Lowri: The first 2 months

The first few months of the tiny ones life were pretty intense. It was all we could do to keep going between tests, hospital stays and doctors appointments. Needless to say, blogging took a back seat. Now that Lowri is 4 months old things have really settled down. I feel like I blindly groped my way through the first few weeks of constant feedings and fussiness and suddenly my tiny newborn is rolling over. Where did the time go?

I would like a record of the first little bit, so I figured some combined posts are the way to go. Better late than never, eh?

To quickly sum up, due to pregnancy complications discussed here, I was induced with Lowri on 12 May 2012. I had a bit of leeway in terms of specific dates, so I choose the 12th. It seemed kind of cool that her birthday would be 12.5.12.  We arrived bright and early at 5.30 am. The entire birth story can be read here and here. Pictures are here.

The first few weeks were normal newborn weeks. She ate a lot, and slept a lot and cried a heck of a lot. From about 4 days on, she put herself on a 4 hour schedule. That is what Eleri did, so it seemed ok to me. Eating every 4 hours gave me time to see Eleri, sleep, eat and pretty much just zone out. Our days looked a lot like this

 

Lowri sleeping and Eleri playing with her toys, more often than not, playing with them on Lowri. But hey, at least she was interested and I wasn't about to squash that.

By the time LG hit 2 weeks things started to get a bit....funny. She was really fussy. She cried for no reason. She was inconsolable. for hours. and hours. and hours. She threw up constantly. Not just the typical baby spit up. Oh no, huge puddles of man vomit that blanketed the walls, floors, furniture and whatever hapless person happened to be in the way. I couldn't figure it out.

Eleri was never a fussy baby. She came out a giant 9lb 7oz and never stopped growing! She ate, slept, smiled and was the easiest baby in the history of man. I had no idea why my new tiny one was the exact opposite. And I had no idea what to do about it.

As the days worn on, I started to wonder if something was wrong. Surely all the fussiness could not just be colic. It seemed unreasonable. My suspicions were confirmed when one afternoon, during a particularly fussy period, she started throwing up blood. Straight to the doctor we went.

She had a fever. She couldn't stop throwing up. She wouldn't eat. She was limp. It was equal parts heartbreaking and terrifying. We were sent straight to the hospital to be admitted for tests and observation. And thus began the second worst night of my life. (the first being the birth of my first child)

They put more tubes and needles in her than could have possibly been necessary. They seemed to take even more blood out of her. Lg was barely 5 weeks old and the poor thing was already being hospitalised. This is my tiny, precious little baby after the first hour in the hospital.

 

The nurses and doctors were in and out all evening and night, taking temperatures, checking machines and poking on my little one. I was hurting so badly for her. She was obviously in pain and I could do nothing about it.

 

 

She was so tiny and so helpless.  We were discharged a few days later but without any real answers. A couple of days later we were back at the hospital. Some irregular blood work showed an abnormally high white blood cell count. They were concerned. Could it be cancer? Not a thought a mother would ever want to entertain. The hospital is only 15 minutes from my house, but the drive back that night seemed to take hours. I could stop thinking about what could be in store for my tiny little one. Praise the Lord there was no cancer.

 

After more trips back and forth, and more tests than I can count, including one in this machine, (yes that is my little baby strapped to that board)

 

 

the problem was determined. Lg has an issue with her intestines and digestive track. To put it simply, it acts like severe acid reflux. With a diagnosis in hand, we left feeling like new people. We could finally help our little girl. We started the medicine straight away and within a few days it was like we had exchanged our baby for a new one. She didn't cry, she hardly threw up, and there was definitely no more blood. She slept, she smiled, she was peaceful and content.

 

 

 

The tiny one will never be classed as an 'easy baby' but once we got an explanation for the fussing, crying and uncontrollable vomiting, she became a much easier baby. The first two months were challenging to say the least. But medicine in hand, moving forward would be a lot easier.