So I thought I was adjusting well to three kids and then this week happened. On Monday, I began homeschooling Philip again attempting to get our daily schedule back on track as it had been before having Juliet. Also on Monday, I realized why Juliet has been such a fussy eater and why I'm feeling out of sorts... we're both battling thrush! Her little tongue is white and throat probably hurts. I had been experiencing some pain while nursing. It made for a bad combination and an emotional struggle to feed my newborn. Additionally, Juliet is still the sleepiest baby I've had yet. She is three weeks old today and still, day and night, I have to wake her up to eat every 3-4 hours. The daytime is not too bad as she rouses pretty well after I change her diaper and talk to her for a few minutes. However the nights were wearing me down very quickly. To maintain my milk supply, my body needs to feed Juliet every 3-4 hours (preferably every 2-3 but she is just too sleepy). That said, I've been setting the alarm clock for 3AM to wake up to then wake her up. Monday and Tuesday night were just horrible. After dragging myself out of bed, I would change her diaper. She ends up wetting on her pajamas while I'm trying to change her and that gets her screaming. I get her redressed and then try to nurse her. I guess her mouth hurts extra badly at night because as she's still crying, she arches away from my body and I struggle to get her to latch on. Once she would latch on, she falls back asleep. I would get frustrated and almost resentful of having to care for my precious new baby. After enduring that on Monday and Tuesday night, I decided on Wednesday night to pump and then give Juliet the bottle. I had the alarm set for 3AM but she began grunting at 2:30AM. I pumped and was so happy to see Juliet happily drink 3 ounces of milk from a bottle without fussing. It made for a much more pleasant late night feeding.
My mini-pharmacy in our bathroom...
I pray the thrush will be gone within another week with the regimen I'm currently using so I won't have to use the purple-colored dying liquid Gentian Violet which I used with
Braewyn. After each feeding, I swab Juliet's mouth with liquid Nystatin. At each diaper change, I dab her bottom with vinegar water, let air dry and then apply Lotrimin cream. For myself, after each feeding, I rinse my nipples with water, pat dry, dab with vinegar water, let air dry and then apply Lotrimin cream. I'm eating plain yogurt but avoiding all other dairy and sweets. Also four times a day, I take an Echinacea pill and a Garlic pill. The first day, it seemed like a lot of hassle. It still is adding more to my days but I'm used to it and feeling better. Now I just need to make myself get more rest so my emotional state can get back to normal along with my physical state.
I bought this little blanket in Charleston in December when we didn't know Juliet's gender. Reading the words on it, "God's Little Lamb" has brought me peace when I've felt frustrated with caring for her. He has made her just the way she should be for whatever plans He has for her in life. I look forward to getting to know Juliet like I know Philip and Braewyn.
Here's proof that Juliet is occasionally awake.
Our newest student and her big sister...
I pray the thrush will be gone within another week with the regimen I'm currently using so I won't have to use the purple-colored dying liquid Gentian Violet which I used with Braewyn. After each feeding, I swab Juliet's mouth with liquid Nystatin. At each diaper change, I dab her bottom with vinegar water, let air dry and then apply Lotrimin cream. For myself, after each feeding, I rinse my nipples with water, pat dry, dab with vinegar water, let air dry and then apply Lotrimin cream. I'm eating plain yogurt but avoiding all other dairy and sweets. Also four times a day, I take an Echinacea pill and a Garlic pill. The first day, it seemed like a lot of hassle. It still is adding more to my days but I'm used to it and feeling better. Now I just need to make myself get more rest so my emotional state can get back to normal along with my physical state. 
1 comment:
oh hon, I am SO sorry! You know I dealt with thrush, too, for both my kids. Lotrimin actually helped the best, so you are doing everything I'd tell you to do!
Since she is already 3 weeks, I hesitated with scheduling newborn pics, but since she does sleep so well during the day, do you want me to come over next week and try some?
Post a Comment