What's New With Sarah Lou: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Reflux Update

Well Zantac didn't really work. I called a week after we got the prescription and was told to wait another week. Apparently it takes 2 weeks to work? Which is very frustrating. Especially since the DOCTOR told us 2-3 days and then a nurse said a week and then a different nurse said 2 weeks. Ahh! So we waited it out another week....

In that week the spitting up started again and he got more and more fussy. He is now to the point where we can't put him down and he's spitting up a ton. Not to mention he is incredibly fussy. It seems like all he does is eat, poop/pee, sleep, and cry. He used to have a time in the evening where he was happy and would just look around and coo. Not anymore.

We got a prescription for prevacid on Monday. He's been on it a little more than 24 hours and I'm not noticing too much of a difference. Bummer. He isn't spitting up as much but he's still spitting up a bunch. He's still very fussy and we still can't put him down.

I wish there was something that would make my baby man feel better! I hate hearing him cry in pain and there is nothing I can do! HATE IT!

Right now he is in his bassinet just looking around though. First time I've been able to put him down all day (it's almost 4:30 pm).

Spoke too soon....he's crying! : (

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Woes of Reflux

Yep....Mason has reflux. Anyone who has or has had a baby with reflux knows this is not fun. At all. Just in case you don't know what reflux is, it's when stomach acid rises up into the esophagus and causes really bad burning. Basically like the worst heartburn you have ever had. I feel so bad for my little boy. I had awful reflux almost the entire time I was pregnant with him so I know how badly it hurts.

About 2 weeks ago (soo he was 4 1/2 weeks old) I noticed he stopped liking to lay on his favorite pillow on the couch. Then he stopped liking to lay on the floor (he LOVED laying on the floor; I think if he could he would have spent the entire day on the floor on his blanket). Everyday he was getting more and more fussy. He was also spitting up more with each feeding. Then he stopped sleeping at night. For 5 days we tired everything to get him to sleep. Needless to say those nights were extremely difficult. All night he was making this terrible grunting noise and clearing his throat. Nursing was becoming harder and harder (he was pulling his head back and scratching and screaming almost the entire time I was attempting to nurse him). Then the grunting and clearing started during the day. We literally could not put the child down. The second his bottom touched anything that wasn't a human he screamed bloody murder. I don't blame him though, he was in a lot of pain.

After too many days and nights of this, I finally decided it was time to take him to his pediatrician a week ago today. He was diagnosed with reflux and we were given a perscription for zantac. I gave him the first dose that night and it seemed to help. Unfortunetely it's not working so well anymore (the grunting and clearing has started again as well as the sleepless nights), which his doctor said might happen and we would switch him to prilosec if need be. Soo I'm probably going to call sometime today to get that switched.

Nursing has gotten better, slowly. I found a position he likes much better yesterday. I think he wasn't feeling secure with the other position I had been using. Ironically I learned the position from a youtube video (youtube is literally a life saver lol). Go figure!

We got him a reflux chair at Buy Buy Baby over the weekend. I usually put him in it after I feed him in the afternoon/early evening. It elevates his head to 30 degrees which is apparently the perfect angle for reflux babies. It also vibrates, which he really likes. I'll post a picture of it later. If anyone is interested in getting it, it's made by the brand Summer.

Well he's waking up now, so I have to cut this short. Here's to hoping the handsome little man feels better soon...

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

One Month Pediatrician Appointment

Me & My One Month Old Baby Boy

One Month Postpartum

Mason had his one month check up today. He did great. Barely fussed at all. Usually he cries a little but this time he was very content and just looked around. Here are his stats:

One Month

Weight: 10 lbs (51 %)

Height: 21 3/4 (50%)

Head Circ: 14 5/8 (26 %)

He's moving right along and is basically all caught up to the babies born at full term. Go Mason go!

He did have to get a shot. Poor baby!! I had to help hold his little down, which broke my heart! He handled it like a champ though! He cried for about 5 seconds and then continued sucking on his paci. I am so proud of him for handling it so well.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Mason James: The First Month

Holy cow! This month has flown by! Where did the time go?! I seriously can not believe my baby boy turned 1 month old yesterday!

Mason is such a wonderful baby. We are so blessed to be his parents. I absolutely love being a mommy. It's definitely so much harder then I ever thought it was going to be, but it's so worth it. I still stare at him in complete awe that he's my son. I love him so very much.

We haven't really had any problems with him. He has some trouble sleeping when we first brought him home because his bassinet was too hard for him. We fixed that though. He is a very gassy boy, so we got him gas drops. Problem solved. He got pink eye, poor baby! His eye was leaking a yellow mucus. It looked awful. We had to take him to his pediatrician and get him some eye drops. We're still trying to clear it up but it's better! So nothing really major, which we are so thankful for!

He nurses likes a champ! We never had a problem. He almost always latches right on and goes to town. I know some moms and babies have a real issue with breastfeeding, so we're very happy that he's done so well. Sometimes he get frustrated at night but I think that's just because he's tired.

Mason travels beautifully! The only time he'll fuss is if he's hungry or over tired. I don't blame him, that would make me cranky too.

He LOVES to be cuddled and held! He's our little cuddle bug...

Here are his birth stats and the stats from his 2 week doctors appointment:

Birth

Weight: 6 lbs 9 oz

Height: 20 1/4

Head Cric: 13 3/4

Chest: 12 inches

Two Weeks

Weight: 7 lbs 6 oz (18 %)

Height: 20 3/4 (57 %)

Head Circ: 13 1/2 (16 %)

In just 2 weeks he grew so much! Everyone says that they grow fast but I had no idea just how fast! I look at him sometimes and wonder where the little baby I brought home from the hospital is. Everyday he gets more alert. It's so fun to watch him grow and develop! We definitely enjoy and cherish every single moment.

Here are some pictures I took from the first month of his life: