In a one handed, typing nutshell, while baby sleeps in crook of arm:
- I am pretty much still pumping and bottlefeeding. Attempts for Morella to take the breast are futile. It's ok though because now we are able too see how much she is getting--and it's on the low end of normal. We might get the base 19 oz today -- maybe. It's also easier to see when she is having reflux.....which brings me to point two..
- The test on Friday only tested to see if she had a normal stomach and esophagus. Thankfully she does. However, in the 5 minutes that the test was performed, Mmorella refluxed twice up to her collarbone. Suddenly, and really over the course of the day--it totally makes sense. I mean, we SEE it happening to her now that we know what to look for. We think her swallow/suck reflexis fine and that the real culprit is severe reflux.
- Feeding her is an all day affair. She can only eat 1 to 1.5 ounces before the reflux starts and she stops, stiffens, cries and then calms down. Now that we know what we are looking for we can stop, scale the food down to nothing so that she won't choke on more liquid going down her throat. It's not uncommon for her to take an hour and a half to eat 2.5 ounces.
- We wonder when the baby xantax (randidine) is supposed to start working and how long it will be before we can get to prevacid. So Karen, you were totally right.
- We are also going to ask for more info regarding fortifying her milk---sadly it will be with formula but there are the benefits of breastmilk still there. That said, it would hamper breast feeding.
- Tim said not to get all down about it and attack with one problem at a time. After we get this reflux under control we can focus more on her breast feeding again.
- She has anaother doctor appointment for Monday when we discuss this. She also has the real suck/swallow test scheduled for Jan. 2nd.
- Morella is going to be baptised on Christmas Day. We are heading up there on xmas eve and spending the night. I have been looking forward to this so I can get some sleep and have some help! Since the breastfeeding is stalled she would drink by bottle --leaving me to only get up to pump, instead of pump and feed her until it's time for the next pumping....
- I love duel parenting. Tim has an 11 day stretch to be home with me and the Bit--and it's really nice. He made a really awesome dinner tonight of mashed parsnips (with a little brown sugar and pepper) and an indian dish -- paneer makhanwala. We got the ingrediants from a real indian grocery we found by accident last Saturday. It was SOOOOooo good. Tim even went all out and made some eggnogg. I was surprised he was in such a festive mood!
- I left the house and visited the Samsa's this afternoon for a quick visit and gift exchange. I am afraid that I totally came out ahead. Rather, Morella did. I think that it a sign of things to come, which is totally okay with me! I am sad to say that I felt anxious as I came back though -- now I am completely worried and focused on preserving my milk supply and keeping ahead of Morella. I am only one feeding ahead of her so I feel the gun to constantly pump. I made some cookies to help and looked for fenegreek at Walgreens but they didn't have it. I know Community Pharmacy would have it, but how do I get there with Morella? Rather...how do I find parking....I'm such a wuss when it comes to public parking and walking several blocks with a baby in a car seat to go to the store. I would do the sling thing except, she isn't that big of a fan of it right now. Hm.
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posted by hadjare @ 8:18 PM
2 Comments:
It sounds like you are doing everything you can --- I'm glad that there are things in the works that sound like they will make life easier for you..... sooooo..... Happy Holidays!!! and I hope you can put worry on the back burner for a little while (even if only 5 minutes) and enjoy being around family the next few days.
PS... your local Laima-spice store has fenugreek. let me know if you still need some.
I'm glad you're starting to get answers. Poor little thing, experiencing reflux pain. I'm glad this can be diagnosed in babies now, though, because imagine all the centuries of babies that must have suffered with no one to understand what they were feeling.
Ruth wasn't fond of the ranitidine taste either - I guess it's a bitter mint taste. Our pharmacist suggested grape flavoring for an extra couple bucks, but she didn't like that any better. Ah, well. We usually did little squirts into the cheek pocket so she didn't dribble it all out at once.
We felt the effects of the ranitidine were instant. Seriously. First dose, it was like putting out a fire with an extinguisher. Ruth relaxed on her changing table, and cuddled with Dave, and slept so long and soundly for next couple of days. She must have been exhausted from the pain. Drowsiness isn't a side effect of ranitidine, so she must have honestly felt better.
I assume you've already encountered suggestions for these physical lifestyle changes, but I'll suggest again anyway: hold her at a more upright angle when feeding, not horizontally; let her sit at a tilt after eating if possible; and put an incline in her mattress with a rolled-up towel or pillow.
I gave up on the post-feeding situp thing because I just wanted to get to bed again and I'm sure Ruth did, too. But some mommas make it work.
I wonder if the Magic Mill grocery would have fenugreek. They're in a strip mall off the Beltline, so there should be adequate parking. I've never been there, but it sounds like the kind of place that might have it. Or maybe try the GNC store in the mall?
Okay, end lecturesome prattle. Happy Baptism to Morella, and Merry Christmas to you all!
-SECP
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