Feeding Self

HOLY SMOKES PEOPLE!!!!

 

This has OFFICIALLY been the FIRST TIME...did you get that?

 

FIRST

 

FIRST

 

FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRST TIME

 

Jocelyn has EVER tried to feed herself!!!!

 

Being able to eat independently is what most of us take for granted each day. We cook something up for ourselves, grab something from drive-through, pop that favorite piece of candy in our mouths or drink that unbelievably delicious drink and go on about our business.

 

For Jocelyn, she has trouble with eating and drinking because of the lack of muscle coordination/control, and she also rarely demonstrates that she's hungry or thirsty.

 

Currently, we feed Jocelyn three blenderized meals a day along with four 8oz water flushes. During one of those meals, usually its lunch or supper as she is awfully nausea during the mornings, we attempt to spend 10-15 minutes at the beginning of her meal to have her at least taste something, touch food or even open her mouth at all. We have learned not to expect her to do anything and make this her "food play time" and absolutely view it as a time to do whatever she wants with food. Trust me when I say this was (and continues to be) a tremendously difficult thing for us to learn because we want her to eat and drink on her own so badly! We know if she could eat and drink that she of course would. What kid wouldn't love to down a cupcake or fries? I generally do most all of Jocelyn's feedings and I've had to learn the the hard way that I can't control this issue and to be patient! 

 

I push Jocelyn to try things that she's put off by such as veggie straws (she hates the texture of carbohydrate type of foods but will tolerate tasting the ranch flavor), but I've learned to only do it as she will allow since we are trying to teach her that eating is an awesome part of life!!! It hasn't been until recently that she enjoys and wants to drink from anything at all. Now, throughout the day Jocie tries to drink from a plastic water bottle. She typically only gets her mouth wet but sometimes she really does get a drink, and she even tries to hold the thing with both hands -- DOUBLE SCORE!!!

 

Tonight Jocelyn surprised Justin and I both. As we started her tube-feeding, I offered her some smooth strawberry yogurt. She didn't want to open her mouth to taste any of it (pretty typical) but after I put a tiny bit on her lips and she licked it off, she opened her mouth for more. After about three times of that, she wanted to put her hand in the container and she NEVER does that -- its a sensory issue. Next thing we know, she is putting her hand to her nose and smelling it and then BAM! She puts her hand in her mouth and starts sucking the yogurt off her fingers. She repeated this over and over for 10 minutes!!! She even tried to use a spoon!

 

I attached some video of us capturing her pure awesomeness! I know it's not "pretty" eating and especially with her being older, but none of that matters, what matters is that she's TRYING!! :)

 

 

 

Tonight is just wanted we needed -- progression and encouragement!! We are still beaming!