Emmi’s Song*

My precious Emmi has been sick. Even from birth, she has had feeding difficulties. When she was a newborn she was very sleepy, to the point where we would literally have to wake her every three hours for her feedings. She would take maybe an ounce, then go back to sleep; this is not enough formula to sustain life, which means we would bounce her, thump her foot, strip her down……. whatever we could do to keep her awake long enough to take two ounces. I spent the first several days with Summer and Tay, sleeping on the couch and taking the night shift duties so the two of them could sleep.

Gradually, over the course of several weeks she became more alert but feeding has always been an issue. She was difficult to feed, squirming and crying, and arching her back as if she was in pain. Eating has never been a pleasant experience to her.

Then when she was a few weeks old, the vomiting started. Not normal baby "spit-up" but vomiting up entire feedings with enough force to project several feet away. She would take her feeding, and an hour later throw it back up again, accompanied by screaming and crying.

Summer tried different formulas, but all with the same results. Her pediatrician told her it wasn’t the formula, it was the baby. He suggested adding cereal to thicken the formula, and keeping her upright for an hour after feeding. This helped a little, but the vomiting and the screaming continued. When she wasn’t vomiting or screaming, she was a delightful and content little nugget. We were all so perplexed.

I knew this wasn’t normal baby behavior, so I urged Summer to make an extra appointment with him, and I went with her. After a thorough round of questions and a complete exam, he suspected it might be a condition called pyloric stenosis. They sent us right over for an ultrasound of her abdomen, to rule this out.

Getting undressed for the doctor exam

Emmi and her mom

Waiting for the doctor

Thankfully, the ultrasound was normal so she was diagnosed with reflux, and prescribed Zantac twice a day.  This has helped a lot; she is not throwing up as much, and doesn’t seem to be in so much pain. Still, she has been having screaming/crying episodes almost every day around 4pm; she doesn’t seem to be hungry or wet or sick during these times, just inconsolable.

I suspected some colic and while researching this, I ran across a dietary supplement called Colief. Was finally able to track it down at Walgreen’s, and it has been wonderful! Just four little drops in each bottle, and no screaming. Summer calls it ‘magic in a bottle’ and says it is worth a hundred times more than the $13.99 it cost. Seems as if little Emmi might be lactose intolerant…..

My hippie baby in tie-dye and jeans

She is better these days; feeding time is no longer the struggle that it once was, and the episodes of crying and screaming are rare.  She is thriving and growing, and changing every day; I love her more than I can express in words. Summer and Taylor are wonderful parents, working together tirelessly to make sure she is well taken care of.

Summer will be returning to work next week, and we are in the process of mapping out a schedule for when I will be keeping her. For now, she will be staying with me next Wednesday, Wednesday night, and part of Thursday. That’s just for fun, and to give Tay a short break. She has her own room here at her Nini’s house, complete with crib and baby supplies and clothes, and pictures of angels on the walls.

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Tiny dancer

We are so blessed, and I so look forward to the days to come, watching her change and grow and take in the world around her. I would so appreciate your prayers for her healing; that God would mature her little digestive system and deliver her completely from these feeding issues and pain.

These are golden and amazing times, and my heart sometimes cannot contain it all.