Starting week two on my own with the Bit.

One word can describe everything -- GAS.

Morella has terrible gas that just won't let up. We constantly burp, pat her back, have tummy time, paddlewheel her check, bicycle her legs, bounce her up and down to the point that she is getting more of a work out than Tim or I! Still, there is rumbling storm in her belly. Rolling across the small plane of her tummy - back and forth. I feel terrible for her. It makes her fussy and cranky.

In a measure of desperation last night, I decided to try some gripe water, specifically Colic Calm -- though I don't know where to get it so I just ordered it online. It was shipped to me today -- so I hope to get it by tomorrow. I am also very tempted to go out and buy some Mylicon which is an OTC gas medicine. My only concern with that Morella seems to have more intenstinal gas than stomach gas (which is what the Mylicon would address). Though I could be wrong and maybe it would help her.

I wish, in addition to a fuel gauge on this baby, that there was a pressure valve that I could push to relieve the gas for her. She seems to be such a mellow baby when her stomach isn't distended in gas pain. :(

In the breastfeeding arena -- my right nipple is now very very sore and I am counting on this Lansinoh to help. She still won't nurse from the left breast without the shield and when she does nurse with it -- it's sloppy and she's rather unenthusiastic about it. It's like she sort of just lets the milk flow into her mouth and she'll swallow when it's conveniently full. There also seem to be two times during the day that she cluster feeds -- in the late morning and the evening. Or it could be this gas issue....see. Anyway. It's so hard to figure out when to pump because she CAN drink from the right breast -- and I was told to pump because nipple shields prevent full stimulation. Well if she is nursing exclusively from the right breast without the shield -- do I need to pump it? Sigh. I decided to just pump the ignored breast and give her that bottle during the times that we need it.

I am eager to know 1. how much milk she gets from the right breast during a feeding. I can find this out on Wednesday at the lactation appointment if Morella cooperates and feeds during then. And 2. I really want to know/hope that she gained SOME weight in the last week and half. She seems to be filling out a little. She falls asleep after she nurses from a breast full of milk. There are plenty of wet diapers....

So today, after she was up for four hours and fussy and I had finally resorted to the pumped bottle from this morning -- I put her in the swing and that calmed her. She swung for a good 40 minutes while I finally went to the bathroom, ate some lunch and made a delayed 2 week appointment for her. I didn't know I was supposed to make one -- the doctor didn't say I needed to at the 1 week appointment.

Anyway. It's a quick check set for Thursday morning. Then after that she has two month appointment set for the end of January.

So this weekend was okay. I was so glad to have Tim home to help. He has such a calming presence for me and the Bit. We had a few visitors on Saturday -- Oliver who came with home made pumpkin bread (which is now almost gone and was very awesome). After that Tim's parent's came to baby sit while we went out to a movie. We saw the Golden Compass (Tim described the movie as rushed) -- and I would agree. Then stopped at Petsmart for some cat litter and then Panera for a bite to eat. We were back by 7 the MIL said she could have gone on for more.

She wanted the Bit to be fussy!!!! Gah. Of course she is always super fussy afterward. Or maybe not... maybe it just seems like it. It's that stupid gas again.

Yesterday was a Sunday. We stayed around the house. Napped. I walked the dog, stopped to say hi and visit with Little Girl and her Mom, made dinner. Morella sleep really well all evening, we gave her a bath because Tim declared her stinky -- and while he went to bed at 11 -- Morella didn't go to bed until 1:45 AM. Ugh. Up at 5.30 for 1st breastfast, and then again at 8-12.

I am rambling now. But today I got a headache and started to get tired. I took her out of the swing after the pumping and eating and we went to lay down for an hour. I got up at 2 -- fed her and took some tylenol and now here I am yapping to the internet.

I am also watching some Star Trek show -- it's a double banger -- with the woman as the Captain...what Star Trek is that again? Hm.