Neuro/MRI Update

Here's the latest update on my getting an MRI....

So I had hoped to get my MRI done the weekend Ken was home so he could do the bottle feeding and help sooth Connor to sleep since I was under the impression I wouldn't be able to breastfeed for 24 hours after getting the contrast and had what I thought would be enough expressed milk for 24 hours. I hadn't heard from the MRI place to get scheduled so I went ahead and called them that Thursday. They didn't have my authorization yet and said they would check for me about the contrast dye and breastfeeding. I didn't hear back from them that afternoon as I had hoped (so I could get the MRI Friday) so I called them again on Friday. They now had my authorization for the MRI and proceeded to tell me that the paperwork that comes with the contrast dye says that I shouldn't breastfeed for 72 hours and they couldn't get me in until Monday. Are you kidding me!? My mind was in a bit of panic mode as I didn't know how this was going to work with me only having enough breast milk that I hoped would last for 24 hours and that I had accrued over a month (mostly because I only pumped here and there not thinking I needed to have that big of a stash). There was no way I was going to get 48 hours more worth of breast milk to freeze in just a few days. Not knowing what to do in the moment on the phone, I went ahead and scheduled for Monday thinking that at least Ken could help with some of the bottles before leaving, and hung up. Que meltdown. I started bawling thinking about having to go for 72 hours of pumping and dumping and bottle-feeding Connor when I didn't even know if he would take a bottle from me (he had only taken one from Ken) and that I would run out of breast milk and have to give him formula and would he even take it. Ah! Thank God Ken was home for this. He took my phone and called the MRI place back and canceled the appointment for Monday and said I just wasn't ready to do this yet (which clearly I wasn't) and would call and schedule it at a later date. Once he calmed me down, I started thinking that I could do the MRI when my sister came down over Easter break and she could do the bottle-feeding while I pumped and at least I wouldn't have to go through that 72 hours alone. I still didn't like the idea of having to go that long, but at least I would have time to pump more and talk to Connor's pediatrician about what formula to have on hand in case I ran out of milk. So I called the MRI place again (at this point they must think I'm nuts) and schedule the MRI for the day after Easter. I then calculated and figured that if I pumped 3 oz a day, I should have enough for the 72 hours by then. Over that weekend, Jessi came by and I told her about it and she totally understood my meltdown (which was nice) and suggested I try to give Connor a bottle while Ken was home just to see if he would take it from me (thank you Jessi!). Well we tried it and he did, but it felt too weird so I passed him over to Ken to finish the bottle. Connor was still mostly falling asleep while breastfeeding though, so I was still nervous about that.

Over the last few weeks, Connor has started being able to fall asleep in other ways than just on the boob, which made me feel a little better about the 72 hour thing. (Well except at night...) Then I came across a link to a website I had heard about but hadn't really looked at much yet, kellymom.com. This site has great parenting and breastfeeding information and apparently had a list of medication and such that the AAP approves for breastfeeding mothers. We'll it also has a list of contrast dyes that are approved, jackpot! So before Connor's two month check-up, I called the MRI place to find out what dye they use. They told me it's called Gadolinium... so I checked the list and it's approved! And Thomas Hale, PhD (author of Medications and Mother's Milk rates it as safe (L2). Woohoo! So I brought this information to Connor's appointment to discuss it with the pediatrician. I asked her, given this information, would a precautionary 24 hours of bottle-feeding and pump & dump be sufficient... and she agreed that 24 hours, especially since Connor has such a sensitive tummy, would be good. Best news of the day! Now I only have to make it through 24 hours and my poor sister only has to get up during one night to give Connor a bottle while I pump.

I'm feeling so much better about the MRI now. Now let's just pray it's clear!

A Few of My Favorite Things

I thought I would share some of my favorite products now that I'm a mom. Some are really must-haves in my opinion, and the others just make life easier :).


Pea in the Pod Sports Wrap Nursing Sleep Bra


This bra is soooooo comfy and actually gives decent support, unlike the cheaply made Medela ones. I'm so glad I spent the extra money to buy a couple of these!

Ergo Baby Carrier

Connor asleep in the Ergo

Love, love, love the Ergo Baby Carrier. I started trying to wear Connor in a Moby Wrap and I liked it but it takes a bit to get it on and I feel like I never have it quite right. The Ergo is super quick and easy and Connor seems to like it, often falling asleep in it. I can wear him around the house when he wants to be held and get a few things done. I also wore him while shopping at Target and he did really well considering he was awake for most of it. He doesn't tolerate being stuck in his carseat very long while awake for the most part. I would highly recommend this carrier to anyone looking for one!

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

This is by far the best resource for breastfeeding moms and is definitely a must-have. I almost didn't buy it and I'm so glad I did! I started reading it in the week just before Connor was born and brought it with me to the hospital. I find that I go back to it when I have a question about something and I can usually find the answer here. I just found out that we do have a local LLLI chapter in town and will be going to my first meeting later tis month :).

Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper


The Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper is definitely on my must-have list. We have the mini one and I love the storage space underneath where we keep diapers, extra pjs, extra sheets, and pee pads since the nursery is on the other side of the house and we do diaper changes in our bathroom at night. The side pockets are nice too and I keep my breastfeeding journal in the top pocket for easy access. These of course are just the extra perks. The best thing about this item is that it's one of the safest ways to co-sleep, giving me easy access to Connor for middle of the night feedings; I only have to get out of bed if his diaper needs changed :); and it's also been a huge peace of mind to have him right next to me where I can hear him breathing and be reassured he's ok. We both get more sleep, and we all know how important sleep is! One of the best purchases we made!

Summer Infant Baby Touch Video Monitor

I'm very thankful to my SIL for recommending this monitor, it's fantastic! I admit I haven't used it a ton yet since Connor is only in his crib for maybe one nap a day, but sometimes he gets a little down time in his crib too to watch his mobile while I do something really quick. I love that I can see him without having to go in his room. It gives me much better peace of mind when he's in his crib. The first few times we used it, I couldn't take my eyes off the monitor the whole time he slept in his crib and then we went in several times to check on him too. Silly I know, but we did!

BabySense Motion Monitor

Yes, we have two kinds of monitors, but this is another of my must-haves. This monitor detects baby's movements through the crib mattress. Here's the product description:
"BabySense Infant Movement Monitor is a highly sensitive, non-touch movement monitor that constantly monitors a baby’s slightest movements or motions. The monitor can sense micromovements that cannot be seen or heard on traditional monitors. BabySense utilizes a patented motion detector technology that is incorporated into 2 sensor pads which are placed under the baby’s mattress. The monitor flashes a green light to indicate it is sensing movement. If movement stops for 20 seconds or if the monitor detects less than 10 micro-movements per minute, an alarm sounds and red light flashes from the monitor, giving parents critical time to intervene."

We haven't had any false alarms and there's no sensitivity to adjust like other monitors. It gives me an extra peace of mind when Connor is in his crib. I don't think I could leave him in there all alone without it! (Yes I may be overly paranoid, but let's think about all we went through to have Connor in our lives... just saying!)




Colic Calm

Colic Calm is a homeopathic gripe water (regulated by the FDA) and has been by far the best thing to help with gas pain. A friend of mine, who's baby is also gassy, told me about this and her pediatrician had told her to try it. It's more expensive than regular gripe water, but you use less and it actually works! Before the dairy was out of my system, I would give Connor about half a dose once a day, usually in the afternoon, and it helped rather quickly with his discomfort. I like that it's all natural and doesn't have the additives that regular gripe water has. I would highly recommend this to anyone with a gassy baby!

Temporal Artery Thermometer

So one of my biggest worries after bringing Connor home was that he was going to have a fever and I wouldn't realize it. They tell you if a baby under two months has a fever of 100.3 F to seek medical attention. Well, that's not a very high fever and I didn't know how I would know he had one since Connor tends to run warm now and then. We had a couple of thermometers in the safety kits received, one regular one to use for under the arm temperature taking, and a rectal thermometer that has a special tip to make it easier/safer to use. Well the under arm temps aren't very accurate and are hard to get, and I don't like to do rectal temps unless I need to confirm a high temp... so I was on the hunt to find an easier way. I had a coupon for a behind the ear thermometer so thought we'd give that a try. Not a good idea. They are apparently inaccurate and were giving us sporadic temps, some high that would freak us out. It had to go. So I ordered a temporal artery thermometer since that's what they use at my doctor's office when I have gone to the doctor, so I figured they must be pretty accurate. I am so thankful we got this.. it's so much easier and much more accurate than the others, except the rectal one which I don't want to do unless I need to confirm a high temp. Especially with Connor getting his shots this week and running a low fever for about 36 hours.... so glad I had this!

BabyGanics Hand Sanitizing Wipes

These wipes may not be an absolute necessity, but they sure are a great thing to have on the changing table! I can sanitize my hands without having to wash them after every diaper change and they are alcohol-free so they don't dry my hands. (And those of you who see me on a regular basis know that my hands are always dry because I wash them so much!) They also have a foaming hand sanitizer (alcohol-free) that I keep in the diaper bag. Their diaper cream, Hiney Helper, is also fantastic and cleared up a little rash Connor had shortly after coming home, in 2-3 days! Love the BabyGanics products!







The Essential Breastfeeding Log

This log/journal has been fantastic. I don't have a smart phone so using an app for tracking feedings, sleep, etc is not an option for me, plus there are still things I like to have in paper form :). When you have a new baby and you're maybe running on little sleep, it's easy to forget things if you don't write them down somewhere... so I got this journal. It was recommended to me by a friend who used it with her first and bought another and is using it for her second too. Each page gives you a chart to record everything your baby does in regards to feeding: time of feeding, time between, minutes per breast and which one s/he started on, amount supplemented, amount pumped; and then after several weeks it adds in places to record wake time, time to sleep and length of sleep. At the bottom are places to kind of mini journal with a Mom's Corner and a Baby Journal as well as a Baby Sleep Note section. So when the pediatrician asks how many times he nurses or wakes at night or how long he sleeps or how many naps he takes... I can just look in my journal to get the answer instead of giving a random answer since there's no way I would remember how many times he nurses each day if I didn't write it down. It's not like I count! I also can keep track of what I eat so I can see what upsets Connor's tummy. So for those moms who are breastfeeding and want to keep track with a paper and pen type thing, and be able to jot down notes like firsts... this is a great log book!

I'd also like to mention a few other things that I happen to have that have made life a little easier for me these last two months.... my Crock Pot... pretty much the only way I can have a non-frozen dinner right now; my MacBook... I would never be able to get online if I had to sit at the desk in my office, so glad I got a MacBook for Christmas!; and my Camelbak Water Bottle for those times in the middle of the night when I need something to drink... I can keep it in bed with me and it doesn't leak :).

Two Months

These last two months as a mom have been absolutely amazing. I'm not saying that they've been easy, but I truly love being a mom and I love my little boy and that makes all the hard stuff worth it :). I can't believe how much Connor has grown in these two months! He's now 12 lbs and 23.5 inches.

Two Months Old!
(Taken after we got back from shots)

We had our first shots today and it was not fun (but at least mommy didn't cry!). He did run a low fever this evening and his legs were really sore (as in screaming if they were even slightly touched) so I gave him some acetaminophen... my poor baby :(.  Other than that, he looks healthy and may just have silent reflux. The pediatrician wants us to try zantac for it to see if it will help. I'm hoping acupressure and maybe the baby chiro will help and we won't need it. I don't like the idea of giving him something like that with him being so young, but at the same time, I don't want him hurting either. So we'll see how it goes. As for Connor's eczema...right now I'm still trying to find a good combo of wash & lotion that doesn't cause a flare up. Yes to Baby Carrots wash is good, but the lotion has fragrance... not good. BabyGanics wash seemed to dry him out too much and the lotion I didn't try because it had fragrance in it. They do have an eczema cream though that we tried once and may try again... not sure if it was good or not. Aquaphor was recommended by the ped... but that didn't go well either. So I picked up some California Baby Super Sensitive wash & lotion and we've only used it once but hoping this combo will work!

Before Shots :)

After Shots :(

During this past month, Connor and I have had time just the two of us and we're finally getting into a better routine at home. He will let me put him down for short periods of time in his swing so that I can make something to eat, feed the dogs, etc. I usually can't get enough time to do anything major, even if he falls asleep in the swing or crib because it doesn't last long enough. But I did get to vacuum while he was in the swing the other day. And I can always wear him in a carrier to get a few things done, there are just some things I can't do, like wash dishes, cook, clean, or take out the garbage. Surprisingly, I've actually been able to keep the house relatively straightened, the dishes get washed (when he's in his swing), laundry gets done, and it doesn't look like a disaster in the house. I think I may need to hire someone to do the scrubbing in my kitchen and bathrooms though as I haven't found time for that yet. I suppose eventually I could try to do everything piece by piece instead of all of it at once. But for now I think it will be easier to have someone else come do it, lol. As far as nighttime and sleeping.... I'm getting plenty of sleep. That's the beautiful thing about our sleeping arrangement... he's in my room, in his cosleeper right next to my bed, so when he wakes up, I just take him out of his cosleeper, nurse him, put him back and go back to sleep... and sometimes do a quick diaper change. He has had a couple of nights this week where he actually does one 4+ hour sleep stretch, which is so nice. Then he usually goes to 2-3 hour stretches until we get up. I have to say though... since we don't get up until at least 7:30, I can't imagine having to get up early for work. Right now, it's working for us, I don't feel the need for a nap during the day, and feel rested. He's only two months old, and breastfed, so I do not expect him to be sleeping through the night any time soon, and that's ok. Oh, and we also finally made it back to church this past Sunday. We only got to sit in the pew until the responsorial psalm (about 15 minutes) and he started to fuss so I took him straight back to the vestibule (entrance area) where you can still see and hear mass and there are chairs for parents of small children to go if needed (our cry room is used as the confessional area). I had stationed his stroller back there so I put his carseat back in the stroller and rocked him back and forth the rest of mass and he went back to sleep and I got to stay the whole time :). Didn't make it to communion, though, since I didn't have anyone to stay with Connor while I went up. Not sure if we'll make it every Sunday, but I'm definitely going to try to go more now.

Play Date with Aedan 2-25
(Not wanting their pictures taken)

Playdate with Madison 3-7

First time actually sitting  in the water... not sure at first, but still loves his bath.

Ken was home for one more weekend before he deployed and is now out to sea. It was so nice when he was home... he always takes care of everything for me, helps calm Connor when he's fussy, and Connor loves to snuggle with him. We really miss him but we're glad that communication is much better on a surface ship (emails are almost instant and can email pictures, and we can get phone calls too!). What makes me most nervous about him being surface though is that they are out in the open and will likely be near where stuff is going on (only upside to that is tax free pay when they are in a hazard zone). I pray every day that he stays safe. Oh, we also found out today that he passed his chief exam and made board! Now we wait until summer to see if they choose him for promotion to chief! So exciting!

Connor & Daddy wearing their shades!

Update on the fussiness and gas: I haven't had any dairy for the last 2 weeks now and it seems to be helping! Connor is not as fussy when passing gas and doesn't have "stuff" coming out with his gas like before. I also discovered he is at least sensitive to peanuts right now as I had a cereal bar with peanut butter in it and it made him feel pretty awful... so no peanut butter for me either, boo. The colic calm helps better than anything else we've previously tried and I haven't even given him a full dose yet and only give it to him when he's really fussy so it hasn't been much. I also have been keeping the tv off except for when I watch my DVR'd shows, so it's not on all day and I think that has helped keep the overstimulation down. That and I've started playing some soft lullabies that I downloaded from iTunes. He still fusses sometimes, but not as much so we'll see what happens with the Rx and acupressure. When he doesn't have a gas bubble, he's a pretty happy and curious baby :).

Diaper Duty

Ever since I knew I was going to stay home, I knew I wanted to use mainly cloth diapers. It would save us tons of money in the long run. I spent lots of time researching, found some I wanted to use, and also determined I wanted to use gDiapers to start and as our travel choice, and have a natural type disposable as back up. Here is my experience with each so far... 

Disposable Diapers

The hospital diapers were Pampers. I never knew disposables had stripes now that tell you if they're wet... very nice feature for new parents! What they don't tell you is that you need to make sure the flare around the legs doesn't get tucked in or you'll have leaks... I didn't have this pointed out to me until we saw the pediatrician two days after leaving the hospital. The umbilical cord cut-out in the newborn size is nice too. Well, it seemed that we still were getting leaks with the Pampers, ad not out the legs but out the top part, so I tried a Huggies sample I had and no leaks. It seemed that Huggies just fit him better. I also liked that Huggies has a pure and natural line that are made with organic cotton and are hypoallergenic, so I ordered some of these from Amazon.com and we used them solely until the umbilical cord fell off and then continued to mainly use them until Connor was big enough for the small gDiapers. As long as the waist was secured tight enough, we have had no leaks or blowouts with the Huggies (knock on wood!

). We have come close to a blowout a few times, but the little pocket flap in the back has saved us so far. Before Connor was born I had also bought some Seventh Generation diapers since they are chlorine free, and free of other chemicals that can irritate the skin. They absorb well but don't fit quite as good as the Huggies on Connor. I can't really give a good review of these yet though as they don't have the newborn cutout so we didn't use very many. I still have two unopened Size 1's that w have yet to try. They also don't have the blowout catcher pocket so I'm hesitant on when to use them. We've also tried another brand that was what made up my diaper cake from my shower, but I don't know what they are... they have blue spots all over them. These are still a bit big on Connor and don't have the blowout pocket, so I use these sparingly as I don't want to waste them, and they were given to us by a very special lady who is no longer with us. 

Diaper Cake from Mary Ann

Our current use for disposables is mainly as back-up when out and about or at night if the gDiaper gets messy, or if the cloth and gDiapers are all in the wash.

gDiapers (w/ disposable insert)

Let me first say that we are using the disposable inserts with the gDiapers, not the cloth inserts (they didn't seem to have good reviews). My original plan for gDiapers was to use them of the first 2 months instead of disposables, to give us enough time to adjust and make sure I was ready for the extra laundry before switching to cloth. I bought a set of tiny g's (that even had snaps to make the front lower for the umbilical cord), a bunch of size smalls, and several packs of the disposable inserts to get us through the first two months. This of course is not exactly how it happened. Even with the snap down front, I felt more comfortable with using the disposables until the umbilical cord fell off. I then attempted to use the tiny g's and really liked them until I realized the insert was bunching in the front and causing Connor to be uncomfortable (though they would probably be fine for a girl). I think this was because the tiny g's used the same inserts as the smalls. So back to disposables until Connor fit into the smalls. Once he fit into the small g's, we started using these mostly and loved them. The only leakage I get from them is sometimes at night if he goes too long without a diaper change. The nice thing about it is that even then, the outside cloth cover soaks up most of it so that his clothes just get a little wet instead of soaking. And thus far (knock on wood)... no blowouts in these either. The liners sometimes get messy with poops so I bought a couple packs of extra liners so I can change those out and keep using the cloth cover a bit longer when it's still clean (and the box of liners is $20 for 6, so not bad). Overall, I'm very happy with the gDiapers. I also like that they are biodegradable, compostable (if there's no poop on them), and flushable, making them better for the environment. And being free of chemicals & plastics make them better for Connor too. 

gDiaper

Our current use of the gDiapers is for when we leave the house and at night (explanation to follow).

Cloth Diapers

The cloth diapering system I decided to go with is Bambino Mio. It's a pre-fold and cover system (big in the UK), and so far I like it. I was going to wait until Connor was two months to start them, but I felt ready to give it a go around 6 weeks. When I first started, I was using the liners that go with the system to catch the poop but since Connor's poop is so liquidy, it juts ran over the sides and messed the cover. Luckily, it didn't leak, but one came close. So after I realized this (after the 2nd try), I removed the liners and everything went so much better after that! They soak everything up and we have not had even one leak with them so far, knock on wood! I like that I can fold the pre-folds in such a way to put more absorbency up front where little man does the soaking :). Unless we have a big poopy, I can reuse the covers several times before retiring them to the diaper pail. The first time I washed them, I decided to give them a 2nd wash and it helped get the stains out better from the poops (and since I can adjust the water amount used in a laundry cycle on my washing machine, it equals out to washing one large load so I don't feel like I'm wasting water or anything). Some still have light stains, but it's not a big deal to me. I don't know if it'd be better to change detergent, as we're using the Publix Free & Clear since it was on a list of detergents that you can use with cloth diapers and is inexpensive and easy for me to get. I add to that the Miofresh antibacterial diaper cleanser that gives that extra cleaning boost to the wash and is gentle on the diapers and the environment. I just found that they make laundry powder too that we can now get in the US so I may try that next and maybe it will wash them better. I love the pail that goes with the system too... you can get the laundry bags that affix on the inside and then when it's time to wash, you just put the whole bag in the wash without having to touch all the dirty diapers again. Not much else to say, they're pretty easy :).

Bambino Mio

Our current use of the cloth diapers is during the day while we're at home. It's just less bulk to use the gDiapers when we leave the house. And since I don't have a diaper pail in my bathroom and the nursery is on the other side of the house, we'll use the gDiapers at night until Connor starts sleeping in his room... but right now, he sleeps in my room.

And on another note about diaper duty... Connor hated all diaper changes for several weeks and would scream through them every time. Thankfully he has gotten much better and only does this occasionally, like when he's really hungry and would rather be eating. Ken is actually really good at diaper changes and did most of them while he was home, especially the middle of the night ones. And lastly, I'm so thankful breastfed babies' poop doesn't stink :).

On Crying, Fussiness, and Gas

So my poor baby is super gassy.... so much so that he sometimes screams and cries while passing gas :(. He also tends to be incredibly fussy in the evenings, usually from about 6-7:30 is the worst. And I'll admit, I joined Connor in crying a couple times. So I've been trying various things to try and help the gas/fussiness.

Here's what I've learned so far about Connor's gassiness:

• I think part of his gassiness issue is due to the way he eats, or rather guzzles, and such in a lot of air. I try to burp him as often as possible while nursing, but sometimes it seems like he holds them in. I bounce, pat, walk, etc to try to get them out, but I don't know if I get them all.

• A day of just mylicon type gas drops with most feedings only temporarily helped the gas but seemed to hold him back from pooping as usual and didn't do much for the fussiness. 

• Little Tummys Gripe Water seemed to help more than the gas drops and I found that giving it in the morning, early afternoon, and sometimes before bed seemed to be the best schedule and occasionally helped with evening fussiness. I wasn't thrilled about a couple ingredients in it though, so I wanted to find something else.

• I found a better version of gripe water at Whole Foods made with organic ingredients and also contained chamomile, which the other one didn't. I only just gave him some this afternoon so I can't say yet how this one may differ, but he hasn't been quite as fussy or gassy this evening like he usually is.

• Then, yesterday I spent the afternoon with a friend from my Bradley class and her daughter (4 days older than Connor) has the same issue and her pediatrician told her to try Colic Calm and it was a dream for them. It's a homeopathic gripe water that's black and works quickly. Connor was a little fussy towards the end of our visit so we tried giving him some and he soon was a happy smiling baby again! He was still a little fussy in the evening last night but not as bad as usual and not seemingly from gas. When bath time (7:30) rolled around, he actually wasn't fussy and crying like he usually is, which is why I typically can't go past 7:30 without getting him a bath. I was going to pick some up on the way home yesterday but Connor was fussy so I went today to get some but will start it tomorrow since I tried the other gripe water today and don't want to mix. So far the only drawback I see is that there are black specks in his poo from it and it may stain his cloth diapers, but it will be worth it if it makes him happier. 
• I've also considered if my diet may be contributing to his gassiness and have been eating as plain a diet as I can for at least the early months, and avoiding beans (which I couldn't handle while pregnant either) and veggies from the broccoli/cabbage family (which I love). I even cut out trail mix and have been watching my nut/dried fruit intake since I discovered a connection with my eating half a bag of trail mix and then Connor being really gassy later. I'm hoping I can phase them back in slowly soon, but for now I'm keeping them to a minimum if at all just in case. I've even cut out peanut butter for now too :(. Oh how I miss it! I had thought about cutting out dairy too and finally started that after talking to another friend who's son is 2 months older than Connor and was also screaming while passing gas until she cut out dairy. So I've been dairy free for almost a week and hopefully we'll start to see improvements in another week or so. I gave up dairy for a while when we were trying to get pregnant so I knew it would be hard but at least I know hat alternatives I like. The part that really sucks is that half of my freezer stash of meals contains dairy and I have 3 organic cream cheeses, 3 other blocks of cheese and cheese sticks in my fridge I need to find homes for. I can't stand to throw perfectly good food away... it pains me that I have to throw away an $11 pound of fresh mozzarella that I couldn't eat and is now no longer good :(. I'm hoping to find someone to take my freezer meals too. That was a lot of work to make those and I just can't throw it away. 

• We've also tried light tummy massages and working his legs to help him pass the gas, but it still hurts him sometimes so this isn't a permanent solution.

Daddy working the gas out

This hold helps calm him sometimes too

Anyways... here's hoping something works soon for my poor gassy baby. I hate to see him in pain :(.

As for the evening fussiness... I'm not sure it's all because of the gas. I think sometimes it's from over stimulation during the day since it often helps to sit in a quiet dark room. I'm trying to limit the amount of time the tv is on during the day, even during naps when he sleeps on me, and keeping the volume way down. This evening it also seemed to help to keep the kitchen light off so it was dark and he could fall asleep easier and was a little calmer. I also notice that if he doesn't nap well during the day, he's really fussy in the evening. He seems to do best when he gets 4 naps of at least 45 minutes. Anything less than 45 minutes doesn't help. This is one of the reasons I still let him nap on my chest/in my arms. I'd rather he be happier and get his naps in, then to try to get him to nap somewhere else. I have been trying to aim to get him to nap once a day in his crib, but I usually won't put him in there until he's been asleep for 45 minutes in case he wakes up... I'm not ruining a nap just to get him in the crib. I also find it sometimes helps to stand and sway while nursing him when he's fussy and hungry. It's all trial and error, but isn't that parenting in general? Hopefully some of my recent adjustments will help and I'll reevaluate when he's three months and more adjusted to life outside of mommy :).

So until we figure this out, I think I'll be posting an ad on Facebook for an evening volunteer to come help for an hour hold a fussy baby so I can make sure the dogs get fed, I have eaten, and get things ready for bed. After all, I've had so many people offer their help if I need it and I think I'm ready to start cashing in now that Ken is gone!

6 Week Update

Well I had my 6 week postpartum checkup on Monday and everything has healed and I'm good to return to normal activity :). Connor tagged along to my appointment and of course didn't sleep and did not want to stay in his car seat so he got passed around by the nurses, who fought over who got to hold him, lol. Already a ladies' man! Here's a pic of the outfit he wore... what girl could resist?

Connor in his Calvin Klein outfit

Then on Tuesday, I had my follow-up with the neurologist. Connor came along and had everyone gushing over him again, but at least he slept this time :). So even though my vision is back to normal, I will still be getting the MRI with contrast to check on the abnormality on my first MRI. Right now I'm just waiting on the MRI place to call back and set up my appointment. I was hoping for tomorrow but at this point it's not looking like that will happen. I guess it will just give me more time to add to my stash of milk in the freezer since I will have to bottle-feed Connor and pump and dump for 24 hours. I'm nervous that he won't take a bottle from me though, plus he nurses himself to sleep. This is why I hoped for tomorrow since Ken will be home for the weekend. Maybe it will work out better this way since I'm also worried my stash isn't enough right now for 24 hours. Guess we'll see! Tuesday afternoon I took Connor to the pediatrician to check out a rash I found overnight. Luckily it's nothing serious and looks like baby eczema. We were sent home with samples of aquaphor baby wash and lotion and a Rx for a hydrocortisone cream to help clear it up. The good thing is that it's already much better :).

And speaking of this weekend... Ken is on his way home for a few days! This will be his last time home before deployment so we will make the most of it!