Dad has got a terrible cold and mum is just plain exhausted

Saturday 1 September 2001 

I had such a terrible morning this morning. Mummy decided to take my cot off its angle in the middle of the night as she thought it was responsible for me landing in weird positions in the middle of the night. I have never slept totally flat before and I do not think that my reflux appreciates this new position. At 5:30 this morning when mum came to see why I was crying I vomited all over her, all over my bed, all over the carpet and everywhere. It was horrible, it tasted terrible and I felt sick. Mum and dad cleaned it all up and I started to feel a lot better but I had to have a nice long nap before I felt ready to take on the day. 

The rest of the day was uneventful. Mum lovingly handcrafted me some pears and sweet potatoes for the coming week. I am still fooling them into believing that I can eat solids. 

Sunday 2 September 2001 

Today was father’s day so I tried my very hardest all day to be a perfect little angel, just like I am every other day. The morning started out badly and mom and dad were so tired they looked as if they could not even look after me so I decided that I better have a sleep and give them a chance to catch up a bit. Dad has got a terrible cold and mum is just plain exhausted. 

After a good nap we went for a walk to the shops and then back home again for food – mmmm pears homemade by mum. I am still not totally into this whole solid food thing. Mum thinks that is because I am just never hungry enough because if I don’t get my breastmilk when I demand it I become horrible. 

In the afternoon we went to visit my granny and I laughed and gurgled and showed off. 

I had quite a good sleep, I did a long stint from 6pm – 10:30 pm but now I am in the habit of waking up even when I am not hungry. I am just not used to long stretches of sleep at all. This is making mummy real nervous, she thinks I am full of bad habits.

More blood tests needed.

Wednesday 29 August 2001 

This morning I went shopping for father’s day presents with mum. It was so hard to try and choose a present for the best daddy in the whole world. I am going to have to win lotto to afford the presents he deserves, on the other hand I just know that he would love a kiss, snuggle and hug from me just as much as all the presents money can buy – if not more. 

In the afternoon we went to play group house and even though I screamed in the car the whole way there I was very happy when we got there. I was my normal smiley happy self and I charmed all mum’s friends so much so that I think they may have been jealous that mummy has got such a beautiful baby! 

Thursday 30 August 2001 

Today I went shopping. I no longer like to shop in my pram, I like to look around and see all the things in the shopping centre. In fact I would say that one of my favourite things is to walk around the streets in mum’s arms taking in all the things around me. I am learning heaps about the world around us. Strangers often stop to talk to mum and I and they all say that I am so bright and alert. Mum swells with pride but I just take it in my stride. 

In the afternoon when we got home we got a call from Dr C. Mum was very nervous to hear his voice on the phone. He told mum that one of my blood tests came back with high level of alp. This is the enzyme produced by the body when laying down bone. Dr C explained to mummy that people with broken bones would have a high level of this enzyme as their bone heals. The high level is not a bad thing in and of itself but I do have to have some more blood tests to check my calcium and phosphate levels. My x-ray also showed that my bone age is less than three months. I could have told them that myself – I know that I am very small. Mum was a bit hysterical but Dr C told her it was nothing. The worst bit though is that I have to have more blood tests. 

Friday 31 August 2001 

Mummy made daddy take me for my blood tests this morning because she was too traumatised by the last ones. We went off to the hospital and the place where I had them last time said that they cannot do them. I have probably put them off for life, so I had to go somewhere else. Well, what a difference. I wish I had had my first lot there. Daddy took me in and there were two ladies to help me. They used all sorts of tricks to keep me happy and they said that they would take blood from the vein rather than from the foot as that would be less painful. They were right. It was so much better and I was a very brave soldier, I did cry because it was very sore but for a very long time. They put on the cutest little rabbit plaster and I was very proud to be able to show my war wound to everyone. 

I got to walk around the shops in mums arms again this afternoon. I could do that all day – I make so many friends and it is really a great way to spend the day (mum gets a bit tired but I am much younger than her – I could go on forever).

Cot or not?

Monday 27 August 2001
Another cold and wet day today which mummy took as a sure sign that today would be a good day to start my new daytime sleep routine. I impressed her yet again by having an almost two hour sleep in the morning. All I can say is that I was always ready for that long sleep in the morning but she kept shlepping me out and about. I tried to tell her that I wanted to sleep but she waited to hear it from the feeding clinic of all places. Nonetheless I guess the most important thing is that I am now getting to have that sleep.

After my sleep we played around at home and I got so tired after about an hour and a half I had another hours sleep. I saw mummy start to worry about that oversleeping thing but I was tired so I could not worry about it at that stage. Mummy then decided we needed to go out when I woke up as we were getting cabin fever but it was very rainy and cold so we just went up to the shopping centre with underground parking and walked around a bit. It was great fun because I got to sit facing forward in the pouch on mum’s chest so I could see everything around me. I love that! I am learning so much about the world and everybody comments on how alert I am and how much I am taking in. I don’t know how they know but nevertheless it makes mummy feel happy when they say that.

The afternoon meant another long sleep for me. Mummy is really taking this seriously.

Tuesday 28 August 2001

Mummy has promised that I will never sleep in my cot during the day again. What a big failure. All through the day it was fine and I slept well but how was I to understand that the night meant something different and that I had to stay in my cot and sleep without getting up to play every so often? All through the day when I had woken mummy played with me so when she did not play with me at night I was very confused – not upset just confused and very playful. Basically I was not tired and so was up almost the whole night.

So, it was a very bleary eyed mummy that took me to Dr C this morning for a check up and he soon made everything all right. I have amazed even him with my growth. Since the last time I saw him I have put on 210grams in weight (over 12 days), 2cm in length and 2cm in head circumference. That is huge. He was thrilled to bits and so was mummy. He said that we must carry on with whatever we are doing because it seems to be working. Yahhoooo that means I can continue to breastfeed. Dr C sent us for some routine tests that ruined an otherwise perfect visit.

I had to have my arm x-rayed to measure my bone age and I also had to have an x-ray of my hips. It was rather revolting having to lie so still and I was so unimpressed that I weed on the radiographer. It was my only means of revenge and I had to do it. I am still thinking of what I can do to the pathologist if I ever lay eyes on her again.

Yup I had to have blood tests and they made the x-rays seem rather pleasant. Dr C wanted to check my iron levels and thyroid and liver function. To get blood from a baby as tiny as me you have to prick the heel and almost squeeze the blood out – 5 vials of it. It was terrible. I screamed in pain, I went bright red and I sweated a lot! Mummy cried as she tried to hold me still and the pathologist who had earlier been praising my good looks, charm and bright disposition was cursing my strength.

I had another hideous night’s sleep – mummy and daddy are tired again.

When it's not about my weight it is about my sleep.

Saturday 25 August 2001

Well my new routine started brilliantly and much easier than mum and I anticipated. This morning I woke up real early at about 6am and I played with mum and dad in their bed. By 7:20 I was exhausted and mum put me back to sleep and you will never believe this but I slept till 9:15 – almost two hours. A record for a day sleep for me. Mum was so nervous that she kept coming in to check on me, dad has got far more brains – he took advantage of the late morning and slept like mum should have.

This afternoon I had another sleep in my cot. I am doing real well and mummy and daddy are soo happy with me. But I did hear mum secretly confide to dad that maybe I am sleeping too much. Poor dad - mum confuses her so much. First she says I have to sleep a lot and then when I do she says it is too much. Us boys will have to rally together against her indecisiveness.

It worked – all my sleeping during the day paid off and I slept like a champion tonight going three hour stints with a four hour burst between 12 and 4.

Sunday 26 August 2001
My sleeping routine has already gone out the window. I did do a good morning sleep and then mum and dad took me shopping for clothes in Bondi Junction. I did not see a thing that I liked and I became quite moody. 

Luckily my cousins live just down the road so we walked to their place because we were going there for lunch anyway. I had a fine time at their house mind you but every time I fell asleep I woke up soon after so I never really got to have that good afternoon sleep that mum and dad had thought I should have. By the time we got home it was late in the afternoon and although I did sleep it was just for half an hour.

I ate my dinner with relish and I had a good few chuckles at my parents. I was just greasing them up for the shocking night that was to come because my sleep was abysmal. I woke up every two hours till 4am and then never really went back to sleep properly at all. My parents are very bleary eyed.

The feeding clinic prescribe cabin fever for mummy

Thursday 23 August 2001 

This morning we went to playgroup at the hospital. It was fun. I played then I ate and then I fell asleep in mummy’s arms. Who could think of a better way to spend a morning?

Another shocking nights sleep tonight. I think I am getting worse at this not better.

Friday 24 August 2001

What a wonderful day! - I weigh 4.605kgs

This morning mum carted me about in the car a lot but I did not mind because I had my aunt and cousin sitting in the back with me and entertaining me. This kept me very happy until I fell asleep and had a long good nap in the car without having to be woken up every time mum stopped the car to go somewhere. I tell you I think I should always travel like this.

After my good car sleep I was really in a good mood and mum and I ventured off to feeding clinic at the Children’s Hospital. Well I almost blew their socks off they were so impressed with me. I have put on 210 grams and over a centimetre in length. Kylie, the dietician, Melissa the speech pathologist and the lactation consultant whose name I have forgotten were all so impressed with me. Mummy told them that as long as I had put on some size she would not be worried about me or my bowels. They were so complimentary to me that mum quite forgot how upset she had been the week before. They all said that I was so alert and inquisitive, I think they might realise how smart I am. They said that we should carry on as we are with the lact-easy, the polyjoule and mums elimination diet and we will see them again in two weeks. However there was one thing that they did add to the list and that was a better routine (are they kidding). They explained to me and mum how important sleep was to my growth and development and added that if we get into a routine now it will be much easier than if we try and start that when I am a bit older. Basically they said I should have two long sleeps in the day at home and in my cot. I should also eat at home in my bedroom where it is quiet and I am relaxed (sounds like the old days) in order to aid the digestion of my food – according to mum I eat much better at night when I am less distracted. Mum thinks that this is a very good idea, she has been toying with the idea of these sleeps at home during the day for a while and now that someone else has suggested that it might aid my growth and help with my sleeping at night (sleep begets sleep) she is sure of it.

After the hospital mum took me to her old work and again I managed to charm everyone around me. I showed off all my tricks and I was really quite charming. Mum seemed so happy to show them all how far she has come and what she has achieved in her “new job”.

After a painfully windy start to the night I did my three hour stretches and slept very well thank you! I am ready to start my new sleep routine.

We laugh, we try pumpkin, we go gray

Sunday 19 August 2001
If it is possible for the cutest person on earth to get any cuter I just did it. After another late morning of 7:15 I was in the mood for laughing today. While we were at Dan’s house supposedly helping her move, I sat with dad on the couch and laughed and laughed. I laughed so loud that mum heard me from the other room and my laugh was so contagious that even my cousin started to laugh with me. My parents think I am the best baby in the world (and I am).

Today I also discovered my feet, not that I can see them properly but I am spending far more time with them in the air. Mum read that that is a developmental milestone so she is thrilled to bits.

Sometimes I catch my parents just staring at me or talking about me with huge big smiles on their faces. I heard them say that I am the best thing that has ever happened to them.

I had another good night tonight and did a long sleep from 9:00 – 2:00. That is now 3 nights in a row and I am feeling so much better for it.

Monday 20 August 2001 
Today mummy and I drove a long way to go visit Kim and Tiffany. I was as good as gold in the car on the way there and I prefer not to speak about the way back. (I screamed all the way from Chatswood to home).

Kim told mummy that I must eat nicer tasting food and then I will eat better so she gave me rice cereal with apple and mango tonight and I did eat it up – not a fortune of it but a bit!

Tuesday 21 August 2001 
Today I went to the clinic where mummy got the clinic sister to book me into Karitane day stay for a day so that they can help me take the bottle. There is a bit of a waiting period so I am only in for late September, hopefully by then I will not need it.

After the clinic we went to Eastgardens and I slept in my pram like an angel. Mum bought me heaps of food so this evening I ate pumpkin mixed with formula to make it nice and runny. I think it may have been delicious. The only problem is that I ate so much I am having difficult getting to sleep tonight.

Wednesday 22 August 2001 
This morning was a very cold and blustery day and after a shocking nights sleep mum and I decided that we should stay indoors. Mum phoned all the other mums in playgroup and managed to convince them to have the group at our house so we could stay inside and be warm and snug.

I had a bit of a nap and when I woke up I discovered that all my friends were sitting downstairs playing without me. This really made me a bit mad at first but then I calmed down and spent the rest of the time showing off how brilliantly I do not take a bottle.

Mum is giving me pumpkin every night now and while I am enjoying the taste it is giving me terrible wind at night (well at least I think it is the pumpkin or it could be the formula that mum mixes it with). So once again I am not sleeping at all well anymore and mum and dad are going gray again.

Lactose, lact-ease, lactate, lack of sleep

Friday 17 August 2001 
I had my horrible immunisations today but I was really good about it. I had not been in a very good mood in the morning when mummy shlepped me off to some far away chemist to buy a special bottle for me to try. I screamed so much that she had to turn back, take me home and feed me. I am trying those new lact-ease drops and they taste delicious. They are also slowing down my rate of poos so mum is thrilled to bits and pieces because she believes that now I might retain some of what I eat.

Eventually we went to get the immunisations and I was as good as gold in the waiting room for 45 minutes – mum was as irate as all hell. I cried a little when the needle went in but I recovered quickly. Mum was a bit scared though and she had to cover her eyes the whole time.

After all my screaming, and I guess the immunisations and the Panadol mum gave me I slept real well waking up every 3 hours on the dot and going back to sleep like a gem.

Saturday 18 August 2001 
I woke up at 7:15 this morning!! (after a brief 6am feed). This was my latest morning ever and I am real proud.

Mum and dad are wrecks about my weight and my lactose intolerance and mainly my refusal to take a bottle of soy formula. They are trying everything in their power but I really do not get this whole bottle thing also I am now back to my same old bowel motions and so mum is dubious that the lact-ease is doing anything.

We had a good day but I was a bit worried about my parents concern over my weight and height so I gave them a real treat and for the second night in a row I slept like a gem. I do think that maybe mum’s new diet of no dairy is making me feel more comfortable so I can sleep better at night. I slept from 6:30 – 11:30 tonight and while I was getting all that good sleep mum was researching my lactose overload on the net. I could hear her jumping up and down with joy as she read article after article on lactose intolerance and breastfeeding and they all said the same thing – change the mum’s diet and you will see a difference in a couple of days and real results in a couple of weeks. Mum is overjoyed!!!