pregornot


I'm Just Being Honest
February 06, 2004 - 11:51 a.m.

We finally got a new car seat - we sprung for the seat of all seats - the Britax Marathon. I didn't want to be one of those moms who buys all the "best" things just because they are the most expensive - but I did the research and when it come to car seats, you get what you pay for. I have an unnatural phobia of riding in cars that I intend to pass on to my daughter (it comes from being in many many accidents caused by loony drivers). This seat is the Mecca. It will last us 6 years! At least it better. I chose three different seats, all with the best safety ratings, and I let TIm decide which one. Thinking he would be Mr. Stinjy-pants, I said, "Remember it's your daughter's life." He instantly went for the Marathon, explaining, "This will save us in the long run."

After spending almost $400 at ToysRUs, we went out to dinner. Marlee was such a little angel. She played with her toys and checked out everything. When she got hungry, she fussed a little and was patient while I got the bottle ready for her (I am still not a public breast-feeder). Then - get this - she fed herself. Yep, I don't know if she's learning that at daycare, or if the few times I have given her a sippy cup to practice with has paid off...but she picked that bottle up and stuck it right in her mouth and sucked the whole thing down while I ate my dinner. It was awesome.

A little early, but awesome nonetheless!

A reader recently suggested that Marlee might have a milk protien allergy. I really wanted to thank you again for bringing that up. My BIL suggested the same thing. I do think it is worth mentioning to the doctor. I don't think my doctor ever took it serious when I told her just how much Marlee throws up. It's not normal spit up and it's not even normal for refluxing infants...a lot of refluxers don't even spit up! Anyway I'm having a hard time bringing it to the attention of my doctor because I am afraid she'll have me give up breastfeeding. I know that is a selfish thing - and you'd think after all the supply issues and the constant fight to get Marlee to like nursing that I would be ready to give it up. But I am not, and I don't think I ever will be. It's just such a great thing that I am doing for her, and last night I got to see the benefits of this relationship that it has created with my daughter (she really is a momma's girl!). Anyway I have already eliminated dairy and soy from my diet to help the situation (since about 3 weeks pp) and if that isn't enough I am sure they would want to send us straight to Nutramigen. That's what they did with my neice...granted I do go to a completely pro-breastfeeding hospital, so maybe I am wrong.

In any case, thank you for the information.


What A Difference A Day Makes
February 06, 2004 - 8:03 a.m.

Looks like our problem could at least in the little bit be teething. Tonight, MIL came over to visit and when I took Marlee out of her crib after her non-nap, her cheeks were flaming red and she was HOT. I took her temp - 99.8. I know they say teething does NOT cause fevers...but teething is also hereditary, and guess what? Both Tim and I ran fevers with every teeth we got in (including wisdom teeth). She was chewing on the buckle of her pants and choked herself with a teething toy...MIL was like, "OMG she is teething." It makes me feel better to hear someone with plenty of experience say what I have been suspecting. Since it is so early, I wasn't sold on the teething but there are in fact bumps and lumps all over in this kid's mouth. After some Tylenol she was much better...and is sleeping. In her crib. For 2.5 hours.

Now I must go - inevitably this will cause some cosmic curse and she'll wake up - just like the day I said, Oh Marlee hasn't spit up in days! And all of a sudden a geyser of body-temperature liquid flew across the room. Yay.

*********************************

WELLL...Marlee went down at 8pm, woke up at 11:30pm, and again at 3:30 am, then slept until I got her up at 6:30am!! That is MAJOR improvement. Major. It could have something to do with the Tylenol? I don't care. It worked. She was actually pleasant when she woke during the night and went right back down when she was done eating.

It could also be that she's been back on regular doses of Zantac all week. In the past, it has taken at least a week for the Zantac to work on reducing the reflux....so I am not sure what it is. When I dropped her off at daycare today, Sheila told me she's been taking her temp all week because her cheeks have been so red, she is sure she is teething.

Ah, an almost full night's sleep. I feel great!


PS
February 04, 2004 - 10:01 a.m.

My BIL mentioned that his daughter stopped sleeping completely at 4 months and they discovered her milk protein allergy and had to switch formulas. I also know of some people who's babies stopped sleeping and it was related to digestion, what they were eating and the like. Could that be it? How will I know if it's just behavioral or developmental?


No Sleep for the Weary and Teary
February 04, 2004 - 8:58 a.m.

Ug, I am feeling so guilty today! Marlee has been getting up 6 to 8 times a night for about a week now and we finally decided to just let her cry last night and I feel terrible. I have no idea what I am doing and if it is even helping, all I know is we all need to get some sleep. I think it's just a bad habit now, at first I was sure it was teething, but now I think she just needs to nurse herself back to sleep which isn't going to work for me. I guess I wouldn't have a problem if it were only 2 or 3 times a night, but this is like, every hour!!! I am so exhuasted most days I could puke. She has also stopped taking naps. We've tried everything to get her to nap including the swing, vibrating chair, a car ride, Bjorn, co-sleeping, bouncing, rocking, nursing - you name it. She used to be so good at soothing herself and putting herself to sleep, but since I have started back to work I have gotten into the habit of nursing her till she's asleep, then taking her off and popping a pacifier into her mouth before laying her in her crib. She's usually semi-awake, but sometimes she's already asleep when I lay her down. I guess I was taking the easy way out, since we used to fight with her for an hour to get her to fall asleep - but then at least she was sleeping through the night.

So anyway. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I was determined to get this baby to sleep last night, even if it meant letting her cry herself to sleep. I guess I shouldn't feel so bad, it's not like I had a choice. We went through her normal bedtime routine, a little earlier than normal because she seemed really tired. Obviously she was overtired, I couldn't get her to nurse. So I gave her the pacifier and laid her in bed. She started screaming the instant she touched the bed, and continued for a half hour or more, despite me standing next to her and consoling her, or leaving, or whatever I did. She did finally fall asleep, and it seemed like a good deep sleep. When she woke up a few hours later I figured she was hungry, so I fed her and tried to put her back in her crib. She acted as if I had cut one of her legs off and cried for an hour and a half. This time Tim and I were taking turns going in to tell her it was time to sleep, rub her head and whatnot.

All in all she still woke up every hour or so, and then spent anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour crying. She eventually would fall asleep, only to wake up a few minutes later and cry. No one in the house got any sleep at all.

Then this morning, she seemed to be so out of it, so clingy and desperate for someone to hold her and love her. I put her on the floor to change her diaper and even though I was right there with her she was still screaming until I picked her back up. Usually I wake her in the morning, she is all smiles. I feed her and dress her and then we play, then I let her play by herself while I get ready for work. This morning she was plastered to my chest and neither one of us had a chance to get ready. When I dropped her off at daycare she was quiet and introverted, not meeting my eyes when I said goodbye. It broke my heart. I don't know if she feels abandoned because of last night or what. I know I could have been more patient with her, I could have slept on her floor, I could have done something other than what we did - and I don't think I will ever do it again.

What are we doing wrong? What can I do to get through this? I feel so bad and I just want to cuddle my baby all day. I feel like I haven't spend any time with her, playing or interacting because all I do is fight with her to sleep!!!

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