Poor baby

Not since the battle we fought when Kieran was two weeks old and not gaining weight have I been as scared as I am now.

Kieran's had a cold, and been so good-natured about the whole thing despite being really congested that he could barely breathe sometimes. I thought that we were over the worst of it today (well, yesterday now) because the snot was mostly gone and he was sleeping pretty well again. We had the wonderful luxury of sleeping in until 5 am instead of 3:30, several naps lasting longer than 40 minutes... pure bliss.

Only one problem, he started eating less & less throughout the day until 11 tonight when he had a mere ounce (normal for him is 6 at a time) and refused to drink more. He also fell into the category of dehydrated by not wetting enough diapers in a day, so I called the consulting nurse who said our options were to force feed or take him to Children's for IV fluids.

So I went to Walgreen's at midnight for some Pedialyte & a medicine syringe right fast. The only thing that made me laugh about this whole ordeal was that when a coupon didn't scan, the clerk held it up and said 'Can you help me, Mr. Bean?'. I thought I was hallucinating for a second, but it turns out that was really the name of the manager there who was at the other register.

It took Ryan pinning Kieran down and me using the same skills I did when I worked at a veterinarian's office to get that syringe past clenched jaws, but we managed to get 3 oz down him in 40 minutes. Both he & Ryan are passed out cold, and I'm so freaked out with worry that I can't sleep.

I am praying we don't have to go through this again at his next feeding. If he does, Ryan has to take a sick day because I can't pin Kieran down and syringe him at the same time. Of course the doctor's office will be called the second they open, my hope is that he just has an ear infection which makes it too painful for him to suck on a bottle.

Better

Apparently we traumatized Kieran enough with that midnight feeding because he happily drank 5 oz with no problem first thing this morning. Since he seems fine otherwise, we're cautiously going ahead thinking that yesterday was just a really bad fluke. If he repeats this pattern later today, his butt's going straight to the doctor's though.

Dr. visit after all

Unfortunately this morning's feeding was the fluke and it was back to the syringe for Kieran mid-morning :( My brave little guy must know that I'm trying to help him though, he was very cooperative compared to last night especially considering that I was on my own to feed him.

He doesn't have an ear infection, and is only showing the mildest signs of dehydration at the moment so medically speaking there isn't much to be concerned about. The assumption is that his upper teeth are shifting down and really painful, and to keep getting liquidy fruits/veggies/cereal in him as much as possible in addition to whatever he is open to taking from his bottle or the syringe.

It was so hard for me to leave him home with Ryan this afternoon, more so than my first day back at work. Probably not going to be a very productive day, but at least I'm getting my hours in then can be on my way. My poor baby :(

Adding insult to injury

Ever since I returned from maternity leave in October, one of my coworkers within earshot of me has a '70s compilation CD that she listens to on repeat. I'm able to block all of the songs out except the really obnoxious one that starts out 'Loving you is easy 'cause you're beautiful' and has all the 'la-la-la-la-la's then an unearthly screechy noise as part of it.

I have had to hear that song at least once a day except during the Christmas music season. Today I've heard it 4 times. I can't take anymore.