It's hard to believe while looking at this cute smiley girl, that she is the same baby we were so worried about 3 weeks ago. Weeks 3-6 were so hard for us, I will explain for records sake and maybe to help another mom out there somewhere.
Katurah has never had the best latch while feeding. I asked the nurse about this in the hospital and was told it was fine. She nursed alright for the first 3 weeks and was gaining weight normally. Right around the 3 week mark, she got so fussy. First we thought it might be thrush, 5 days on meds and it didn't work. She was screaming when I tried to nurse her and would cry for hours at night. I cut anything and everything I could think of from my diet, maybe allergies. Then they thought maybe reflux, those meds seemed to help for about 2 days, then it was even worse. She finally started to refuse to nurse altogether despite EVERYTHING I tried. I was desperate so I started pumping, she would down each bottle so fast! After the first day she was a completely different baby, so happy. She couldn't use certain bottles and when I was talking to my mom about this she asked if we had ruled out tongue tie. This had never crossed my mind. Sure enough, her tongue is restricted and she can't nurse well enough to get all that she needs. Had the stupid nurse and doctor in the hospital done their jobs right, we could have avoided a ton of misery.
By the time we figured this all out she was 6 weeks and ready for her next growth spurt. I wasn't producing enough to keep up, since she was never an effective nurser. So I did some homework and decided on a rigid pumping schedule (every 2 hours) and some wonderful herbs fenugreek and blessed thistle. Almost 3 weeks later we are exclusively pumping and my supply is great, I even have some great food storage in the freezer for her.
Things had finally calmed down, until Monday morning. She woke up at 11am with a HUGE swollen eye. I called her doc right away and they got me in at 1:30. Her doc walked in looked at her then left, got another doc and came back in. Then they started throwing out big scary words that could lead to a brain infection...excuse me? It's a swollen eye, really?!? So they advised me to take her down to the ER at children's. My dad was awesome and watched the other kids and my mom saved my bacon by driving us down there and bossing the hosptial staff around. We waited FOREVER. The swelling had started to go down when they got her in around 8:30pm. At first they were going to send her home, but about 5 doctors later they decided to admit her. I don't think I have ever been so scared. They tried 3 times to start an IV and had no luck...thank goodness my mom stopped them before they tried putting it in her head, she will forever be my hero for that! So they wanted to observe her and give her antibiotics. Long story a little shorter, they came in the next morning and said it was a clogged tear duct, but it could have been something potentally fatal...they often confuse those. Not really, they were just being safe and I will appreciate that, until I get the bills in the mail anyway.
On some very happy notes, she giggled for the first time yesterday. The pictures above are actually frames of her giggling making them extra priceless. She was also blessed at our house on Wednesday night and both sets of grandparents were there. She is such a special little girl, I'm so grateful she is ok! We love you so much Katurah!
Katurah has never had the best latch while feeding. I asked the nurse about this in the hospital and was told it was fine. She nursed alright for the first 3 weeks and was gaining weight normally. Right around the 3 week mark, she got so fussy. First we thought it might be thrush, 5 days on meds and it didn't work. She was screaming when I tried to nurse her and would cry for hours at night. I cut anything and everything I could think of from my diet, maybe allergies. Then they thought maybe reflux, those meds seemed to help for about 2 days, then it was even worse. She finally started to refuse to nurse altogether despite EVERYTHING I tried. I was desperate so I started pumping, she would down each bottle so fast! After the first day she was a completely different baby, so happy. She couldn't use certain bottles and when I was talking to my mom about this she asked if we had ruled out tongue tie. This had never crossed my mind. Sure enough, her tongue is restricted and she can't nurse well enough to get all that she needs. Had the stupid nurse and doctor in the hospital done their jobs right, we could have avoided a ton of misery.
By the time we figured this all out she was 6 weeks and ready for her next growth spurt. I wasn't producing enough to keep up, since she was never an effective nurser. So I did some homework and decided on a rigid pumping schedule (every 2 hours) and some wonderful herbs fenugreek and blessed thistle. Almost 3 weeks later we are exclusively pumping and my supply is great, I even have some great food storage in the freezer for her.
Things had finally calmed down, until Monday morning. She woke up at 11am with a HUGE swollen eye. I called her doc right away and they got me in at 1:30. Her doc walked in looked at her then left, got another doc and came back in. Then they started throwing out big scary words that could lead to a brain infection...excuse me? It's a swollen eye, really?!? So they advised me to take her down to the ER at children's. My dad was awesome and watched the other kids and my mom saved my bacon by driving us down there and bossing the hosptial staff around. We waited FOREVER. The swelling had started to go down when they got her in around 8:30pm. At first they were going to send her home, but about 5 doctors later they decided to admit her. I don't think I have ever been so scared. They tried 3 times to start an IV and had no luck...thank goodness my mom stopped them before they tried putting it in her head, she will forever be my hero for that! So they wanted to observe her and give her antibiotics. Long story a little shorter, they came in the next morning and said it was a clogged tear duct, but it could have been something potentally fatal...they often confuse those. Not really, they were just being safe and I will appreciate that, until I get the bills in the mail anyway.
On some very happy notes, she giggled for the first time yesterday. The pictures above are actually frames of her giggling making them extra priceless. She was also blessed at our house on Wednesday night and both sets of grandparents were there. She is such a special little girl, I'm so grateful she is ok! We love you so much Katurah!
5 comments:
These pictures are ADORABLE!!! Why do you live so far away? (Maybe so I don't steal your children....)
Oh my gosh how scary! Going to the hospital with little ones is never fun. Glad she is doing better.
Oh and another herb that works well for milk productions is Goats rue as well as Dill... just fyi
wow! you have been through a LOT! I'm glad they finally figured out what was going on with her latch. You are a trooper to keep going though with pumping and everything. Hats off to you! I'm glad her swollen eye wasn't something fatal. That's odd that a clogged tear duct could cause so much of a scare. Sounds like you will have plenty of stories to tell her when she's has her own kids.
Wow poor Katurah. I have seen the surgery for tongue tied when I worked for Dr. Honigman, it was super cool. I am glad she is doing better though and that they found out what was wrong with her eye
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