Baby’s Got Gas

Emily October 12, 2010
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Mommy Lesson #8

“Gas pain is at its worst between six and eight weeks of a baby’s life.”
www.babycenter.com

Easton is already eight weeks old (can you believe it?) and he seems to be exiting his gassy phase. Whew! I never knew a little tooting could be so dramatic. I found myself doing everything I could help him release those tiny air bubbles.

Isn’t it strange that we praise our babies for the same thing we scold our husbands for?

Here are the eight tips for helping babies pass gas (and my thoughts about them):

1. Use Mylicon Drops - One mother told me, “Mylicon is liquid gold,” but I must disagree. It might help a bit, but the difference was not noticeable to us. Clay even said, “How do we know this isn’t just expensive pink sugar water?”  Of course, every baby is different, and this is the remedy most moms suggest when I mention the words “baby” and “gas” in the same sentence. I just did not have a lot of luck with it.

2. Buy Gripe Water – Now, this stuff works! It’s a natural mixture that originated in England in the 1920′s. Now, you can buy at grocery stores or drugstores, but it’s just made of ginger, fennel, and chamomile. Somehow I feel better knowing it’s herbal rather than chemical. Anyway, it works so well, I almost felt guilty. Take a look at this YouTube video of a dietitian explaining Gripe Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gARVyvYXZvw

3. Place Baby on Left Side - This helped, too! When Easton needed to sleep, but he was experiencing gas, the left side was the most calming position.

4. Try Bicycle Legs- When I was searching for Mylicon drops in Publix, one friendly associate told me she used to place her baby on her back and gently move her legs back and forth, like she was riding an air bicycle. I tried this, and it distracted Easton, but it did not help “push the gas out” like she said. Maybe if I had done it a little longer, it would have worked.

5. Employ the Football Hold- Once again, I placed Easton on his left side and put his back against my stomach. I held him tight and pulled his legs toward his belly. This DID help him to “push the gas out.” It was my go-to position!

6. Insert Pacifier - I thought it was helpful to give Easton a pacifier when he experienced pain. It is one of the few ways he can soothe himself.

7. Make Time for Tummy Time – Sometimes, if he laid on his tummy and put his booty in the air, the toots just came out naturally.

8. Remember Good Burping Techniques - I guess the theory behind good burping is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but it’s hard to know if I prevented anything. I just tried to be extra patient when burping him because I worried that any air I did not escape on the front end would have to come out the back end.

Thankfully, Easton has been feeling much better the past few days. I’d love to hear what worked for you, if your baby ever fussed about gas.

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Doody Tales

Emily September 21, 2010
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Mommy Lesson #6

“Body temperature can be as low as 97 degrees in the morning and 100 degrees at night.”

I thought I had bought a sufficient number of contraptions to avoid this. I have a pacifier that will take a baby’s temperature. I have an ear thermometer. And of course, I have my hand that can easily feel Easton’s forehead to see if he is hot.

But no.

According to the book, Baby 411, that will not suffice.

You know what I had to do. With a little Vasaline and a rectal baby thermometer, I found out that Easton had a tidbit of temperature tonight, but not enough to call the doctor. The funny thing was…checking it wasn’t bad at all. Oddly enough, Easton didn’t seem to mind and I was too concerned about him to worry about my squeemish stomach.

Throughout the past five weeks, I have done more gross stuff than I dare to recount. I have changed diapers with green poop; forgotten a Pee Pee Tee Pee and you know what happens then, wiped spit up off my face, and of course… done it all in the middle of the night.

Before Easton got here, my biggest fears about babies revolved around sleep deprivation and gross stuff. I would hear moms say, “If only I could get four hours of uninterrupted sleep…” or “This is the trash can for poo poo diapers,” or “Little Johnny’s pee pee is like a missle.” My mission was to avoid all of this as much as possible.

But a crazy thing has happened lately. I find myself really excited about really gross stuff. I say things like:

“That was a good burp!”

“Oh, I hope you feel better after tooting.”

“Let it out, honey.”

 ”Did we forget to pack the wipes in the diaper bag? Oh well.”

“Clay, listen to what happened when I was changing Easton’s diaper.”

Is love just stronger than the doody smell? Is it possible that motherly affection trumps all fear? So far, I would have to answer yes. Did you have any fears or uneasiness that melted in the face of your little angel?

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Top Ten Necessities for Infants

Emily August 29, 2010
[20] comments

Mommy Lesson #4

“If evolution really works, how come
mothers only have two hands?”
Ed Dussault

Before Easton came along, my trips to Babies R Us elicited two emotions: shock and disbelief. “How could people be so vulnerable?” I thought. “There is no way a little baby needs all of this stuff. I bet he really only needs a stroller, bed, diapers, and lots of love.”

Wrong.

He needs so much more.

Yes, I am sure people in the olden days survived perfectly without all the modern day gadgets, (like the Little Lamb Seat), but how on earth did they do it? And I have no doubt that frontier women somehow got along without a wipe warmer, but I love using warm wipes on his cute little tooshie. Now, when I go to Babies R Us, I see every product as a great invention by a mother who was in tune to her baby. I also see millionaire mommies on every aisle (how much money do you think the inventor of the Pee Pee Teepee is making these days?) Babies R Us is like a candystore, and I am a kid with some allowance money in my pocket.

Here is my Top Ten List of Necessities for an Infant, but Easton is only two weeks old, so if you are a Mom of an older child, feel free to add to my list!

10. Vibrating Seat- Thank you, Alana Pridemore, for the gift of movement. Because of this little seat, I can move around the house knowing that little Easton is secure and entertained… for about seven minutes. I can talk to him while I make coffee, dry my hair, or write this blog post.

9. Google- What did people do before the Internet and search engines were invented? They probably didn’t freak out every time they looked up “Infant Spit Up” and found that this COULD be the result of a rare but serious heart condition found in less than one percent of all babies.

8. Camera- Mamas are the ultimate paparazzi.

7. Boppy- Before the invention of the boppy, where did women rest their arms and babies rest their bodies during feedings?

6. Sleep Positioner- Thank you, Brooke White… I had no idea Easton would feel so cuddled by one of these little gadgets. It’s like my arms are still there when he rests.

5. Bottle Warmer – At 2:00 AM, no one wants to wait five whole minutes for a bottle.

4. Baby 411 Book – Like the subtitle says, “It contains 500+ pages of useful info about health, sleep, and nutrition. Thank you, Lindsey Ramsey, for the recommendation.

3. Journal- Writing down his feeding times and amounts along with detailed description of his “Big Poopies” and “Small Poopies” is helpful when trying to decide why he might be fussy. It will also be a great resource to embarrass him when I meet his girlfriend in high school.

2. Shirts with Built-in Mittens – These are great for warmth and for reassurance that he is not scratching his eyes out.

1. Other Mothers – Of course, these women are my greatest resource. When I talk to a mother who says, “Don’t worry, every baby has a little bit of acne,” or “I promise you will sleep again one day,” or “Treasure this time – it goes by so quickly,” I feel like everything is alright.

Thank you to each one of you who has given me encouragement or advice. This journey is not complete without you! Let me know if there are any essentials I will be needing soon.

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Sleeping through the Day

Emily August 23, 2010
[24] comments

Mommy Lesson #2

“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.”

- Leo J. Burke

 My brief stint in Baby La La Land is over. For the first week, Easton basically ate, slept, and pooped. He fell asleep very easily, and needed little interaction. Even when he interacted with us, he didn’t really understand it. Clay read something that said, “Your baby might squeeze your hand, but not only does he not realize it’s YOUR hand, he probably doesn’t realize it’s HIS hand.”

But now, he is starting to become more aware of his surroundings.

And he is starting to have opinions about it..

- For example, he like MAM pacifiers, and none of the others.
- He hates to be naked.
- He tolerates diaper changes, but only for about thirty seconds.
- He appreciates it when we put booties on his little feet.
- And most importantly, he likes to sleep during the day and stay awake at night.

I know this, and yet, I made a dumb decision last night. Since Clay is at home and Mom and I are in Florida, waiting for the ICPC approval to bring Easton home, I decided that I should do all the feeding and diapering myself. (Insert laughter here). I told Mom that Easton should know who his Mama is (more laughter). So, I read a few chapters in books like Baby 411, The Baby Whisperer Sovle All Your Problems, and The Better Way to Care for Your Baby and I got ready for the night.

I have found a few possible solutions to the night-day mixup in books, but if anyone has advice, I am open to it! Here is what “they” say:

- At night, keep the lights low and the room quiet, even during feedings. (Sure, this sounds nice, but he sleeps wonderfully in daylight and loud music).
- Feed him and place him right back into the crib, barely waking him (That makes me laugh).
- Keep him awake as much as possible during the day (His pitiful little sleepy eyes are hilarious when we try this).

So, it’s time for another night! I’m pumped; I’m psyched; I’m geared up for fun!

 

 

 

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