# Exploding boob, crying jags, sleepless nights



## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

Just checking in real quick to let those of you who are interested know that I had my baby boy via C-section January 21, 2002, 9:34 a.m., at Swedish Ballard's Childbirth Center. He weighed about 9 lbs., .08 oz., measured 20 3/4" long and is a cross between my auburn-haired husband and me.We're surviving his fussy crying jags which can last five hours straight (no matter what we do), my breastfeeding/his latching problems (right nipple healing nicely, thank you) and of course, a tremendous wake-up call with a lack of sleep.[Why do people become parents? We must be nuts.] I just now got through trying to clean up all my breastmilk which sprayed in a gush from my right nipple in reaction to his cries and because I hadn't pumped the engorgement down after the feeding. Initially, I thought it was his pee, but noticed me dripping all on the right side of my pjs. Jeez!My IBS hasn't disappeared. Instead, I'm trying to let him cry when I have to suddenly run to the bathroom, as well as allot time for those craps I know will happen, like after breakfast, whenever I can fit that in. It's worse when I don't eat for a while then have something, even if it's small, but my body will have to adjust, even if it means I have accidents.You can view the baby pics from my homepage COGGIE Ink., then click onto Scrapbook. He's in the link, firstborn, out.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Congratulations, and thanks for the update!














Exploding boob? Dang...maybe I should rethink breastfeeding when I finally have kids. (Just kidding...I think...) I think (and HOPE!) that things will calm down a lot as he get a little older, and you and him both get into more of a routine.I checked out your website, and it was a lot of fun to look at and read. Checked out your resume...we have very similar professional skills! But I'm much more a photographer, with lots of graphic design, too, than anything else. Writing is something I can do but prefer to leave to others.And that baby...WOW! He is SO GORGEOUS! Even if that sweet sleeping picture turned out to be a big deception for you two.







(I hope you're finding some time to take rolls and rolls of pictures of that fast-growing little cutie...and his daddy and mommy too!)


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Congratulations! Your post brought back memories of breast feeding adventures like hearing a baby cry (not even my baby) while grocery shopping and all of a sudden that 'letdown' reflex went berzerk. I left that store in a hurry completely sopped. It will get better-hang in there!


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## Fay (Jan 11, 2001)

Congratulations to you and your husband, Coggie. Oh, the bittersweet joys of breastfeeding! Hope he will give you some more time to sleep soon,Fay


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## KarenP36 (May 24, 2001)

Ah yes. I remember those days well. I could tell feeding times by the let-down feeling. It's all so frustrating at first but you'll be an ol' pro in no time. Congratulations.


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## kyestar (Nov 26, 2001)

Congratulations!!My sister just had a baby... the told us that if you lay the baby on their stomach when they cry, they can't arch their backs and get "stuck" crying. That might help, it helped my sister.


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## Jeanne D (Nov 14, 2001)

CONGRATULATIONS Coggie !!!I was wondering about you and am glad you took the time to let all of us know about your little boy. He was a big guy !!!I have to tell you I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all of your photos. What a handsome little guy you have there ! He looks so alert too!!You have a nice family , and a nice home.I wish you all the best as you start the wonderful journey of parenting.It is hard at first, but hang in there it gets better everyday. Maybe I am nuts.. but I would do it all over again if I could. ( one son will be 20 , and the other will be 15 soon.)Well congratulations again, he is a beautiful little boy !!Jeanne


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

There are more pics I uploaded in Scrapbook's firstborn, about.


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## Jeanne D (Nov 14, 2001)

Awwww what a cute little guy.I know it seems like it'll be this way forever, but as he gets older he will sleep more, and cry less. It's hard to believe that right now, but believe me , this won't last forever. He will get older and he will coo and gurgle and smile at you.. and your heart will just melt. Hang in there....You'll make it !!


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## Jeanne D (Nov 14, 2001)

oops wrong icon on that last post, meant to use the smiley face, sorry lolJeanne...


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## celticlady (Aug 6, 2001)

Congrats on your new baby.







It is a hard time now,with the baby crying and the breast-feeding stuff,and all the other stuff that being a parent brings!!!Hang in therre.It will get better.PS just looked at his pictures,what a gorgeous baby!!!Looks like he DOES have good lungs







My son did too.He is 8 1/2 now,but I remember the days of "fog"......from no sleep.


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## Anna2 (Jul 12, 2000)

Congrats!!! I was wondering how you were doing. I knew you were due a few weeks after me. The sleepless nights are lots of fun, just pray he doesn't get his days & nights mixed up, that's what were dealing with. He sure is a cutie pie!! What did you name him? Enjoy him while he's little & again congratulations!!


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

Well, James Scott is cute and all but I'm having a tremendous problem adjusting to his extremist two modes: crying and sleeping. He does more of the former. He also feeds poorly; latches on okay, sucks vigorously for a few seconds then fades off, take him off the nipple, he screams, put him back on, repeat, with no amount of rousing him changing the situation, so I'm there for hours, feeding, rousing, burping, etc.I have the worst time at night when I succumb to sleep. He hasn't been able to sleep flat, swaddled though, in his bassinet or the couch like he did a week before. He'll sleep after falling off the breast, on my chest in mid-burp mode, so that's when I sleep. But he'll only go off for an hour, maybe almost two, then wake up screaming again.When I sleep during this time, I cannot just wake up chipper and ready to 100 percent deal with him. I am physically and mentally exhausted, to the point where I am still in the half-sleep mode and liable to hold him the wrong way because I'm not so alert. I also find myself at my wit's end at this point, wanting solely to go back to sleep but having to breastfeed him for hours on end and fighting the urge to nod off, as well as thoughts of wishing he'd shut the hell up and almost wanting -- well, they're bad thoughts.I can have someone come help but it's in the middle of the night that I really need it. I just need someone to help for five hours at night, just to let me sleep. That and someone tell me he's not abnormal.He doesn't interact. He can't be relied on to behave when I have to take him out on physician appointments. Because he can only react one of two ways: cry or sleep.If I don't feed him enough, he'll shriekly cry.It's driving me insane. I don't think I can last another day.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Hey coggie, don't worry, when we're tired, we all have thoughts we probably shouldn't. Sleep deprivation does weird things to people.Is there the possibility of pumping some breast milk at night and hubby getting up with the baby and bottle-feeding him?Have you contacted your local La Leche League? They might have some tips for you, and if nothing else, you can commiserate with other moms going through the same things! I'm not positive, but I think their website may be www.lalecheleague.org ...if that doesn't work, they should show up on a quick search.Good luck! Hopefully he'll learn to do something other than sleep and cry soon, and later on you can look back at all the trouble he put you threw as a baby. Maybe he'll compensate by being a good toddler?


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## ShannonTH (Aug 29, 2001)

Hi, I know EXACTLY how you feel. My son was a holy terror. He nursed CONSTANTLY. And not very well, i might add!! He would latch on, lose it, then start chewing! I almost put him on bottles, but he refused them. So, then took him to the dr. He had an ear infection, and we were both treated for thrush. Gentian violet works better then nystatin for thrush by the way. It is over the couter. He also was given some levsin for the so- called colic. He didnt have colic, just a bad personality!!! He is STILL a hot head, but it has improved greatly with age. He is 21 months. Also, breastfeeding saved me with him. It made him much happier. And the poor latch only lasted around 4 weeks, so get some lanolin cream for sore nipples, it helps alot!! The bad feelings also get better. Breastfeeding also helps. Every time you have a let down you have a release of a hormone, i forget which one, but the let down itself is calming and makes you feel more motherly feelings, at least once the pain is gone!!! Try waiting 10 minutes till the baby is really asleep, then try to transfer him to an infant car seat. My son slept in his until he was 6 months old. I just put the car seat next to my bed or couch, and he at least slept 2-3 hours. It made him feel cozy. I really hope things get better for you. I really do understand. My son was just unreal!!!! But, we made it through just fine!! I hope some of this may help. I know its alot of information, I just wanted to try to cover everything. Shannon


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

I appreciate the advice. I'm trying to take it all in what with my lack of sleep and my increasingly frustrated feelings of isolation.I just want to stay home and sleep. That's it. Only I can't.I keep having to go to these damned appointments.The pediatrician weighed him today. He hasn't gained any weight since last week. He'd lost weight after birth, from 9 lbs., 1 oz., to 8/3, then up to 8/4. He's still 8/4 and the ped. advised me to schedule an appt. with a lactation specialist to see how I'm nursing, if that's the problem.Only I don't want to go through that bs again. Dammit, why couldn't he have suggested supplemental feedings like every other doctor does?! It'll be another push/pull session where I feel like a failure.He just doesn't suck continuously for 20 minutes per breast. He'll suck for a few seconds then fall asleep. I have to rouse him, then he does it again. I burp him, change him, do everything I'm told to keep him awake, and he still nods off. If he's sleepy enough, he'll nod off for an hour. If not, the second he's off my nipple, he screams bloody murder, then it's back on for several more hours.This is not only tiresome but TIRESOME. I don't have it in me to keep doing this every goddamned day, especially at night when all I want is at least three hours sleep.But I don't get it.Instead, I just get more appointments telling me what other things I have to do.I really feel at my wit's end, to put it mildly. To not, I feel like shutting down permanently.This must be what post-partum moms feel before they really go off the deep end.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Hey, you have GOT to tell your doctor what you're telling us. Nursing is NOT for everybody and it won't kill your child if you swithc to formula. I couldn't nurse my 1st child (now 17 years old) and believe me, we were both alot happier when I switched to a bottle. You sound depressed and exhausted, not unusual for a new mom, BUT, you MUST take care of YOURSELF in order to take care of your baby. Don't let anybody guilt you into thinking you are a failure if you don't nurse-you are not! I nursed my 2nd baby with more success, although it never came as easily to me and my baby as it seemed with some of my friends. So, talk to your doctor. That's when my baby started gaining the needed weight was when I put him on formula. I was more relaxed and happy and so was he. Good luck-keep writing us and letting us know how you're doing. Hang in there. This will pass!!


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## Jeanne D (Nov 14, 2001)

Coggie,I remember those early days with my second son who was colicky, and cried constantly. OF course I was so exhausted I couldn't think straight. At one point I thought he was doing it on purpose.. but I knew this really wasn't the case, I was just sooo tired. That is the case with you. You need some sleep. Is there anyone, a relative, or friend , who could take the baby for a few hours every now and then, so you can just get some sleep ?It will not make up for the sleep you've lost, but a good long nap can do wonders to help you cope better.By the way, your little guy could be colicky. Here is a web site I found which may or may not help.. but it may be worth a try.www.colichelp.comHang in there, it really does get better, I promise.


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## Anna2 (Jul 12, 2000)

Hey Coggie, I know what your going through. Mine turned a month old yesterday and he does NOT want to sleep ever!! He did good the first week, and sense then its been terrible. We had a couple good nights and now its back to normal. I nursed for the first week with alot of the problems your describing and my doctor actually suggested that I switch to bottle before the post partum depression set in. Its the best thing I could have done for myself & Eric. The way your sounding this may be something you want to consider doing or at least supplementing with formula especially at night time. My first child was colicky so if you have any questions on that let me know. I could write a book. Ask for help during the day so maybe you can get in naps then. Its almost impossible to get night help I've found out. Keep a positive attitide and remember this won't last forever and you have a beautiful baby boy! I really think you need to talk to your doctor about switching to bottle or at least supplementing before your utterly exhausted as you already sound. Keep us updated & good luck!


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## ShannonTH (Aug 29, 2001)

Hi Coggie, I forgot to mention the swing!! It was a lifesaver. I know some may say not to let them sleep in the swing, but when i was desperate i would put him in and let him sleep. He would sleep 3 hours, at night occasionally up to six!!! I did not do it often, but when i was literally not able to function from lack of sleep. The fisher price swing lets them recline, and has the front to back, and side to side motion, also 3 speeds. I also understand wanting to switch to bottles, but that may cause more trouble, if he is already colicky. It may cause allergies etc. But, it IS your choice. Also, some, such as my son ABSOLUTELY refused bottles, even of breast milk. So, from 6 weeks on, when my mom babysat, she would spoon feed my expressed milk. Go see the lactation consultant, it will at least help yo make the most informed decision. Please try to get someone to help so you can get some sleep. Nurse him, then have your husband take him for a nice long ride in the car. Or maybe a walk, if not too cold where you are. Or try a bottle of expressed milk, or formula if you have no objection to using it. Or maybe a pacifier? I really hope things get better. Babies are sooo much more wonderful when you are adequately rested. Good luck!!! Shannon


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## HunterTA5 (Feb 8, 2002)

Dear Friend,Put your baby to bed with you. This is the "best" thing my husband and I ever did with our babies! I have a 3 year old and a 5 month old. My 3 year old nursed until she was 1 yr and my son is still nursing. Nursing in bad has many, many advantages. First get the book THE FAMILY BED..read it! Contact a LaLecheLeague immediately! Next, listen to your maternal instincts. So many doctors and other well wishing advice givers tell you to ignore the instincts that God gave mothers for a reason. If your son cries, pick him up every chance you can and nurse him, he is telling you something. He is a big boy and is hungry. And if you need to supplement with a bottle a couple of times a day,do it. But, don't give up the nursing yet. If you can get the hang of nighttime nursing you and your son will benefit for many months to come. My son sleeps nestled next to me everynight. When he jostles around the least it arouses me enough to latch him on and we drift back off asleep. With he and my daughter I never had more than 1 or 2 nights of missing sleep! Babies sleep better, too when next to mommy. If my husband and I want time together, we get baby to sleep and go to another room in the house, or the floor. Anywhere the baby is not. Right now our #1 job is parenting. We make time for other things around that! Also, the more you nurse, you may find some relief to IBS. Please look at options that you may have said, "I will never do that." And never think that just because Dr. said it, it is so. You know a lot about mothering just by being a Mom. Babies who are colicy also benefit the most from sleeping next to mom. They also cry less when being carried in slings and carriers. Swings and seats are okay when you are not available, but you are the best comforter to your baby. I am sorry I have rambled on, but I am so passionate about Attachment Parenting. I know that you and your baby will benefit from being closer. Please e-mail me if you want to talk more. Good Luck!


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Coggie, How're you doing??? Has your little one calmed down some? How is your breast feeding going? I've been thinking about you and hoping the best for you. Hope you've gotten some rest.Let us know how you're doing! Tiss


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

Just when I thought I was at my selfish wit's end with sleep deprivation but finally figuring out how to successfully breastfeed till he's satisfied and falling asleep in his basinet, I get mastitis AND, my baby starts feeding real fussy, agitated and afterward, still alert.Plus, when we went to diaper him last night, my husband noticed blood on the wipe, looked further, and noted that it seems to be coming from his reddened anus, probably from wiping so hard so often (he's a good pooper). I went to look and noticed something else. His entire right butt cheek was hard as a rock, almost swollen hard. I called two medical sources, the pediatrician's on-call and the nurses birth center at Swedish Ballard. One apathetically told me to take him to the emergency room, the other, the nurse, said as long as he's not running a fever, gets some sleep and is feeding, albeit agitatedly, it could wait till the morning when I can call for an appointment with the pediatrician direct.We had to put him on the swing to get him to calm down and fade. When I fed him again later, I changed him and noticed that his right butt cheek was back to normal, softened, but the bump seemed to have moved over and was protruding into a part of his butt crack. When I touch it, he doesn't scream or anything, but this kid is impervious to real pain; instead, he freaks out over the little things, like baths or not eating right away, LOL.







Anyway, I'm really worried, to the point where I don't care about my sore breast or the nipples he bites down on when he latches wrong, or even my sleep deprivation. I just want him normal again to where he's feeding contentedly.I was so proud and relieved when I figured out how to breastfeed properly and now this.I still need to learn how to sleep every other hour, every two hours at night, but that'll have to wait till later.Thanks everybody, for your suggestions and support. I wish the doctor's office would be like you all.


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

I forgot to add that he hasn't gained weight since losing a few ounces the week of his birth. Doctor was worried, sent me to a lactation specialist who told me we're breastfeeding fine, just need to be more frequent. She also said she'd never heard of a baby not gaining weight and not losing weight either, but growing in length and pooping/peeing normally.We weigh him this Thursday after putting him on an every other hour during the day schedule and nothing past three hours at night. Pray that he's gained, guys.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

A few things...When I was a month old, I went through a whole round of GI tests because of blood in my stool. Turns out it had to do with iron supplements that either I was getting somehow or that my breastfeeding mom was taking. There can be very non-scary reasons for seemingly scary things.Has he had any immunizations? That could be part of the butt symptoms...a reaction to a shot in the butt.As for nursing in bed... A mother of 5 that I know talked about how she used to do that. She said now they tell you not to, because you could roll over on the baby, but your instincts will keep you from doing so. She did say if you've had cold medicine or alcohol or something else that makes you tired, then it's not safe to have baby in bed. She kept the kids right next to the bed at night, on the same level. I think she could roll over and offer a breast without either getting out of bed. Either that or she kinda slid the baby over into bed with her. She was able to sleep while breastfeeding.Please keep us updated, and let us know what the dr says!


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

First of all, I tried several times but this little guy doesn't like sleeping with us, me or Eddie. Nine times out of 10, he'll fall asleep in the swing, or on a car ride. If the feeding's going good, in the bassinet.The iron or immunization deals aren't an issue. The blood was on the wipe of his anus, it was coming from his anus, not in the stool. His stools are healthy mustard, and he's had no recent immunizations, as he's only 3 weeks old...just pku tests and hep B vaccines, none of them on his butt.I would get these growths in my genitalia region, so I'm thinking that's what his butt hardening thingie is. But I still don't understand why he's fussing when he's feeding, not when he and I finally figured out the feeding process (as long as he latches on right), he has never fussed this much before, not to the point of looking like he's almost in pain, or disgusted. I think that's what bothers me the most.I just fed him at 10 a.m., and wasn't even sure he swallowed, much less took in enough. But I pumped the rest (because I have mastitis, God it hurts) and there wasn't much left, so he must have taken enough. Plus, he's finally asleep in the bassinet.I'll let you all know what's up after my 3 p.m. appointment today.


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

What a day. I never did get to shower.Went to the doctor's. Had to fill out another registration form for myself, one I'd already filled out under a previous health plan, and one Eddie filled out under our current, but I did it anyway, crying all of a sudden as I felt frustrated by this bureaucracy and stalling BS when all I wanted was to pick up my anti-biotics, fix my baby's butt and be on our way back home before it got too late for his next feeding hour.Instead, I ended up having to drive all the way to Sandpoint in Seattle, to Children's Hospital Emergency Services, wait from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with sick, crying, projectile vomiting pink children and frustrated parents and try to calm a fussy baby the entire time. Alone.I left a message with my husband, he arrived just before the surgeons were about to drain the baby's abscess. That's what the pediatrician told me it was, and being the hands-off alarmist that he is, he sent me to Children's Hospital, saying that he'd never seen anything like that on a baby, but on adults sure.The abscess on baby's butt had begun to drain on its own already when the surgeons were about to clean him up, which was good. They continued the process with a needle and warned me that the drainage could turn into a fistula or that the abscess could return. Something about pockets in the anal region that sometimes stores stools and gets infected.Now we must give the baby sitz baths (we're all familiar with those, aren't we?) in the morning and at night, and in between, trying to do this at every bowel movement (but the kid craps like his mom, 24/7), shoot warm water on the area and keep it dry. As well as give him antibiotics.A follow-up, with another doctor, is at the same place, but the clinic services version, on Thursday, as soon as I make the appointment tomorrow, sigh.







Got my antibiotics too. Baby and I both have to take ours four times a day.Now, I'm trying to figure out how the hell I'm gonna diaper him, keep him in a warm sitz bath for 15 minutes, shoot water on him in the middle of the night (the only time I get two hours straight of sleep) without him completely pissed and awake and screaming and dry him somehow in the dark without waking my husband too much, do all this every time he has a BM which is almost every feeding and after every feeding which is every other hour during the day...AND, get plenty of rest because I have mastitis but I still have to breastfeed continuously.This Catch-22 kills me.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Oh Coggie... (hug)... does your husband know just how bad you have it right now? Did you tell your dr. what you've been telling us??Don't worry about trying not to wake hubby... it's his kid too, and he can take a turn with a sitz bath!Are you feeding this kid on a set schedule? Perhaps the reason he's not feeding well is because he just ate last hour and he's not hungry yet? I bet he wouldn't fall asleep while feeding if he was really hungry. Disclaimer: I have never had a baby, and have no idea how often they are supposed to eat.I really hope you figure something out soon, so you can get some sleep! What about having someone else attend to the baby for at least a few hours during hte day, so you can get some sleep for more than an hour at a time!


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Coggie, Just wanted to know how you and your baby are doing. Sounds like you've had it ROUGH. Hope you both are better now. Tiss


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## Coggie (Dec 28, 2000)

I've yet to figure out a specific routine for a lot of the baby care, but I'm getting closer. At least, that's my hope mixed in with a vague sense of improvement.All I know is that I feel a little pride knowing I can provide food for the baby at will. I don't know how or why, but it's there and I'm trying my best to figure out the best ways to breastfeed and supplement if need be. For the both of us.The hardest part of this is feeding at night, when I'm fighting sleep the hardest. I'm trying like hell to sleep when the baby sleeps and it's only when I'm really dead tired that I can almost succeed. Like, this afternoon.We came home from a long car ride to Sandpoint's Children's Hospital and back, for a follow-up to the draining of his little butt abscess (they drained the pus, some more), and I fed him from one breast for, can't even remember but it was vigorous for the first few minutes. Then, we both passed out eventually on the pull-out couch in the living room. Somehow, by miraculous divine grace, my baby allowed me to sleep with him, side by side, cradled by an arm and a pillow buttress, and later, in the dark, after a few quiet tries, he latched on for the first time lying down on his side, pillow propping him up sideways facing me, tummy to tummy, suckling away at my left nipple for an hour until he faded for a bit, then woke up wanting a little more upright. So I took him upstairs, after having been satiated with almost three hours straight, and continued only a few more minutes until it was dinner time.He was out for another three hours and then I fed him again. He's gone from 10-15 minutes each breast per feeding to 1 hour plus on one breast.The doctor I saw today theorized that the abscess could've been caused by us wiping away his poop at every diaper change too hard, which, I agree with. He suggested only a soft washcloth rinsed in warm water with a little soap to gently remove the stubborn stuck-on poop stains (my main reason for rubbing so hard), or better yet, run the faucet over his bottom. The best advice in this category was when he assured me that if I miss a few strays of poop it's not the end of the world; better that I avoid over-wiping too vigorously. 'Cause he also has diaper rash.It'll be an extra hassle until I can lock in on a routine we can both live with (now I have to move the baby over to the sink instead of the diaper changing area), but maybe if I do it in between or before a feeding so I don't spend an hour trying to calm him down to sleep.If I could just stay awake or feel more awake at night, the nighttime feedings wouldn't be such a frustrating crying jag nightmare.







I'm also considering dumping my current "family practitioner" who acts as the baby's pediatrician. He's too much of a hands-off, impersonal, impatient, spooky vibe-ish alarmist for my liking. I initially picked him off a list because, well, they didn't put me on hold when I called for a preliminary interview appt., and he was close to where we lived.Now, I'm thinking location isn't as important as my trust in and comfort level with the physician in question. Especially for our baby.So I'll be asking my ob-gyn for a referral, maybe get the pediatrician who examined James for the four days I was in the hospital recovering from a C-section. It's only a half hour away. Besides which, I'm always being sent to hospitals further away by the current dr. so what's the diff. If it's a real emergency, I'll head to the nearest hospital. But otherwise, my peace of mind is more important.The baby's butt prognosis is good. If his abscess disappears in two weeks, great. If not, in a month we have to schedule a fistulectomy. Just like I had, but the dr. reassured me that his was superficial and he heals faster since he's a baby.It figures I'd have a kid with butt problems who poops up a storm. One of the major reasons I chose to breastfeed was to avoid him growing up the way I did, all sickly to my stomach with my butt on fire most of my life...since breastfeeding is supposed to strengthen the gut to withstand diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal problems better.My IBS? Hasn't gone away of course. But in the bigger baby scheme of things, my mind is otherwise occupied. Maybe that's a good thing.But I won't count a future blow-out out of the picture. It's nearly happened twice before after hospital visits when I made the mistake of taking a few bites of food because I was starving, while on the drive home. Too much of a hassle. It's either get IBS or fulfill hunger while in transit since it's almost impossible to eat with the baby needing attention.Um, avoid the former thanks.


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## Patty (Mar 18, 1999)

I must say that I really enjoyed your photos! Congrats on the birth of your son. Being a new mom is scary sometimes, but things will get better. I always allowed Dad to have his turn with the babies as well, although I didn't breast feed and we were both working parents.


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## MaritimeGirl (Feb 11, 2001)

Hi Coggie! I've got a five month old and I have to say we suffered with the endless crying jags and the feeding, trying to keep her awake, trying to get her to burp. She would eat for 15-10 min. fall asleep, etc. We would spend an hour trying to get her to burp. The first week was hell. She literally cried 20 hours per day. I initially had her on formula then switched to breastfeeding and then to a special formula called ALIMENTUM - she was like a different child. Two weeks ago I started to mix the Alimentum with a milk formula because Alimentum is expensive. She's been on milk formula for three days and she's back to crying jags, not sleeping well, very gassy, and her first sore bum, etc. I am having my 5 year old tested for milk allergy and think I will ask to have the baby tested as well. I just put a post in the IBS general discussion group re: IBS and could my kids have it. I think they do. Anyway, Alimentum worked well for our baby and I'll probably put her back on it. By the way, you're not alone, more than once, I've fed both my babies while I was on the toilet.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Thanks for the update! I was wondering how you two were doing.







I hope that the breastfeeding helps your little one. I plan on doing it when I have children. But breastfeeding doesn't mean your kid won't have IBS, unfortunately. So if supplementing with some formula would be beneficial to both of you, I wouldn't be afraid to try it.I was exclusively breastfed, and I have IBS. Mom saw blood in my stool when I was a month old, and I ended up having upper and lower GI, etc. After this breast-fed baby got a bottle full of barium, I REFUSED to drink out of anything but the real thing from then on. My poor mama couldn't ever pump breast milk and leave it for me to eat.


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## trots (Oct 26, 2001)

Coggie, I found you! I wondered how you've been doing. The photo album is great! Your son is precious! What a little cutie! Big little guy hugh? Take care of youself and get some rest if you can. If the baby sleeps, you try too.


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## Melissa V (Feb 7, 2001)

Coggie I too have been there...You sound as if you are beginning to feel a little more positive about things. My son was hell to feed at first too. I had cracked and bleeding nipples that leaked constantly and he wanted to nurse every 20 minutes!!I often slept in the rocker or my bed with a pillow propping him up and him latched on... I remember my husband tellign me very clearly that nobody said it was the best thing for the mother!!







He never seemed entirely satisfied but had doubled his weight by about 2 months!! (he was 8# 5 oz and 20 in at birth) I too had a terrible experience with the first doc I had chosen...but like you I had shosen her because she was close...bad move, she was soo cold toward him and me..I found a ped. that was wonderful...supported my breastfeeding...but then when it did not work out with my daughter the 2nd time around she supported my NOT breastfeeding..I too spent many nursing sessions on the throne hehe...and the kids crying sent me into panic attacks..always made me feel I was doing something wrong..was failing if they cried!! I have relaxed quite a bit since then hehe







This too shall pass as they say..they are now 4 and 6 and the ages just bring a whole new set of challenges! Tolerate his crying stints as best you can and dont feel bad about the "bad" thoughts..they are scarey but totally understandable....especially when you are sooo sleep deprivedKeep us posted!!Melissa


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## celticlady (Aug 6, 2001)

Dear Coggie-I hope things are going better...However,you need sleep!







Is there any way you can pump enough for 1 night and have your husband take care of the baby for a night or 2?(perhaps on his day off from work)He needs to pitch in,too....you sound frazzled!If you could even get 1-2 nights of several hours of sleep at a time,things will look brighter.....I know the baby wont be as happy without you for 1 night,but you need to take care of yourself!Or if a friend or relative could come for 1 night and care for baby?So you can go whereever it is quietest and use EARPLUGS and get some sleep??Just a few ideas.....I agree with the thought"this too shall pass"but you need some sleep







take care.


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