15 Happy Bites!

I backed off feeding therapy a long time ago. Just when Ainsley would do well and I pushed her a little she would regress. So now I don't ever push too hard. I just let her set the pace and praise her when she does eat. When she says she's done (with a head shake) I stop. Over the last week or so her eating has improved. Lately she stops at bite # 8 or 9. Sometimes sooner. (I think she fatigues and starts to micro-aspirate.) Today she ate 15 bites of her pureed food! It's so great to see HER approach the spoon and smile when she eats. Lately it looks to me as if the tonsils perhaps aren't as large as they once were even though it's still red. So I'll be curious if her ENT agrees when she goes in for surgery in February. (There have been no cancellations and now we are too close to her brow surgery in January.) I wonder if that could be a factor in the improvement. But she's also not sick so I think she has a bigger air leak so maybe she can just taste more. Who knows. I'm just happy for her and hope it continues.

Click on the picture below to see it larger. How cute is that?! She is so thrilled with herself!