Infant Baby Fever

It's the season for colds, flu, and every thing in between. I was on a disinfection mission last week as my husband sneezed his sickness into the air. I warned him about not taking the flu shot, but as a man he boasted that he has never had the flu. Well something had him in bed from Wednesday to Sunday and it definitely wasn't the common cold. As for me I'm doing great. However my little girl just developed a slight fever of 99.3 (Fahrenheit) today. I was a little panicked because they informed me that if she developed a fever before 2 months she would automatically be placed in the hospital for 48 hours of observation. I did a little internet search while waiting for the pediatrician to come back from her lunch break and I'm feeling a little less anxiety. Her pediatrician is taking a lunch break at the moment so I have to wait for a while. I checked out a few internet resources and I'm feeling better now.

The following information is from http://www.babycenter.com/0_fever_84.bc

"A temperature reading isn't the only indication of whether a fever is serious. Your baby's age is a factor (fever is more serious in babies under 3 months), as is his behavior (a high fever that doesn't stop him from playing and feeding normally may not be cause for alarm).
Keep in mind that everyone's temperature rises in the late afternoon and early evening and falls between midnight and early morning. The natural cycle of our internal thermostat explains why doctors get most of their phone calls about fever in the late afternoon and early evening.
Ask your baby's doctor when she'd like you to call if your baby has a fever. Common guidelines are:

• If your baby is less than 3 months old and has a temperature of 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) or higher, call the doctor immediately. A baby this young needs to be checked for serious infection or disease.

•For a baby between 3 and 6 months old, call if his temperature reaches 101 degrees F (38.3 degrees C) or higher.

• If your baby is 6 months or older, call if his fever reaches 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C) or higher."

Before I finished this article my daughter's fever was gone. LOL.

Understanding the Crying It Out Method

For some people, the Cry It Out method, means ignoring your babies needs and subjecting a child to unnecessary stress. However such beliefs are due to misinformation and lack of understanding. As all parents know, babies cry because that is their only form of communication. They cannot tell you if they are hungry, wet, hurting, or overstimulated. It is up to each mom and dad to address any sign of a child's distress. However once bedtime arises, each parent must determine if they have attended to all basic and emotional needs. If the answer to that question is yes then decide if the child simply wants to be held. This is where many people disagree. With an appropriate cry it out process, cries are not ignored. The parent checks on the child to make sure there is not a problem, but the child is NOT picked up. You may rub the baby's head or stomach. You can let the child hold your hand. You can even just stand there and look at the baby. However the key is not picking up the child when their needs have already been met. Eventually the baby will cry himself to sleep. After 3 nights, the crying usually subsides and the child learns to go to sleep on their on at the appropriate time. Whether you agree or disagree with this method, it is a personal choice that each parent must make to keep their peace of mind.

Start Saving for College at Birth

Do you have a college savings for your child? I don't mean your personal savings or 401K that you can dip into whenever there is an emergency. I'm talking about a 529 plan or a Coverdell ESA. Before my daughter was born this was on my mind quite often. As soon as I got her social security card, I filled out the paperwork and put it on automatic draft. I've noticed that I rarely miss those draft payments since I never see the money in my hand. Since it was so easy for me to set up, I mentioned the savings plans to several friends and family members. Oddly people do not seem very interested in doing this. I guess they feel the money will magically appear when their child turns 18. I'm sure that scholarships will still be around and the loan sharks will still be in business. However not every child takes tests well and starting life with a big debt over your head is no fun. Regardless of what anyone else is doing, my precious Patty is going to have a headstart in life even if she doesn't have a clue about the process.

RSV Respiratory Syncytial Virus

It's that time of year when our little ones are susceptible to all types of germs that cause cause illness. One of the worst conditions for newborns is Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). It's highly contagious and can live of the surface of common household items. Below is a small excerpt about this common but potentially fatal disease.

	Respiratory Syncytial Virus "Clinical features: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants and children under 1 year of age. Illness begins most frequently with fever, runny nose, cough, and sometimes wheezing. During their first RSV infection, between 25% and 40% of infants and young children have signs or symptoms of bronchiolitis or pneumonia, and 0.5% to 2% require hospitalization. Most children recover from illness in 8 to 15 days. The majority of children hospitalized for RSV infection are under 6 months of age. RSV also causes repeated infections throughout life, usually associated with moderate-to-severe cold-like symptoms; however, severe lower respiratory tract disease may occur at any age, especially among the elderly or among those with compromised cardiac, pulmonary, or immune systems... Prevention: Development of an RSV vaccine is a high research priority, but none is yet available. Current prevention options include good infection-control practices, RSV-IGIV, and an anti-RSV humanized murine monoclonal antibody. RSV-IGIV or the anti-RSV humanized murine monoclonal antibody can be given during the RSV outbreak season to prevent serious complications of infection in some infants and children at high risk for serious RSV disease (e.g., those with chronic lung disease and prematurely born infants with or without chronic lung disease). Frequent handwashing and not sharing items such as cups, glasses, and utensils with persons who have RSV illness should decrease the spread of virus to others. Excluding children with colds or other respiratory illnesses (without fever) who are well enough to attend child care or school settings will probably not decrease the transmission of RSV, since it is often spread in the early stages of illness. In a hospital setting, RSV transmission can and should be prevented by strict attention to contact precautions, such as handwashing and wearing gowns and gloves..." Please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/rsvfeat.htm to read the entire article and obtain more information.

Snuggle up Baby

Patty has been a little fussy today. I took the advice of nice woman who told me to try using a snuggly or sling with her when she acts this way. It has worked wonders. I haven't heard a peep out of her the entire time and I've been all around the house. I guess she just feels better being close to mommy.

Baby Sleeping Schedule

My darling baby girl finally has a sleeping schedule during the day time. She wakes up with my husband before he goes to work. I change her diaper, feed her and she falls asleep again until 9:00 AM. She wakes up, I change her diaper, feed her and she sleeps until 11:30 AM. She wakes up I wash and dress her, then she goes to sleep until 2:30 PM. She wakes up, I change her, feed her and she sleeps until 5:00 PM. That is where the routine ends. When my husband gets home, he has the tv going, all the lights on, video games flashing and every thing else. He has the nerve to say, "she needs to be on a schedule." SHEESH!!

Fussy Baby Recipe

Patty loves this recipe. Not only does it eliminate gas, but it gets rid of watery stools without making her constipated. It also helps her sleep for approximately 3 hours. The recipe below is for moms still building their milk supply. If you can pump 4 ounces of breast milk then eliminate the formula and water. Enjoy.

Hot Patty Toddy
2 ounces of breast milk
1 scoop of formula
2 tablespoons of rice cereal
Fill 4 ounce bottle with warm water
Shake, remove all air bubbles, and serve

(To prevent gassiness and colic, I only use bottle drop in bags instead of the bottle alone)

Breast Pump & Breast Milk Problems

After much anticipation, I finally received my Medela New Pump In Style Original Breast Pump. Initially I could have cried because I was not able to get a single drop of milk. Fortunately my husband discovered that I did not have the tubing pushed all the way against the motor port. The first time I was able to get 2 ounces of milk. After calling the lactation specialist to find out why I wasn't pumping a full bottle, she informed me that this was normal and a very good amount. Well my little girl is 24 days old and already taking a hearty 4 ounces. As a result, I mix formula and rice cereal with her 2 ounces during each feeding. She is quite satisfied. Before doing this, I was feeding from the breast on demand and she would literally feed all day long. Luckily I work from home, but I was never told a small but a very important detail. Breast milk is easily digested, so a baby may feed up to 18 times a day whereas a formula fed baby eats every 2 to 3 hours (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breastfeeding). Initially I didn't know what was going on but after the first couple of days I started giving her cereal with her milk any way.

My Baby Eats (Drinks) Rice Cereal

Love me or hate but YES my newborn baby is already getting rice cereal once a day with her breast milk. She rests better and her "bowel movements" are not a watery mess. Thus far she is a very content and happy baby when her belly feels satiated. I'm from the old school of common sense that says if it isn't broke don't fix it. My mother and sisters all gave their children baby cereal in their bottles very early on. Even my pediatrician suggested this to settle my daughter's stomach. Contrary to popular belief (not hard science), none of my sisters and brothers became obese or developed food allergies from this practice. In addition, only 2 children out of my 12 nieces and nephews are overweight. Both cases are due to genetics and them sneaking food late at night. To collaborate what my family has known all along, a new report has been issued from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Source:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22527940/
"Earlier advice about restricting certain foods from moms’ and babies’ diets has been tossed out and the only surefire advice remaining is to breast-feed.

The report says:

• There is no convincing evidence that women who avoid peanuts or other foods during pregnancy or breast-feeding lower their child’s risk of allergies.
• For infants with a family history of allergies, exclusive breast-feeding for at least four months can lessen the risk of rashes and allergy to cow’s milk.
• Exclusive breast-feeding for at least three months protects against wheezing in babies, but whether it prevents asthma in older children is unclear.
• There is modest evidence for feeding hypoallergenic formulas to susceptible babies if they are not solely breast-fed.
• There is no good evidence that soy-based formulas prevent allergies.
• There is no convincing evidence that delaying the introduction of foods such as eggs, fish or peanut butter to children prevents allergies. Babies should not get solid food before 4 to 6 months of age, however.

The evidence for the earlier recommendations was weak and hasn’t been strengthened by new research."

FMLA over

After 3 weeks of being by my side, my wonderful husband went back to work today. I thought it would be very difficult because of all the support he provided, but Patty and I did very well. The housekeeper came and cleaned every thing from top to bottom and I've been able to do some online work. My daughter is definitely not a fussy baby. Even when she is awake, she seems very content. I'm supposed to wake her around 5PM, feed her, change her and put her down to sleep so I can have some quiet time with Dad. We will see if it works. I hope so.

Must Have Book for New moms

I absolutely love "Nursing: The First Two Months." I received it free during my hospital stay and have found a wealth of information. This book has helped me tremendously through my first few weeks at home with Patty. It's not just about nursing, but also gives information on uterine bleeding after childbirth, differences in what to expect from a vaginal vs. cesarean delivery and has great advice on dealing with fatigue. Most of the issues that I have dealt with thus far were succinctly addressed. The pamphlet is provided by Mead Johnson (makers of Enfamil) so it was included in my Enfamil diaper bag at the hospital. If you don't see it in your delivery room, just ask for it. I'm sure that one of the nurses will be able to get you one for no cost. If you want to order one, the book is extremely inexpensive compared to the information that is offered.

Pediatrician Appointment

Patty went to the pediatrician yesterday. During her examination the doctor gave me some good information. Since her crusty eye may be due to a clogged tear duct instead of conjunctivitis, she instructed me to use my pinky finger and gently press the corner of her eye that is closest to her nose a few times a day. The watery stools that I thought was diarrhea are normal for breastfed babies. However I'm going to continue to add a little bit of baby cereal to her milk because watery poop is too messy. Also she seems satiated and rests longer when she has more sustenance with her milk. There is one more issue that will have to be addressed with her feet, but I will get to that later. Overall she is a very healthy little girl.

Losing Pregnancy Weight

Today I weighed myself. To my surprise, not only have I lost all of my pregnancy weight, but an extra 5 pounds as well. I gained somewhere between 11 to 15 pounds during my pregnancy so there wasn't much to lose. Since I haven't been able to do much moving around due to the cesarean surgery, I know that breastfeeding has been the source of this silver lining. Ladies if you are able to breastfeed even a little, DO IT. It's beneficial to the baby and as you can see it's beneficial to mommy as well.

My Top 5 Reasons for Breastfeeding
5. Milk is ready and warm immediately
4. Minimizes uterine bleeding and may delay onset of period
3. Helps Mommy lose pregnancy weight
2. It's the most nutritious food for human infants
1. It's FREE

Treating Infant Diarrhea

Mommy and Baby Patty are sick today. We both have a case of diarrhea. Since Patty is only 2 weeks old, the pediatrician has directed me to mix my breast milk with rice cereal so that she does not become dehydrated. I finally realized that I wasn't going to be able to manually pump a bottle of milk, so I sent my husband to buy a dual breast pump. Not only will it allow me to give her the baby cereal right now, but it will allow my husband to feed her when I am tired. Here is the big question. Does any one have an extra $200 to spare? UGH