To Do: Fix Perfect Parker

Geesh, I knew I was behind on blogging, but I realized today that I really haven't posted as much about life with Parker as I had thought.  Since I didn't start a New Year's Resolution, maybe I can start a goal on March 1.  I'll try to post at least some pictures once a week.  Now if I don't, well, you'll just have to get over it.  

I would love to tell you that Parker has been nearly perfect since day 1.  OK, about 99% perfect.  But this last week, he practically is 99.9%!!

I've heard people talk about how they took the baby home and then were like "what do we do now?"  I really wouldn't say I had that feeling.

My mom was in town those first few days so that may have helped.  He started off as an easy baby.  This was going to be a piece of cake.  But starting when he was about 5 days old, Parker was tough.  This was exactly how we felt:

He cried and cried and cried.  I cried and cried and cried. Nights were especially rough!  Trust me, it was beyond how much a baby was supposed to cry (and geesh, so loud!).  The worst night was when he cried for 7 hours straight!

I thought newborns liked to sleep a lot.  That's what the books say.  But nope, not Parker.  He actually rarely slept.  Poor guy would get so tired, but just as he would fall asleep (and Matt and I would just begin to rejoice), he would wake up startled, shrieking.  Yes, shrieking.

Occasionally we were able to calm him with 2 things: Swaddling and white noise.

Yes, it's like a straight jacket for babies--but I'm not kidding, you put him in this magic velcro contraption and wham--peace!

Now don't judge us, but the white noise that works the best (because it is so loud)...the oven exhaust!

We've spent a lot of time near the oven.  We've even been known to have him chilling in his bouncer right on the range.  Whatever it takes!

He was quickly diagnosed by most nurses, friends, everyone as having colic.  The remedy for colic: NOTHING!  You just have to live it out.  Oh, only a few months they tell ya.  Months? Holy cow, I wasn't sure we would get through the week!  

We were told we had to rule out formulas first.  But he had to be on each formula for at least 1 week to tell.  After having changed him to sensitive formula and still no change, I had a break down.  Yep, called the nurse in complete tears.  I was so embarrassed but I told her I couldn't take it anymore.  It was the Thursday and MLK Day was on Monday--So I knew that meant I would have to wait 5 more days till we saw our pediatrician.  He had gone 14 hours without sleeping (That couldn't be right).  Drama=immediately got into doctor!  I called Matt in tears and he met me at the doctor's office.

(Do you think the doctor believed me when I arrived hours lately with what I said was a miserable child, when he looked like this?)

The doctor determined that his shrieking from sleep was a good sign that it wasn't necessarily colic, but rather GERD (aka acid reflux).  She told us to give him Maalox and see how that worked.

Holy cow--it did wonders!

Come to find out, GERD is often misdiagnosed as colic.  One in 5 babies have it.

So for the last 2 months and until at least 4 months, we give him Zantac twice a day and the result...that 99.9% perfect baby!  He is fixed!  He actually usually only cries when he is hungry or tired.  Now he does only give you about 5 seconds to make his bottle when he announces he is hungry.  But is nearly right on schedule (5 oz = 5 hours).  And sleep--well, I'll save that for another blog.  But he makes me so proud!  Like we deserve a blue ribbon kind of proud!

All in all, those memories of the rough days are starting to fade.  Especially when he smiles so often!