6 weeks.....Snot Fest '09

Sorry to the loyal followers....all 3 of you...for not updating the blog sooner. Having a newborn is time consuming; having a congested newborn is a never-ending-uphill-both-ways-barefooted-in-the-snow battle. Our poor little guy had been congested around week 1 and it went away around week 2 after we got a cool mist humidifier. Then last week he started w/ audible gas rumblings in his stomach and fussy crying spells that accompanied them........we adopted gas drops and the 'super baby', belly down colic hold and he seemed to calm down but w/ some effort. Then on Sunday his congestion returned, 10 times worse than it had been with a cough to boot. He has had to sleep in his bouncy seat because he can't lay flat on his back and we have had to suction him around the clock to allow him to nurse, sleep, and well...breath. So this morning I called and got him into see the pediatrician. Since he is not running a fever and his lungs are clear, our pediatrician recommended us to stay the course w/ sleeping in the bouncy, using the humidifier, and suctioning as needed. He also recommended that I eliminate dairy from my diet until Ben's 2 month appt (about 2 weeks) to see if that is causing him to be gassy. The only positive note from the appt was that he now weighs over 11 lbs so we know that he is getting plenty of breast milk!

I feel so bad for him because he seems miserable and there's not much I can do for him. He didn't used to spit up EVER and now for the past 2 days he gets choked on all his excess mucus and spits up a couple of times a day in pretty significant quantities (he has had several wardrobe changes today because of it.). In other news, Ben and I also went to a little informal orientation session at his soon-to-be daycare. He will start there on Feb. 3rd...where has the time gone? I am going back a little earlier than initially planned because my short term disability covered a week less than I anticipated. His first week there I plan to go and nurse him on my lunch breaks to help both of us w/ the transition. I will probably only work 6 hr days the first week to help w/ that also. Here's hoping we both do well!

So that's what's new w/ baby Ben.....I need to try to catch some zzz's while boy wonder is napping now so that I can face the snotty night ahead. (I was afforded the luxury of blogging by my need to pump.) If Ben isn't better by Friday, then I am supposed to bring him back in to the pediatrician's office to make sure his lungs are still clear....please say prayers for him to feel better.