1.31.2010

oils- a nosotalkedabout danger?

sooo if you check back a few days you'll find that we were doing this to boost her weight- and BOY DID IT WORK. she's still gaining like crazy. when we went to the pulmonologist the other day she was actually weighing in at 11lbs 14oz (down 4 oz from the day before) but she had a dirty diaper that weighed in at 7oz- so i'm happy with that math!

on to pressing news. i'd been adding olive oil to her baby food puree. some use olive oil, some coconut oil, fish oil, i've even read of using butter... all add fats to the food and really plump up the little ones. now, instead of oil, i'm using cornstarch. (ick- right?) well, it's for a good reason.

when i talked to the pulmonologist about this she was adamant that i stop. apparently, while eating if it "goes down the wrong pipe", or when she refluxes, if it comes up... we're in trouble. this causes what is called lipid(or lipoid) pneumonia. (aspiration pneumonia caused by the inhalation of oils.) i balked at first, but the pulmonologist said that it is severe, and that she has lost a baby to this in the past. apparently it comes on fast, and has a high mortality rate. (it also often leads to bacterial pneumonia.)

i haven't been able to find much research regarding olive oil and L.P... but i did find that it oftentimes can come from stomach contents... and is usually in those with problems swallowing, or frequent reflux. just the fact that my doc has lost a baby previously, firsthand, that was enough for me to take her off of it.

just a word to the wise! please feel free to post your experiences or comments.

1 comment:

Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf said...

My daughter hasn't started solids yet (next month, yay!) but she had GERD. Thanks so much for posting this. I would have never dreamed of anything like this! Especially with these "healthy" oils, you know? Yikes. :(