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So I mentioned it briefly in my "50 Things" post, but here's the 411 on yesterday's meltdown.
Penny went down for her morning lap without too much trouble, but woke up early very upset. I changed her and attempted to feed her, she would take the bottle and then spit it out and scream. I burped her (to no avail), changed positions, changed her again, attempted more food, took her temperature in her ear & rectally (no fever), sang, walked, bounced, tried the pacifier, tried feeding again, and called my mom, the doctor's office, my midwives, Alisha, and texted Bryan, Sarah, & Teresa.
I also tried ice, teething rings, & massaging her gums just in case it was teething.
Nothing. She continued to scream. And I'm talking about serious screaming. I had never hear her sound like that before and I really hope I never hear it again - it scared me. By the time Bryan got home I was in tears.
I finally got a hold of someone at the Pediatrician's office and they told us to come in at 2 (it was noon).
Bryan had gotten her to calm down a little. I don't know if that's because of the homeopathic medicine we had given her for teething babies, because she was exhausted from crying, because she wasn't in pain anymore, or because she was with daddy. But at least she slept a little. She also took a bottle from him (thank goodness) so by the time we got to the Ped's office she was right as rain and flirty.
Our pediatrician was both unhelpful and condescending. He told me to try all of the things I had already tried (you mean you feed her when she's fussy? What a novel concept!) and I don't think he understood the type of screaming I had been dealing with. Ordinary crying I can handle because (through the process of elimination) I can figure out what she wants/needs. But this was different - and I don't think anyone (other than moms of infants) can understand because you really have to hear it to 'get' it. It's the kind of crying that tears up your heart into itty bitty pieces and strews them all over the floor. It sucks.
The good news is that she doesn't have an ear infection, isn't really teething (as far as we can tell), and is otherwise a perfectly healthy 3 month old.
She was fine the rest of the night and just peachy today.
I really hope yesterday was a fluke.
3/22/15 at 3:58pm, 8.11 lbs, 22 inches
Memory Lane/Update
1 year ago
Oh I remember those days!!! Talk about miserable.... I would be frantic and emotionally drained by the time Manda was done crying.
ReplyDeleteIt only happened a few times, and like you the first time I felt like I had been turned inside out and outside in... Luckily for me, both my pediatrician and my grandmother had the intestinal fortitude to point out to be that babies are in fact little teeny humans full of emotions and feelings that they can not always convey to their parents.
What? Oh! I get it --- just like toddlers, children, pre-teens, teens and adults - babies once in a while need to have a complete metldown? I honestly never had thought about it that way.... that sometimes, a baby will just need a day of frustration and tears before life will right itself.
Just remember this:
YOU are a WONDERFUL, LOVING, CARING, HIGHLY INTELLIGENT woman who loves her child with all of her heart and soul.
Also - if you find that Dr. Cohen is condescending, check out the other docs in the office. You do not have to take that from him - your child is important to you and you need to have full confidence in the people you choose to help you care for her.
I know that B & T see Dr. Jill Walsh, and Manda sees Dr. Fern Takemoto in that same office. Manda adores Dr. T.
And you are so right, no one other than another parent who has experienced the shattering, heart wrenching crying can under stand what you suffered through with Penny - it had to have been awful.
Hugs and smiles!
Jess, I'm glad she's better but that is really frustrating. Grace has done the same thing (in fact, did it today and is now sleeping on my lap for the first time in ages as a result), but then, G is kind of a crackhead, so it's not as shocking, lol. Even so, it is SUPER upsetting, and not the kind of crying that's resolved with feeding or diaper changes or rocking. How obnoxious of your pediatrician.
ReplyDeleteUgh - I HATE that crying. All you can do it go down your list - and if nothing works try again in a little while. Sometimes I've had times where I've gone through the list a few times and you know the baby is safe and cared for so you just have to hold on and get through it. HATE that! I feel so helpless.
ReplyDeleteThe first time it happened was when we dropped Riley off at her grandparents for a date. She had been there before - loves being with them. For some reason she just lost it about an hour in. Poor grandma was frantic and called me! I could hear Riley screaming in the background in a way I'd never heard before. We skipped the rest of the date and rushed back - when we walked in the door, she was all smiles. Silly kid. I think babies are just as moody as we are.