Last week, Kim got in touch with Fiona's pediatrician to discuss her colic and options for making her more comfortable. After an extensive round of questions about Fiona's behavior when she goes into her crying fits, the doctor recommended something called probiotic drops. Apparently these are meant to help provide essential bacteria to a baby's digestive track to help with the digestion process and ease her symptoms.
It took us all afternoon to find someone who carried them, and when we finally did it was too late in the evening to go get them. We seriously called/visited 10 different pharmacies. About half of them normally had it, but claimed it was sold out. Turns out this stuff is like $40 a bottle, and it's a tiny bottle. Multiply a thimble times two and you'll get a good idea. We were convinced it was some magical elixir for that price.
At any rate, by Friday night, we were able to give her some, and she slept nearly 6 hours then, and 7 hours Saturday night, and was remarkably much happier than normal. Sadly, the peace was short-lived. Though she definitely still tends to sleep well the first part of the night (averaging 4-5 hours, then 2-3 each time we put her back down), she still goes into screaming fits of pain most of the time when she's passing gas. We're not talking about just a fussy baby...I mean I'm afraid that someone will walk up to our door and think we're beating her.
According to the doctor, we've done everything we can do. It's definitely the colic at this point, and it will simply have to run it's course. We even discussed with her the home remedies that we've read about and heard from friends, and have been told adamantly to stay away from giving our baby Coca-Cola as a solution. Apparently the caffeine can exacerbate the colic, and Coke is harsh on their digestive track anyways.
So here we are, halfway through the week, both of us doing our best to keep our patience. Tonight, however, patience isn't my problem. I'm at that point where you start to wonder if you're doing something wrong. We see very few smiles from our baby, and if she's not sleeping, she's crying, save for the 5% of the time when she's just looking around the room. I've actually had to calm her in her bed three times since starting this post.
I think the most frustrating part of this is that when I look at our little girl, I have a hard time picturing her ever giggling or laughing. I know she will one day, but only because of what others have told me. There is one small nugget of hope, and that's when we set her on her changing table. I don't know what it is, but sometimes, even when she's fussy, we can put her there, and all is right with her. She'll just lie there and stare at us occasionally making funny noises. It doesn't last terribly long, but it is a light at the end of the tunnel.
For now, I just need to try and find spare moments like these, put my head down, and get this extra contract work finished. Paying off debt, and preparing our family for a new home are high on the priority list.
Sorry if this post is a bit negative...gotta take the cons with the pros.
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