have the building blocks to grow. For a baby who is unable to nipple appropriate volumes and gain weight, tube feedings are the right choice. My bigger concern is her low tone (which sounds like maybe the cause of her poor nippling). Has her tone gotten worse, the same or better since birth? Has any head imaging (head ultrasound, MRI) been done? If head imaging was done is it being read by a pediatric radiologist? Have you seen pediatric neurology? Has an echocardiogram been done (heart defects can leave you too tired to eat)? Again you need a pediatric cardiologist to read this. All the best to your little one. I know this is very hard.

I would ask if the g-tube is going to be permanent and if it is going to be capped. I haven't had any experience with children with g-tubes, only adults, so maybe they don't even know yet at this point if it will be permanent. You may also want to ask if she will be able to do any "pleasure" feeding as she gets older - swabbing, ice chips, popsicles, etc. You may also want to ask if she will be able to take medication by mouth or if those will need to go in the tube. You could ask how long a feeding will take and how often she will have them. My daughter had surgery as a baby so I know how scary this is for you. Your daughter will amaze you at how fast she heals though. As my daughter's surgeon pointed out to us, they are much more cooperative patients as babies - rest like they are told, can't get up & start doing too much too fast, etc. to disrupt the recovery process. Even the adults I know have recovered quickly when having surgery to insert a g-tube. Best wishes for a successful surgery!!

I would get a second and third opinion from 2 more different non affiliated pediatricians!!!

Newborns will loose a lot of body weight right off because they loose the water weight from all the amniotic fluid they lived in for 9 months.. Also, some babies are just more petite than others.

You only mention weight - you haven't mentioned lack of wet or poop diapers, or sunken eyes, or extremely dry and loose skin - which are signs of dehydration and malnutrition.

A nasal tube is invasive as it is - a g tube is even more so. Get some more Dr opinions before you take such a drastic step.