Colic, and Cookies and Gas- OH MY!!

If you are like me, you cringe at the word 'colic' and if you don't cringe you have clearly never experienced it and I consider you a lucky duck!  This post will serve as a support group for all of you who have survived or are trying to survive a crying baby.  When those little guys come out, the world as they knew it is dramatically different, who wouldn't cry.  But cry and cry and cry, is that really necessary?? My little man was a crier for about 4 weeks, read that again, 4 weeks.  Now I know some of you had a crier for 3 months or even 6 and for that you deserve a metal of honor given to you by the President of the United States himself!  4 weeks was long enough for this mommy! Colic is a mysterious condition where a healthy baby will often cry for hours on end, never to be consoled, without any reason.  My little one kicked, grunted and tooted as he cried so I was sure he had tummy issues.  The doctor said that dreaded word 'colic' to me when I took him in.  She suggested I do acrobats while holding him in order to console him.  Um, excuse me, I am way too tired to perform acrobats!!

This book was a blessing

It helped me realize that "Unlike adults, babies cry out of need not emotion." So when your baby is crying, its is not because they dislike you as their mom or are sad because you put them down...NO...they NEED something - food, sleep, quiet time, new scenery, diaper, a poop.  Remember this, a crying baby does not mean you stink as a mom!!!!!!!!!  I wish I would have read this book in the beginning weeks of my mommyhood or even the fews leading up to delivery. I highly recommend it.

I also took advice from.....

The SHHHHHing sounds, swaddling concepts and sucking concepts were such help to me!!

When these things didn't work I turned to these for comfort

Only to find out that chocolate gives babies gas.........causing them to cry..........DARN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So then I decided I was gonna keep the cookies in my life (a girl has got to be happy) and just give Jackson A LOT of this.....

I am here to encourage you that this time of tears for both you and your baby will end even though as you read this you may say 'no way'.  There were days when I was SURE both me and my baby would cry forever!!  So eat your cookies, buy some Mylicon, read those books and show that Colic who is boss!!!

Top 10 Newborn Survival Must-Haves (According to me)

Baby showers are wonderful!! They are full of family and friends who already love your baby.  I loved celebrating Jackson at all of my showers and was so thankful to receive so many great things.  Jackson is one blessed little guy!  People love to buy baby things because everything is just so darn cute! The thing is, cute won't get you through the crazy days.  Cute doesn't make sterilizing 10 bottles 20 binkies and 15 storage containers for milk easier.  Cute is for later on when you actually have a grip on being a mom! In the beginning think practical, practical practical.       

These are like Oprah's Favorite Things only I am not giving them away.....we just had a baby, funds are low people!! Ok, so in no particular order, these are my Top 10 things that I could not have lived without in the beginning months of my sons life.

1. Grandparents - let them help in everyway
2. Medela MicroSteam Bags - who has time to boil water to sterilize
3. Burp Clothes - for spit up, pee, poop, and my tears
4. Summer Infant SwaddleMe blankets with velcro - key word, VELCRO
5. Summer Infant Muslin Blankets - great for summer babes, thin and airy
6. Fisher-Price Papasan Craddle Swing - if they made an adult size I would buy it
7. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow - the boppy is for tummy time not booby time
8. What To Expect - The First Year (book) - for all your self diagnosing, but call the Dr if necessary
9. AVENT Soothie Pacifiers - they are like your babies off switch
10. The aspirator that the hospital gives you - its free and the best for the little noses

New mommies, live long and prosper!! Hope my list helps.  I would love to know what would be on your survival list.....on the baby battlefield more is always helpful, so leave it in the comments!

Birth-day

May 14, 2011 was when I finally met the little man that made me forego my figure forever.....It's July 27th and I am just now able to sit down and write about that day.  Yes, it took me 2 months to get my brain working well enough to write anything of substance.  And the jury may still be out on whether this actually is anything of substance.  New mommy brain is wild; you are so tired that rational, complete thoughts are hard to come by.  Our minds are constantly being interrupted with little cries of need that take us frantically down the baby checklist - Diaper (check), Hunger (check), Cuddle(check), Sleepy (check) and repeat.  My mother-in-law told me early on that once those things were accomplished, that was all I could do and the rest was up to him.

Ok back to May 14th.....He was here and I was his mother, now what?? I wonder if every new mom looks at the nurse with crazy eyes as they tell you where the 'call' button is on your bed then LEAVE you with your new baby.  How could she just leave me sitting there with a fragile newborn? Didn't she know I hadn't done this before?  How was she so sure I would do the right things?  She clearly had lost her mind leaving me with him!! It was the first quiet moment I had had with him since he arrived, 'Lord thank you for giving him to me' I thought.  My son started to cry, he needed me and you know what.....I some how just knew what to do.  Sure I had questions and doubts, but ultimately I KNEW what to do.  The nurse was privy to this information and that is why she left me so willingly.  She knew that we mommies (even brand new ones) are amazing creations and know what to do.  Even if you have never held a baby before I promise you, you will know how to hold yours.  God, no wonder You sat back after creating us and said "It is good".  The days to follow were a blur and full of moments where I second guessed whether I truly knew what to do.  I had a mini battle with colic ahead of me that would leave me shell-shocked but even then, I knew what to do and I did it literally with my eyes closed!! That is another post all together.

I now understand why mothers love to celebrate their children's birthdays.....it was hard work and worth a celebration each and every year!! It is a place in which parents place stones of remembrance like the Israelites did in the book of Joshua after the Lord allowed them to cross the Jordan River without their feet ever getting wet.  I have put a BOULDER of remembrance at the end of the first two months with my son shouting, 'Thus far the Lord has helped us'.  One thing I am sure of is that I will be celebrating my son's birthday in a passionate way each and every year.