How Goes It...

Well, it goes. We can't ask for much more than that.

Finn has had some rough days. The reflux took a turn for the worse this past week. We had changed her over to a hypoallergenic formula, just to see if she had milk protein sensitivities and...all HELL broke loose. We can't be certain that it was the formula. It could be a coincidence. But...she started spitting up a ton. Like, almost 1/2 to 3/4 of her meals. Poor girl. That cannot be fun for her. And, I guarantee it was not fun for mommy.

We switched her back to her Nestle Good Start Gentle Plus formula, and we have started to give her "thickened feeds". We add a tablespoon or more of rice cereal to her bottle to make whatever hits her tummy more likely to stay put. We also have to add her meds to her formula, because her meds are too thin and cause her to throw them straight back up a lot of the time, too.

Initially the thickened feeds weren't great. She was refusing to eat a lot. And, she was still "spitting". And, she was choking a lot...which she always does, though. So, the pediatrician ordered an Upper GI study to be done on her to rule out anatomical abnormalities. That took place yesterday at CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia). All turned out ok! I was about in tears seeing her solely in her diaper and socks laying on the x-ray table...being fed a bottle of barium liquid. Uggh! Poor peanut! But, she took it all like a champ. She is going to be a fighter / trouper. That much I know.

So, we are just continuing on with our regimen for now. She has gained weight, which is great. Not a ton. Not as much as most "normal" babies would have. But, she is up to 8lbs. 6oz. Not what I would like, but she is at least the size of a newborn now. Hopefully the heavier formula mixture will allow her to add on more weight more quickly by getting extra calories and by keeping more down. A mommy can dare to dream!

In the past 36 hours she has only had one "episode" and that came after she gagged herself on her pacifier. She goes "nutty" trying to "root". And, she forces the paci deep into her mouth. And, sometimes she chokes. Guess she has a severe gag reflex like her daddy. Just another thing to be careful of with her.

She is sleeping "better" at night and having more alert time during the day where she isn't crying. I cherish those improvements. She still has a "witching hour" / colicky time EVERY night starting anytime around 6pm and up until she goes to bed. Not fun, but it will eventually get better, too....RIGHT????


On another note, tomorrow night Matt and I will be attending the Dave Matthews Band concert. Without. The. Baby. SIGGGGGHHHH! As much as I look forward to it, I also dread leaving her. She isn't a "normal happy baby". She requires special treatment and precautions. Infant reflux is much better when "rules" are followed. So, all I can do is offer up the "rules and precautions" and hope for the best! I know she will be fine, but it is a mother's right to worry. Especially the mother of a medically high maintenance baby. Thankyouverymuch.

Lastly, the pics this week are classic Finnley. She LOVES her hands. They are her absolute favorite thing in the world. She uses them to claw her face, to grab her pacifier, to hang onto the burp cloth after being burped, to push her bottle away A LOT...they are AMAZING! The other love of her life is in the pic, too...the pacifier. Oh how she adores it! If only it would stay in her mouth. She has started to jam her thumb or fist into her mouth and try to suck on those, too...the whole operation still needs some work, but she is getting there. I think there is no doubt that she will be right handed AND she will suck her thumb.

Hey, whatever makes her happy!