Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I'm gonna combine my lives here...

I'll be going back to making my main updates on angelhorn.blogspot.com. I'll keep this for posterity...hopefully, I'll remember to print this out for Ryan to have some day.

Thanks for reading this while I was preggo and putting up with all my complaining! :)

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Much better...

Yes, formula is the answer. I have a much more peaceful and happier baby on my hands. Hooray!

Now, we just have to get him to stay awake during the day, instead of torturing me every hour and a half at night.

However, he did try a new trick on me today -- and I didn't really like it all that much.

I was changing a poopy diaper and I was almost done with it and about to put on a new one when MORE POOP came flying out. YUCK! I tried to catch it, but it got on his blanket (not to mention in my raccoon wounds) and then, like an idiot, I accidentally set him back down in it, so it got on his back and his onesie. oops.

So, I got him cleaned up and changed and all that stuff. And now I've been peed AND pooped on. I'm hoping he saves the explosive poops for Dad.

Just another fun day of gross in my life.

I got all the Explanation of Benefits for the hospital stay for me and Ryan. My bills totaled approx. $15k. Ryan's were $4500 or so. Luckily, we only pay $2k for the deductables for me and Ryan. AND, we won't have to pay for another doctor bill this year, because we've met everything for the year. Pretty sweet. :)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

So, in conclusion...

We think that it's my milk that is causing the random screaming. We switched over to all formula, just cold turkey on Sunday for 24 hours and then started breastmilk again last night, to see what happened.

What we got was a happy baby for Sunday and most of Monday and a screaming baby this morning. When, of course, I am home alone with him to deal with while he's screaming at random.

So, no more breastmilk, I guess. I feel bad. He's not allergic to milk/dairy, because the formula we give him is dairy based and he doesn't have an issue with it -- other than the iron causes him to not be able to poop as much as he did. But, all babies have trouble pooping at the beginning, because they don't know the best way to force it out of their systems. But, I do feel bad, because I know that BM is really what is the best for him and will really help his immune system, but, something about it really makes him scream.

I don't have a problem nursing, but I do have a problem trying to comfort a baby who CANNOT be comforted by anything other than a car ride to force him to fall asleep. Breastfeeding, after a couple of weeks of practice for both of us, is actually pretty easy and convenient. But, I would prefer to have a baby that I like to take care of, versus one that I am terrified of when he's awake. It's just better for everyone involved.

Now, we just have to get Jake immune to his crying.

Ryan has been much more awake during the day -- he will be up at 6am-ish, be awake and eating most of the morning and early afternoon, go to sleep for a nap around 2 to 3pm and sleep until between 5 and 6, wake up for a bit and usually fall back asleep around 9 or so and sleep until midnight. Luckily, Jake stays up with him after 9pm, so I can sleep, since I get up at 6 with him. And really, I was up at 4:30 with him and I just tried to get him to rest until 6. It's the small battles.

I guess he's hungry again, because he's yelling from the swing. I guess I should get him. Maybe. :)

Back at 2:30pm

He's finally sleeping. Hooray! I'm waiting for Mom to come over -- she's coming over later than normal today, so she can hang out with me tonight, since Jake will be at rehearsal. Plus, I could use a nap at some point. And based on the morning, Ryan is sure to be screaming at me tonight. I need someone who is not me to try and get him to sleep.
See, babies are very basic creatures at this point. I, as the mom, make him food. We'll call me "Food Bag". Food Bag smells like milk. Therefore, when I hold him, it MUST be time for him to eat. If Dad holds him (or anyone else for that matter), they don't smell like milk and if they give him a paci or something, he doesn't get raging angry when it doesn't actually give him food.

Oh, and about that pooping -- he's pooped like 5 times today. Formula poop smells yucky. Smells like real grown up poo. Oh well. It's a small sacrifice.

I do feel bad about not breastfeeding him. I wanted him to have the protections that offers. But, if it makes him scream-y, then we need to be sane around here. 2 weeks is better than none, I suppose. And he's such a sweet little guy when he's not screaming.