An update on my fussy eater

I really loved all the advice we received and I do believe she'll grow out of a lot of it and I also think a lot of it is Kendra-ness :)

But I started keeping track of the teats (nipples) we were using for Kendra's bottles to see if I could pick up trends. We only noticed that she likes a really hard teat (like Nuk). Other than that, not much difference.

Her paed switched her to a lactose-free formula about 3 weeks ago. There was no change after the tin was done (about 4 days) so we switched back. The paed mentioned one other formula we could try but I couldn't find it anywhere.

Then Mandy commented and mentioned silent reflux. I didn't think it was this but I googled it anyway. Some South African moms were talking about this on a message board and someone mentioned the exact same formula the paed mentioned (Novalac). I filed that away mentally.

On Thursday, just after the day nanny left and we were in suicide hour, I was feeding Kendra who was screaming and looking very upset. Suddenly I thought, what's the harm in trying this new formula? So I sent D an SMS and told him to try a pharmacy (I'd previously tried 3 baby shops) and lo and behold, he found it!

Well, he arrived with it, I dumped K with him and mixed her up a bottle immediately. She had 100ml (this is a miracle - at best only 60 ml before). She ate really well that night and has been eating better, on the whole since then. D says she's still Kendra and still has issues :) so everything is not miraculously solved but we can definitely see an improvement.

So we've abandoned the old formula totally and I went to buy 3 more cans of this more expensive formula yesterday.

She still fusses while eating but it's not as bad as before - now she'll have about 25ml (not 5 sucks) before fussing, we burp, cuddle, change nappy if necessary, then continue... She's taking about 60 ml consistently at a time, especially if we wait 3 hours between feeds

She's also sleeping better - of course, that could be her age (12 weeks) since she started displaying signs of better sleep last weekend...

Our current Kendra goal is still to have her finish her entire 75ml feed every 3 hours (600 ml a day). I keep threatening to send her back to NICU so the nurses can set her straight again :)

Strange - the last couple of days Connor hasn't been eating as well as he normally does. It's not so bad that I need to be concerned though because usually he eats far more than he needs (I wonder where he gets that...)

I feel like I'm conducting experiments with these kids - every couple of days I change the rules and announce to the nanny, "okay, from today, we're doing things like this and not like this".

This mothering thing is teaching me flexibility and adaptability, big time! And of course, plenty of patience!


What is this journey to motherhood, or motherhood itself, teaching you?

P.S. Don't forget about the giveaway :)

Look at all this hair & other randomness

So Trina finally had her baby - the last one of all of us who were due around the same time.

And WOW, what a beauty. She has TONS OF HAIR - I am so jealous since I was completely bald until I was two years old :)


Some other random stuff

• Thanks for all the advice on the fussy eaters post. Kendra was switched to lactose-free formula at their last paed appt on 11 Sept. I bought the small tin and she finished that in 4 days without any improvement. In fact, looking over my notes (yes, I'm keeping The Notebook again!), she actually got a bit fussier with her eating. I phoned the paed who said she can go back on normal Nan 1 again as I should have seen an improvement within a couple of feeds if she was allergic. So, back to square 1. I am going to google silent reflux and phone up again if it sounds like K.
  
• I just did the budget this morning and paid the nanny and night nanny. My word - it's depressing seeing all your hard-earned cash go in one fell sweep. One minute thousands in bank account, 10 minutes later nothing :(
• Have to focus on fact that I'm sleeping 8 - 9 nights every month!
• Am seriously in awe of people (especially people in South Africa where help is reasonably priced) who do without nannies. My one friend with 11-month-old boy/girl TWINS sent me a text to say they did it all themselves. I was like "you are a ROCK STAR!" Cannot believe it!
• D & I are both not well - scratchy throat, etc. I have been chugging down the orange juice and vitamin C and am better today, but still not 100%, so I skipped gym. He went to the doc and is now in bed, booked off for two days - poor thing.
• Speaking of skipping gym, I stopped for 10 days and my old knees were much, much better. So have decided to take it easier and only go twice a week. Clearly too much exercise is not good for a 35-year-old mother of twins!
  
• In response to this post on infertility support, we've decided to start a fertility babies group - I am the co-ordinator and all things are motoring along nicely.
• Am very sad about the three negative results that I know of in the blogosphere. It just breaks my heart - seriously.

And let me end off with a funny!

This morning I was holding Kendra during suicide hour. She started fussing despite seeming like she was done eating. D says, "she looks hungry", so sure enough I put the bottle in her mouth and she starts sucking away. So I said, "how do you know when she's hungry?" and he tells me (she does something with her head and has a different cry - I was seriously impressed!). So then I ask, "and how do you know when Connor's hungry?" D says, "HE'S BREATHING"

Hahahah

Poor boy! Naughty Dad!

Fussy eaters - need some advice

On the last post, Leah had a question for me in the comments:

BB is only taking about 2 ounces (if we are lucky) at a time...which happens to be every 2-2 1/2 hours. And it takes her 30 minutes to feed...even though she is shrieking for a bottle! I'm hoping she increases her intake soon cuz I'm one tired mama!

My question for you...how can I get BB to eat more per session?!


here's my email to her - now there are two of us who would LOVE your advice.

Leah, I would LOVE to know the answer to that question too because Kendra is the same.

2 oz is about 60 ml and K takes 50 – 60 ml max so she also wakes up quicker, etc, etc. Has about 5 sips, stops, screams, I burp her, next few sips, more screaming so I burp again, then hug her for a bit, etc, etc. Very exhausting.

Especially when I compare to her brother who polishes off 125ml (4 oz) in 10 – 15 minutes flat. I know we're not supposed to compare children!

I do know that if she sleeps longer (we are deathly quiet in the house, put Connor far away from her, no going in the room) she wakes up hungrier and on occasion will even take her full bottle. But those times are few and far in-between. So that works and also lots of patience, which I don’t have, so my hubby sits with her if he's home.

Our current goal is to get her to finish her 75ml bottle every time, every 3 hours.


Dear internets

Please share your advice with Leah and me - how do we get our babies to eat (and sleep) better?