Mason's tummy update

A couple of Thursdays ago Mason started screaming. You know, that cry that is more of a scream that never stops, gets louder and louder, and won't stop no matter what you do. So after two nights of no sleep I called the pediatrician and got an appointment for that Saturday. We were told to decrease how much he was eating and to feed him on demand instead of at a scheduled time. After a few days he was feeling a bit better but he was still pretty fussy and gassy. The poor guy has the worst farts. Some days I feel like all he does is fart. We have to keep room freshener on hand to keep the air breathable. At our weight check appointment that Wednesday we got some medicine for acid reflux. The doctor told us to try that for a week and if it didn't work we should try switching his formula. Well the medicine helped some but still not enough. After another day of no sleep and screaming, on Sunday we switched from Similac to Enfamil and from regular to Gentlease for gas, fussing, and crying. Doug's dad came over the first night and stayed up with him so Doug and i could get a good night of sleep. It had been awhile and we were in much need of it. Thankfully, everything improved immediately on the new formula. He still gets a little gassy but he only gets fussy when he is hungry or needs a diaper changed. We have had very little screaming and much more sleep. He has even been staying awake most of the day and sleeping almost all night. He has only been waking up to eat and for the past few nights that is only one time. It's been amazing! I really hope the trend continues. I do miss my free time during the day when he use to be napping but I will take the uninterrupted sleep at night over that! Since the formula change has worked so well I think we can rule out colic and food allergy for now. Hopefully we will not have to put those back on the table in the future.

I think up all night, screaming, don't know what is wrong, and crying mom and dad is something all parents have to go through. It's like a right of passage. Or some cruel hazing/initiation process. Maybe even a preparation for what is to come throughout the next 20-30 years. And just when you think it can't get any worse, it does. Every parent goes through it for a few months (or longer depending on what is causing the problem and how long it takes to figure it out) and it's not until then that you truly earn that Mom/Dad badge. I know all parents would prefer to get sleep and have a child not in enough discomfort they scream all day/night but it makes them stand a little taller when it's over because they survived it. I suggest a ribbon decal parents can put on their cars. "I survived the first months of being a new parent" You could make it the color of poop. :)

Mason is guaranteed to pitch a fit when you give him a bath, change his diaper, or burp him. The burping is actually pretty ridiculous. When you lean him forward on your lap he will push against you trying to lay back down. He wants to eat, not burp. Since we are interrupting that he let's us know. Then he will turn his head, look up at you, and give you this "please don't do this to me" look. He will start crying and keep pushing back until you get him to burp or give up and put the bottle back in his mouth. It's the most pitiful and ridiculous thing all at the same time. 

Thursday Doug started not feeling well. He was up all night with an upset stomach. We were not sure if he ate something that didn't agree with him, had a little bit of a bug, or just had an upset stomach. Well, Friday evening Mason started having one dirty diaper after another. So I guess it was a bug and Doug passed it on to Mason. Thankfully he was not very irritated by it. He never got fussy until he needed a diaper changed. And it didn't curb his appetite at all. Ha! We kept an eye on his temperature and "consistency" of his diapers to make sure we didn't need to make an appointment with the doctor on Saturday. But by late Friday night he was sound asleep and happy. He didn't have a dirty diaper the rest of the night so we were able to get a good nights sleep. By Saturday morning he was his normal pooping self again.