Grosser than Gross & other random stuff

What's grosser than gross? Helena's umbilical cord stump fell off a month ago and I never could find it. Then Mark announced that he discovered it stuck to the bottom of his sock. As best as we can tell, it was stuck either in the baby towel or sleeper that we used. This means, the cord went through the laundry and fell out on the floor a month later. That's pretty gross. What's more gross? I'll probably keep it in her baby book.

I've become quite addicted to blueberry pommegranate juice. Really, it's yummy.

Have you discovered the Redbox? It's a DVD rental vending machine. The movies are good new ones (that I missed in the theater) that rent for $1 a day. You can even reserve them online! I've seen them around but have been leery that it was some sort of credit card scam. So far I've rented "He's Just Not That Into You," which I highly recommend and "Taken." This is another really good one. I can watch them late at night on my computer with head phones on the cheap.

I've got 20 hours of Respite to use by July 1st. Yesterday I was able to do some chores and escape the house. This afternoon Mark and I are catching a matinee of the "Hangover." I'm giddy!

Tomorrow my new and super talented friend Donita is doing a photo shoot with my family. Sophie turns 2 on July 2nd (her golden birthday) and Helena is 6 weeks old, plus I just wanted new shots. Thank you Grandma Betty for the timeless gift! Check out Donita's work here. I'll post up as soon as they are ready. She was my inspiration for the flower shots in the last post, but as you will see, I've got nothing on her.

I'm happy to update that after 6 weeks, Helena is starting to really come to life. I'm still limiting my dairy intake as that seems to help her gas problems as a nursing baby. That and simply growing and her system maturing has helped tremendously. She no longer is in constant pain in her belly. Two nights ago she even slept from midnight till 5am! I'm doing better about putting her in her own bed instead of letting her sleep next to me, which will be better for everyone in the long run. The biggest news is that she's begun smiling at least once a day. We've even heard a few coos. By far and away this child has been the hardest and it has been a shock to the system. This is especially after being spoiled by Miss Sophie who has been a 5 tiered cake comparatively, despite her feeding issues and surgery early on. So, I'm happy to report that Mom and baby are falling madly in love and that she's becoming more alert and gorgeous by the hour.

What else? Sophie's wonderful PT relocated and we are so so very sad to see her go. She has been brilliant with Soph and will be hard to replace. Fortunately, we were able to slip in another PTs schedule and will pick up again without missing a beat in July. Thank you so much Cory for your kindness, patience, skill, and passion for my daughter.

OK, enough stalling. I've got to get back to the laundry. JRS - Out!

The Overlord is Not Amused

I have a 9 lb. 6 oz. overlord. She's demanding, picky, unyielding, and gorgeous. She cannot be rationalized with and she's nocturnal. There have been grumblings of a mutiny among her minions. OK, so maybe that's just coming from me. I've begun to look like Nick Nolte's mugshot.

Still, I've been around the block a few times. I know the drill. And somehow this tiny person has shaken my confidence and I am past weary and confused. It doesn't help that the experts are at odds.

Helena has serious gas issues. Serious. The little one is more often in pain and uncomfortable than not, and its caused by gas in the belly. Lots of gas that has surprised a few people who have held her when her bottom explodes. I know the different positions to hold and burp her. She sleeps with her head elevated. I keep her upright for a while after each feeding. I've given up eating anything that might be somewhat spicy and by suggestion of a lactation consultant - dairy as well.

The experts at the breastfeeding clinic thought she had thrush due to a white spot in her mouth and a touch of diaper rash. Based on this, her ped prescribed Nystatin for baby and Lotrimin for me, even though I had no symptoms. Helena has a great suck - powerful even. But, she loses her seal after a brief time of nursing and I can hear the air she's sucking in. We stop frequently to correct the seal and burp, but I'm sure that's the cause of lots of the gas in her belly. Thrush can cause mouth pain which would have explained her losing her seal and sucking air. We use a nipple shield sometimes, but I don't think that's made a difference on her seal.

However, today her ped gave me a lesson on ph balance in the belly and thousands of years of human development to get the GI tract just right. I heard about the over prescribed meds for infant reflux and resulting polyps in their bellies. He says she doesn't have thrush and to stop the meds. He says that dairy in my diet isn't the cause, nor is my milk causing any problems regardless of what I eat as she's gaining weight quite nicely. He says I'm doing everything right, that he respects the breastfeeding experts, but that I've been given more work to do than I should. He's a great doc, married to another great ped dr. and they have 6 kids. He's no quack.

Bottom line, he says reflux meds are not needed, she's colicy and will outgrow it in weeks or months, Mylicon drops and gripe water is fine if I want to continue to use them, and take her on walks in a baby carrier or drives in the car.

So, I'm back to square one, unsure about the thrush meds and dairy. She's still not sleeping well and prefers to be held upright at ALL times. This is more of a comfort thing than an overlord's demands. She can be in a deep sleep when vertical, but often gets the hiccups or wakes up as soon as she's horizontal.

At least Mark is Superman. We're like 2 single parents in the same home. He's raising the 2 oldest (and feeding me) and I'm at every whim of our tiny overlord. Thank God he's so good at taking care of us all. I hope this faze passes quickly.