The Introduction to the Pacifier (pic)

7:10pm

We are in the middle of listing on eBay, but Roy took off down to his shop, so I have a moment to write. 

I noticed the big problems with breastfeeding was the howling and arching at my breast.  The clawing and scratching of my breast while I tried to feed Robert.  He had gas and pain with stooling is what I could surmise.  I figured it must be my diet, and I would have to change everything radically, or put him on formula.  I mean, he wasn’t eating but for 5 min at a feeding and he usually ate for 15-20.  He was having all this upsetness multiple times a day.  I was struggling with a mild diaper rash in the crack of his tushy.  I got so frustrated one day, I threatened formula.  But then I called the lactation consultants at the place where I delivered, and I got the most wonderful news!  That the symptoms I’m describing sound pretty normal, and that the elimination diet is when there are much worse symptoms.  I just didn’t need to feed him while he was "caterwalling" at my breast.  If he only ate for 5 min. they said that he probably got all he needed in that time.  and I finally relaxed!!

Then the strangest thing happened.  He stopped caterwalling (for the most part) at my breast.  He stopped having severe pain with stooling.  His gas seemed to decrease and so did the number of poops in one day.   It’s as if his little digestive track was just much more sensitive at first, and now maybe has developed a little.  ALSO, he changed one other thing.  He USED to suck in SO MUCH AIR while breastfeeding due to gulping, etc.  I would always try to burp him after hearing him suck down a ton of air, and it would NOT come up!!  I think he now is what I call "regulating" much better his intake of air and milk.  I noticed he actually sputters out air around the nipple now (so out of his mouth and not into his throat!)  If he gets overwhelmed with air, he just spits it out!!  What a smart little boy!!  So maybe he isn’t putting all that air into his digestive system as he was before!! 

WHATEVER the reason for the ease on my baby, I’m glad.  He is MUCH more comfortable and happy now!!  and then…

I was at Shannon’s house the other day and she asked me about the pacifier.  Did Robert take one?  Well, no!  Ever since he was a newborn it seemed he figured out that no milk came out of one, so why bother!!  He’d spit it out hard!!  So we stopped offerring him one.  But it occurred to me…  While he was having his bouts of "caterwalling" at my breast, I noticed something.  One time I put my nipple in his mouth while he was screaming.  He ALL THE SUDDEN started trying to suck VIGOROUSLY so FAST!!  Three sucks in he got choked with milk and let out a howl!!!  I felt so bad!  Then something I read in my book ocurred to me: it said that the baby’s need to suck outweighs his need to eat and that a pacifier should be offerred to the baby.  DUH!!  Maybe he started sucking so hard and fast to try to CALM himself, and when the milk flowed, he got PISSED cuz that’s not what he wanted/needed. 

*whew!*  that was a lot of typing in a few minutes!  It’s 7:21 and I hear Roy back from down below!  Anyway. Shannon gave me a bunch of sterilized pacifiers from her son and I offerred one to Robert.  it didn’t take much coersion before he TOOK IT!!  And he looked so dang cute sucking on that thing!!  He was confused at first and sucked slowly and unsuredly.  But he did get it finally!  And everytime I give it to him now, he takes it faster and faster!  Sometimes he just doesn’t want it and he’d prefer nothing or to actually eat.  I’m learning.  He tells me stuff!!

Let’s see if I can show you a pic…