We have had a long week and we didn't do much...just wished,hoped and prayed for more sleep. I feel like a walking zombie and this past week, sleep deprivation was at its all time high! I have not had the energy to blog, even while pumping...I just surf the web or lay my head down. We had a couple of nights of Ellie crying for about 7hours off and on and for sure not going to sleep, unless of course she was on top of one of us and even that was questionable at times. She is having major tummy issues and has cut back big time on eating!(we are going to the doctor in the morning). She has done great up until our doctor appointment on June 30th and from there things have gone down hill. She was my vigorous eater and she was bigger than Lindley Kate. I know it is hard to tell in pictures but Lindley Kate has had a big growth spurt and she is so much bigger than Ellie now. How much, I don't know, we haven't weighed her but the difference is very obvious in person! I know it can be coincidental but ever since Ellie got the rotavirus oral vaccine she has not been the same. She reacted to it differently than LK.(probably bc LK threw most of it back up...she spits up a ton, where Ellie doesn't spit up that much anymore) Ellie's diarrhea persisted for 2 weeks...rota virus has a distinct yucky smell and being that I have taken care of so many peds patients with rota, I know this smell too well! She became extremely fussy, crying out in pain, pulling her legs up to her chest, extremely gassy,all around difficult to console if at all. We have spent many nights walking around our house trying to get her to settle. She has just seemed so uncomfortable. Before this appt she was taking 5-6 oz with each feeding, no problems at all. For nearly the past month, I have had to fight to get 3 oz down with each feeding...and I mean fight her! It is frustrating. Needless to say, it has gone on long enough so we are heading to the doctor in the morning.The nurse asked me to cut dairy out of my diet over the weekend to see if there was a difference...uggg. I can't do it! I love milk and trying to keep up with two babies,any diet restrictions is just too overwhelming! I read somewhere that bouts of diarrhea in infants can cause them to have difficulty digesting lactose but who knows. Lactose intolerance is pretty rare in most infants. Not to say it doesn't happen but it isn't very common! I really don't want to have to start buying expensive formula! I just hate it for her bc she is so uncomfortable and it is obvious. As if Ellie having a couple of bad nights isn't bad enough, we had one night in bw Ellie's two bad nights where they both were crying and not going to sleep! So 3 nights in a row nearly killed me. William was up a lot but he had to fly some this past week so he had to sleep. Needless to say the brunt of it all was on my shoulders. Lindley Kate is doing really well, taking 7 oz with each feeding and is basically sleeping through the night. She does get woken up by Ellie some so we have to coax her back to sleep. We have basically dropped the night feeding with her unless of course I can tell she isn't going back to sleep without it. She usually goes back to sleep with a little patting and her pacifier back in her mouth.
I know this will pass and I will eventually get sleep but 3 months of broken up sleep and no breaks during the day is draining me! William starts leave on the 6th and my mom will be out here on the 7th. I am going to sleep one night for at least 7 hours straight! I need it. Ok, off to bed...the girls are asleep for now, so I need to capitalize and take advantage!
Dad and his daughters
Ellie, looking uncomfortable...pretty much the face we have seen this past month!
LKB
9 comments:
oh, I am so sorry you aren't sleeping, when you finally get a full night's rest, you will feel like a new woman! I have no advice for twins, although at times, mine (18months apart)felt like twins! :)
I will pray for lots of sleeping for you! :)
Oh I hate to hear that Ellie is so uncomfortable!!!! My daughter had colic the 1st few months of life and was so miserable..it's so hard to watch and not be able to make it better. Hang in there Mommy! Have a better week and I hope and pray that little Ellie gets better!
Kerry, I am going to commit their sleeping totally to prayer for you. Sounds like you need Big Hands to reach down and rescue you... Hugs from afar!
I am about ready to enter into the sleepless phase of motherhood for the third time and I have to admit, I am already dreading it! I cannot imagine what it feels like to do what you're doing, with twins, and for 3 months and counting! You are doing it, girl! Hang in there and know that there will be an end to it... You WILL have a good night's sleep someday. You just have to get through these rough patches. Maybe that provides a little hope?
Prayers!
Oh you poor thing. I really hope the doctor can tell you something that helps. Praying for you!
Ash
poor Kerry! I know you are looking forward those 7 hours!
Oh you all are so challenged right now, we will continue to pray for everyone! Rota virus was the worst experience I ever had with my children. I pray the dr's appointment gave you something to try and soon sleep is in your life, that as a parent will get the best of you always! The girls are growing and so beautiful! Hang in there Kerry your doing a amazing job and God chose you for the girls.
Hi Kerry,
I am so sorry that the girls are having a tough time, and that you are so horrifically tired. I remember going through the sleep deprivation and thinking that I was crazy, that I was never going to make it through that time, and that my kids would never sleep longer than 3-4 hour stretches. It is just so indescribibly difficult.
One thing that did help me...someone said in my Bible study class "Young moms, when you are up with your baby(ies) at night, feeling so tired and alone, remember that there are thousands of other mothers up with you, pacing and feeding, soothing and comforting their little one(s). You are not alone!"
Hoping that the doctor's visit today brought good news.
Kerry, I know you are probably feeling so helpless with your little lady so uncomfortable. AJ went through some awful digestive issues starting around 8 weeks old. They had me take out dairy at first, then switched him to similac alimentum. It's very pricey, but has done wonders for him. We saw specialists for reflux and he is also on prilosec now. (originally he was on zantac, reglan, mylicon). Here are my few mommy suggestions. AJ loved to be held upright for digestion purposes. Facing out (like in my baby bjorn). He slept best in his vibrating chair or carseat for the first 6 months of his life. The saving grace was the bathroom fan! We'd rock him in there and he loved the sound of it. I remember many a sleepless night on the bathroom floor with him asleep listening to the fan. It's crazy what you'll do when you are crazy yourself. :) Hang in there and hopefully a few of these tricks will work for you!! (Oh, and at 14 months we are still not giving him dairy. I am getting his allergies tested next month to be sure why this entire past year was an issue!)
I am so sorry!! It is very overwhelming to not know what it wrong, watch your child in pain, and not know when you'll be able to sleep more. An LC told me to cut out dairy as well, I couldn't and didn't. It all passed. Both boys had rotavirus and I'll never forget that terrible smell either. I was beside myself those 10 days.
Anyway hang in there. I hope and pray it gets better soon. You are doing such a wonderful job. Not many are cut out for what you're doing.
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