Weaning off oxygen...

[TwoBumps]

Hi ladies,

I haven't posted in this section of baby and bump before, but I am hoping that some of you may have some experience of weaning premature babies off oxygen.

My twin boys were born at 31 + 3 after I developed pre-eclampsia. They weighed 3lb 8 and 3lb 14 and initially they did well and didn't need breathing support. After a day or two however they were put on CPAP and then ventilators. Ben suffered a punctured lung after being ventilated and had to have a chest drain for a 3 or 4 days. Both boys came off the ventilators after about 5 days, Ben needed oxygen the following day as he had developed a chest infection but Joshua was in air for 3 or 4 days before he began to de sat and also had to be put on oxygen.

The boys are now 28 days old and we are trying to wean them off oxygen. Ben is doing ok and managed 3 and a half hours off his oxygen yesterday but Joshua will only tolerate it for about 3 minutes!! Both boys de sat when feeding or just after finishing a feed (dropping to about 80%). They are taking 4 feeds a day by bottle and 2 by tube and are gaining weight well.

The nurses have said that it can take months to wean them off oxygen and that some babies have to go home on oxygen which I find terrifying!!!

Does anyone have any experience of weaning premmies off oxygen? If so how long did it take and was it a gradual process or did they just suddenly improve and come off quickly?

xxx

 

[Foogirl]

The nurses have said that it can take months to wean them off oxygen and that some babies have to go home on oxygen which I find terrifying!!!

I'm sorry I don't have experience of weaning of oxygen, but I did want to say, the further along in the process I got, the less terrifying things became. At first I couldn't even pick her up, then I was so afraid of her feeding tube and couldn't even contemplate her coming home with it. In the end, I'd have been happy to have her home with her tube, as we became so comfortable with using it and handling it (and her with it!!)

De-sating is quite frightening I found, when the alarms go off. Abby did it regularly after a feed but thankfully popping her on her tummy for a bit took the sats right back up again. She never had the same problems with breathing as your boys did though, we were really lucky. She was on the vent for only 12 hours and c-pap for about 3 days. I've my fingers crossed it all works out and your boys come on in leaps and bounds.

Good luck. You could pop over to the "introduce your preemie" thread and post some pics, we all love to see them!

 

[TwoBumps]

Good luck. You could pop over to the "introduce your preemie" thread and post some pics, we all love to see them![/QUOTE]

Thanks!! I've popped a couple of pics in there!!

 

[Dona]

Hi two bumps,

My Archie was on o2 right up until his 39 week birthday. Like you I was told that it could take months and that we might have to take Archie home on o2. I seen that there was a trend with Archie ie one day he would be on say 0.03 then the next day he would try to pop in and out of 0.02 then the following day he would be in 0.02 but trying to pop in to 0.01. So I saw that he was working his way down the meter! I said to all the nurses to NOT mention going home on o2 - I wanted to give him 2 weeks after his due date to prove that he could do it. He did and I was so glad...I got him home at 41 weeks o2 free. Could you imagine taking him home earlier on o2 which he could have been on for a month or two when, just by waiting a few more weeks, he proved he could come home without it.

I found that come 38-39 weeks, these babies change....they show signs that they want to come home and turn into a full term one!

I have a journal, click on the link attached to my signature and it will take you to it. We went through de-sat etc too, but again, by 38-39 weeks they are gone!

I would also read Princess Alex's journal in the parenting section. I told her Mummy the same as I have told you and it proved to work out just as I said it would.

Good look and if you want to chat, PM me! I am always around after 7pm.

Dona xxxx

 

[nkbapbt]

Hi TwoBumps,

My little guy was born at 24+4 weeks and we really struggled with the ventilator, he failed extubation to CPAP three times before the fourth time actually stuck. After that things started moving fairly quickly, he was on CPAP mere weeks and on low flow for two weeks tops. The doctors and nurses all talked about babies going home on 02 as well with us, I think they were thinking we would need it.

But we didn't.

It can take them a bit of time to wean down the oxygen, or they can fly right through it. It really depends how beat up and damaged their lungs are. The good news is, that they can and WILL repair. But it may take time. And I know how frustrating and scary it is. But hang in there it will get better.

Also have they said why they think they are destating with feedings? I am going to go out on a limb and assume it's because they are not quite at the age where the sucking reflex kicks in full swing, 35 weeks. So they are immature and not quite sure how to "suck, breathe, swallow" yet. This too will get better.

Do you hold the babies side ways when you give them bottles? If so try to ask the nurses how to feed them more up right.

Good luck, please feel free to PM if you have any questions.

Congrats on your new babies!!!

 

[TwoBumps]

Thank you for all of the advice

The doctors don't seem overly concerned that they are de-saturating after feeds although they did put both on gaviscon and Ben on Ranitadine as they suspect that the de-sats were due to reflux. They have improved since they were put on the medication but they do still de-sat - fingers crossed that like your babies they will stop as they get a bit older.

The boys would have been 35 weeks if they hadn't come early so I guess that they still have 5 weeks until their due date and as they have already shown, they can achieve an awful lot in that time!!

Two Bumps x x

 

[embojet]

Hi. Molly was born at 29+1 and was on and off oxygen during her stay in NICU and SCBU. She was in hospital for 7 weeks and they couldnt wean her off oxygen even though she was only on a tiny amount - 0.03. She came home on oxygen a month before her due date as this was the only reason to keep her in there. It was absolutely fine having her home on o2 even though I was a bit scared before hand. We had a oxygen machine in her room and a tube that went all over the house so she could go anywhere. We were also given portable cylinders for going out. It was a bit of a pain sometimes but not at all scary. We stayed at the hospital for two nights with her before she came home so that we were confident we could do everything, and the people that delivered the o2 machine and cylinders were lovely and showed us everything we needed to know. We had a visit from a nurse every week, and were lent a SATS machine to measure Molly's SATS now and again when we were weaning her off at home. She was at home on o2 for 2 months before she was weaned off it completely. It sounds like your LO is doing brilliantly, if you have any questions about the home o2 or anything just PM me

 

[AP]

Yes, I'm with Dona. Alex took her time and we honestly thought that's it, we're going home on it. In the space of two weeks she went from 0.1 to 0.01. She drifted between air and 0, 01 until one day she decided enough was enough. Less than two weeks later she was home. Concentrate on their feeding and everything else will follow! Dona told me at 38 weeks they all turn a corner, i can't tell you enough how right she was

 

[nkbapbt]

TwoBumps - My son is also on R for reflux, it does really help. It doesn't actually stop reflux, it only cuts down the acid in the reflux. So it doesn't burn their little throats.

If they are refluxing, how are you holding them when they take a bottle? A more upright position could help to cut down on the reflux, as well as holding them upright for up to 20mins after they are finished.

Also are their beds raised at the head? This also cuts down on reflux. Im not sure if your hospital requires that they go home on a flat bed, but if so they can be weaned down from a raised bed to a flat one usually in a week before they go home.

I hope this helps!