A Tale of the Traveling Baby

The second weekend in August was my friend/college roomate's wedding and I really wanted to be there for it. Plus, it had been 2 years since my last visit to Ohio. The original plan was that I would drive, taking two days to get there and back. My mom talked me out of that plan and insisted flying would be safer with it being just Connor and me. I finally agreed and bought a plane ticket and reserved a rental car. After the short road trip with Connor in July, I was thankful I decided to fly, but still nervous that Connor would scream/fuss the whole plane ride. When I booked my flights, I chose early morning times since that's when Connor is less likely to be fussy. I did have a connection in Atlanta and prayed everything would go well getting to the next plane.

So we get up bright and early that Wednesday before the wedding to head to the airport for our flight. I had managed to cram everything, including some cloth diapers, in my large rolling suitcase (with 4 swivel wheels) and a carry on. The diaper bag would be my personal item and I would gate check the stroller and car seat. Luckily Connor still fits in his infant seat, even though I've already moved him into a convertible seat, so that was the one I would take since it snaps into the stroller. I don't think I would have managed to get from the car to the ticket counter by myself if it were't for my set up. I carried Connor in the Ergo, put the diaper bag in the bottom of the stroller, the car seat snapped on the stroller and the gate check bags for them and my carryon sat on top of the car seat. I then pushed the stroller with one hand and the suitcase with the other. That was one heck of a workout! I got us checked in and found out my suitcase was 7 lbs over the 50 lbs limit... I could either pay $90 (!!!!) extra to check it as is or transfer stuff over to my already too heavy carry on. I'm by myself with a baby... so I chose to just pay and figure something out for the return flight. Ouch! Then it was off to security. I was so glad they have a special line that included those traveling with strollers. The security people were very nice and even helpful with getting my stuff all up on the line and didn't make me feel rushed at all. I even was allowed to wear Connor through security, I just had to get my hands tested for explosive material.... haha, like I would even have time for that! After that went so smoothly, I was feeling a little better about this whole flying alone with a baby thing. I still wasn't sure about how I would get the car seat and stroller into the gate check bags and get them down the ramp (while Connor is in the Ergo and carrying the diaper bag and carryon) but I figured I would drag them if I had too. Turns out there was another mom with a young baby who was also on my flight and she helped me get everything into the bags and down the ramp during pre-boarding (something else I was thankful for!) as she had a seat for her baby and was bringing the carseat aboard and had an extra hand. We got on the plane and found our seats and I prayed we'd get nice people beside us. Luckily we did have two very nice people sitting beside us... good thing too because as everyone was boarding, Connor (being overtired and probably overwhelmed at this point) started SCREAMING and nothing I did was helping. I did eventually get him to nurse and he fell asleep just before we taxied to the runway. This was when one of my last minute decisions before leaving the house that morning came in handy... I had grabbed one of my scarves (not the winter kind but the accessory kind) and it worked perfectly to cover me enough while Connor was nursing without actually covering Connor (which he won't let me do anymore anyways). I had hoped he's sleep the whole flight but he ended up waking up just as we reached cruising altitude. Luckily our first leg was short. I pulled out a new toy (Eric Carle ladybug) that I had bought after reading someone's tips on traveling with small children (bring along a new toy)... it worked for a little while and he really likes that new toy, but he fussed again on our initial decent and I finally got him to nurse while we made the final decent so his ears wouldn't get too messed up. We made it! Now I had to get us to our connection. This was when I was glad I had the set up I did. It didn't take too long to get everything out of the gate check bags and all piled up and ready to be pushed across the airport. We made it in plenty of time for me to change Connor's diaper before we boarded. The second last minute decision I had made that morning was to grab a couple of cloth diapers to have him wear on the planes... so thankful I did this because I found quite the poopy diaper when I changed him between flights and it likely would not have stayed in the diaper if he were in disposable. I'm not sure when he actually pooped but it was probably part of why he was so fussy on the first flight. The second flight was better than the first. One of the gentlemen from first class carried my carry-on aboard and even stowed it for me in the over-head bin! The middle seat was empty the whole flight which gave us some extra room which was nice. He still fussed a little but not as much as the first flight and did sleep for part of it. He may have slept longer but the beverage cart ended up parking itself right next to us, gee thanks. Overall, it went much better than I expected and I was SO thankful for the kind & helpful people who helped me along the first part of our trip.

I actually liked the rental car I got this time, a Ford Fusion, and if I were to buy a small car, this would be at the top of the list.

It was a busy trip and we tried to visit with as many people as we could without making it too overwhelming. I enjoyed getting to spend time with my sisters and even got to see my nieces briefly. We also met up with some of my cousins from my dad's side of the family that I haven't seen in many years and it was nice to see them and meet their kiddos too! I missed getting to see one of my best friends from high school because we were running late and then the rental car alerted me to low tire pressure and by the time I found a tire gauge and filled the tires, it put us too far behind and we missed each other (insert sad face here). I did get to show Connor the duck pond I used to go to sometimes as a kid that was right across the street from my elementary school (not that he'll remember it, lol). Connor did great at the wedding and it was so nice to see my college friends. I was super thankful that one of my sisters came with me to help out too. On our last day in town, we went to the zoo I grew up with and it was fun to see Connor actually watching some of the animals.

I wasn't as nervous about our trip home, but it was earlier and this time I had two suitcases to get to the ticket counter. There was no way I was paying another $90 for a heavy bag so I bought Connor his own suitcase at Target while we were there. It was carryon size with a long handle and four spinning wheels so I figured I would just put that one and my big one back to back and roll them together. We dropped off the rental and I managed to get across the parking lot and almost inside the rental car building that I had to pass through to get to the shuttle that would take us to the airport (yes, if you get a rental car at the Cleveland airport, they are all in their own building off the airport property). I was attempting to get everything onto the curb when a lady from Hertz who was outside taking a break, saw me and offered to help. Then she decided there was no way I should take a shuttle and that she would have someone drive me over to the airport. OMG, THANK YOU!! This wasn't even the rental company I rented my car with (Budget) and she was going to have someone take us to the airport! So we got to the airport and the gentleman who drove us over made sure to tell the Delta agents that I would need help with my luggage. We got checked in and through security just fine and had some time to play before boarding the plane. As I sat on the plane, I wondered if I would maybe run into someone I knew since I hadn't run into anyone by accident during my stay, but then thought, no probably not. Connor was doing well while everyone boarded and next thing I know, I look up and who is walking down the isle of the plane? My friend who just got married and her husband leaving on their honeymoon! And where are they sitting? In the row right behind us!!! How crazy is that? She was so excited to see us since she didn't get to visit with us much at the wedding (we had to leave early and hey, it was her wedding day!) and she felt bad that we had come all that way. So what does she do? Asks her new husband to switch seats with me so she and I could chat on the flight to Atlanta. He of course agrees and we get to talk the whole time and catch up a little. I'm still amazed how that happened. Once in Atlanta, they helped me to the tram and then we parted ways as they headed for Mexico and Connor and I headed home. He did pretty well on our trip home with just a little fussing here and there. He seemed so happy once we got back to our car (which I managed to get all the luggage and what not all the way to the parking lot on my own... quite a workout!). He even let out a squeal of laughter as we pulled into the garage and was thrilled when we got inside the house.

Ok so based on my experience of traveling alone, by air, with a baby... here is my list of tips...

Airplane Tips

1. Wear your baby through security and the airport: it's easy, frees up your hands, and gives them that sense of security in a new/strange place.
2. If baby is still in an infant seat that works with a travel system, gate check the infant seat and stroller so you can use them to help you get your things to the plane.
3. Use gate check bags for your carseat and stroller if you don't want them getting scuffed up or dirty.
4. Make sure baby is sucking on something during takeoff and landing (landing is more important than takeoff). Connor doesn't take a pacifier so I nursed him on takeoff and landing.
5. If you are breastfeeding and want to be discreet without having to cover baby's head, use a scarf (put on backwards, crossed behind your neck and draped back to the front). I wore a nursing tank that doesn't cover anything so this was a huge help for me. 
6. If you can manage to have just the diaper bag as your carryon and your purse as a personal item, do it. I couldn't so I had a duffle bag for my carryon (purse inside) and the diaper bag was my personal item. 
7. Bring a new toy for the plane ride. Make sure it's interesting and interactive so it keeps baby entertained (at least for a little while!).
8. Bring something to read for yourself in case baby sleeps the whole flight (an e-reader would be easiest).
9. If you use cloth diapers at home, use them on the plane too, they'll contain the messes better IMO.
10. If you can't pack everything into one rolling suitcase (make sure it has four swivel wheels), then make sure your second suitcase has a long handle and four swivel wheels or will attach to the bigger one.

Other Travel Tips

1. Try to stick with baby's daily routine as much as you can (notice I said routine, not schedule... be flexible). Expect crankiness when naps or bedtime are missed/delayed.
2. Some babies (especially high-need babies) may be more clingy on a trip around people he doesn't see often and in a new place so make sure you offer him reassurance that he needs to know that he's still safe.
3. If you use cloth diapers at home, use cloth on your trip if you have access to a washer/dryer... your baby's bum will thank you :).
4. If you're renting a car, double check to make sure all the tires have enough air in them... apparently they don't check this when refueling. You might even want to check the fluid levels too.

MRI and a Screaming Baby

So I had my follow-up MRI yesterday....

My sister, Calli, is here visiting for the week so I scheduled my MRI for when she would be here to help (I don't think I could have down it and kept some sanity without her!). It had been a month since Connor had taken his last bottle so I wanted to do a test run to make sure he would still take it. On Sunday, I pumped a couple of ounces and had Calli try to tie it to him at his next feeding. He didn't remember what to do with it at first but I came over and helped him latch on to the bottle and then Calli was able to give him the whole thing. I wasn't as worried about Monday anymore since we got him to take a bottle and he was ok with it.

My MRI was scheduled for 9 am Monday morning. I nursed Connor before I left and had a bottle ready to go for when he wanted to eat next. This was also the first time leaving Connor with someone other than his Daddy and for more than 30 minutes, so I was anxious the whole time I was gone and just wanted to get back. Having just met Calli on Sunday, he did pretty well for her and eventually settled down for a nap in her arms. Connor definitely gave her some experience with a high-needs baby since our nieces seem pretty laid back as babies. She had attempted the bottle before I got home too but he wouldn't take it. Uh oh.... this wasn't looking good all of the sudden. I arrived home and tried to see if I could help him take it like the day before, but nothing seemed to be working. I gave him some colic calm to see if that would help settle him enough to take the bottle. I even tried a medicine dropper that he's usually good at taking things with... but he just screamed more. I even dropped and spilled like 4 oz of breast milk trying to get the flow restrictor off the bottle so I could use the medicine dropper. I called my neighbor over to see if she could help. While she was here I went into my room to pump since it had now been 3 hours since Connor nursed and I was hurting. By the time I was done, he was screaming again... I couldn't take this all day. I just wanted to cry with him :(. We calmed him down, my neighbor left to go get us some other bottles t try to see if a change in bottle would help (we had tried the couple that I had already). Calli took him into the nursery and turned his ocean wave cd on and tried to see if he would take  some more. He eventually fell asleep and she was able to put him in his crib where he napped for an hour. Between all the attempts, we estimated he maybe ate 2-3 oz. For the next bottle, I wanted to make sure it was really warm and not just room temperature like the last one and maybe that would help. He woke up at 1:30, I changed his diaper and then handed him to Calli with the nice warm bottle. He still wouldn't' take it but I could see by his body language and his cries that he was really hungry. If I held him, he would turn toward my boob in hopes of getting what he so wanted. It broke my heart that I couldn't give it to him. I figured if he wasn't taking the bottle from anyone else whether I was there or not, I might as well try to see if he would just take it from me. Before I cut dairy out and Connor was super fussy in the evenings, I would sometimes have to dance around the living room to get him to latch... so I tried it with the bottle, and thank the Lord , it worked! He took about an ounce from me and then I gave him to Calli to get a few more ounces (so I could go pump and dump again) and he ended up eating about 4 oz total. I felt so much better that he had actually eaten with less crying. He fell asleep in my arms this time but we had to leave 30 minutes later so he woke up when I set him in his car seat :(. He didn't cry though, so I thought maybe he would go back to sleep once we got in the car. I packed up 2 bottles and 2 bags of milk with his stuff and off we went. I had Calli sit in the back-seat just in case... and it was a good thing too because he started crying to eat again shortly after getting on the highway. One of the bottles had a little left from his last feeding and I had been warming it in my lap while we drove just in case, so she gave him that while I tried to warm one of the bags go milk. It was icy still and not warming fast enough and he wanted more, so I got the bright idea to stop at Starbucks... bought a drink for Calli and got a water bottle for myself and asked them to give me a venti cup filled half-way with hot water. Instant milk-warmer! Quickly warmed the milk and Calli gave him the bottle. We arrived at the Connor's chiropractor just in time. He was happy to see her and was great for his appointment. While we waited for the workshop we had to attend (more on his chiro in another post), I needed to pump again. He was tired and was getting cranky so Calli walked him around outside while I pumped under my nursing cover (that was so awkward by the way). Then I took Connor and rocked him to sleep while we listened to the workshop on how to take care of your spine so as to not cause subluxations. It was only 30 minutes and of course he woke up when I set him in his car seat. He quieted down for a bit and then started screaming again. The second bag of milk was still pretty cold and not warming up fast enough so I stopped at Starbucks again, bought a bottle of water and got another cup of hot water. Warmed up the milk while swinging through the drive-thru of Chick-fil-a. We parked in a spot in the parking lot and I took Connor out of his seat and rocked him outside of the car to get him to eat while Calli ate her dinner. When she was done, she took Connor so I could eat. Then we packed him up and headed home. Connor fell asleep along the way and actually stayed asleep after getting home and tang him out of the car (which usually doesn't happen). But since it was bedtime, he was out for the count. I figured I might as well just stay up until he was ready for his next bottle so I could have it ready and pump before too. So I caught up on some dvr, chatted with my sister, edited photos, and  was up later than I've been in a long time. Connor ate at midnight and we finally went to bed around 12:45ish. He woke up again at 4 and I was up until 5 giving him his bottles and pumping, then he woke at 6 for another bottle, then finally at 7:30 and at that point I figured we were close enough to 24 hours and let him nurse again. He was so happy to finally be back to normal! And I was glad not to have to fight with anymore bottles and pumping and dumping. I give huge props to moms who exclusively pump...it's double the work and such a pain!

We survived and I never want to do this again. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if Ken were home since Connor took bottles from him really well... or maybe if Connor was older and eating solids.... but it was still rough on us both and it's one of those things only a breastfeeding mother can understand. If you ever know someone who has to do something like this due to a medication being taken or whatever the situation.... please know that saying that "it'll be ok" or "it's only for a day" is not comforting in the least, especially when that mother has to listen to her baby cry and know that she can't give her baby what s/he wants. Acknowledging that it's hard and it sucks and hoping things go well/better/etc is a better way to talk that someone about it.

I have my neuro appointment next week and hopefully the results are good and this MRI was clear!

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 :).

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!