Thrush... not a cute woodland bird.

You may have been wondering where I got off to this last week or so... well, baby boy and I were having a minor issue.  Thrush.  

 

This kind.                     Not this kind.

Oh, don't I wish we were talking about a pretty little bird with a sweet flute-like song.  

Don't.  I.  Wish.

As you may imagine, this resulted in some general consternation all around.  When I first noticed those patchy white spots on the inside of JJ's lips, I thought it was just milk.  Then I discovered that it did not easily wipe off, and was concerned.  By the next morning... OUCHIE, like someone was running a red hot wire through milk ducts.  Not good!

Did I immediately call our pediatrician?  No.  (Do not under any circumstances hesitate to do so, this is just me, folks.)  While John was calling the pediatrician, being a child of the internet age, I jumped on my computer and inquired of the ladies on the baby boards just what the trouble might be.  Thrush was mentioned, along with possible latching and related supply issues.  Did a little more research, found a few pictures... yup, thrush.  The suggestions ranged from OMG CALL YOUR DOCTOR NOOOOWWWWW!!!!! to "Make an appointment" to "in the meanwhile, try xyz."  

Well, I chose options b and c.  We'd already made an appointment for Monday morning (this was Saturday), and I nagged John into taking me out to find some of the aforementioned xyz.  In our case, we chose the Gentian Violet, for several reasons.  A) It was available over the counter, meaning it was something we could try over the weekend instead of either waiting for Monday or going to Urgent Care.  B) The information I was able to find suggested that if we were lucky and had caught the infection in its very early stages, the Gentian Violet alone just might turn the trick.  C) It's cheap.  Yes, I'm a horrible mother for considering money when my child's health is involved.  I know.  But if I can fix a problem with a $1.50 bottle from Walgreens instead of a $300 urgent care bill we can't pay, prescriptions we can't afford to fill, and the resultant frustration, I'll take that in a heartbeat.

So we got home after trying Walmart (didn't have it, even though the website said the specific store did indeed have it in stock... I suspect the end of shift contributed mightily to this occurrence), GNC (the very nice boy at the counter had never heard of it, but went online in his back room and found out where we *could* get it), and Walgreens (where the very nice GNC employee sent us, and the Walgreens pharmicist found ONE bottle left in the entire store.  *Whew*).  

I go back to my lovely laptop (Oh, interwebz, how do I love thee, let me count the ways...), and pull up the previously located information on how to use this itty bitty bottle of purple stuff.  Turns out I have to paint it all over the taps on the milk bar, and the first time all over the inside of baby boy's lips, cheeks, & half-way back on his tongue.  

Oh, yeah.  This is gonna be all kindsa fun.

I did mine first, and listened to John make jokes about purple pasties while it dried.  *scowl*  Then we did JJ's application.  Oh, he was NOT a happy camper, not in the slightest, no sirree Bob.  When we were finished, we had a screaming fit to be tied baby who looked like he'd been eating grape koolade straight from the jar.  When he was done actually eating, he stood as a warning to those in the mad scientist community who might ever consider crossing a certain fast food clown with his purple burger-gobbling pal.

Three days later, he still looked like he'd gotten into Mommy's theatre make-up.

But it worked, and thankfully it only took 3 days, I tasted that mess and it is NASTY.

So, we're back, and recovering from the latching issues I suspect resulted from the taps at the milk bar tasting of the sourest Sour Apple candy ever. 

Without the candy.

BTDT Mommies, please explain this...

So, I have to ask.  What is with the biting?  No, I'm serious.  He is THREE WEEKS OLD, and he bites!  Hard.  Those bony little gums have left a ridiculous amount of bruising on things that do not appreciate bruising!  And he's too little to "thwock betwixt the eyes", as my mother put it.  (That would be a quote from my brother's baby book, from the day he bit her with his first tooth.)  So my only recourse is to unlatch the kid and start over.  Which results in a screaming angry baby.  Which results in more biting.

Anyone besides me seeing the vicious cycle here?

Worse yet is the dreaded Boob Yank.  The aforementioned bony gums are locked in place, but not so tightly as to arouse my suspicion just yet.  Then JJ randomly decides that he wants to look ... over... THERE, and tosses his head as far away from me as possible.  Without letting go first.    Oh, the agony.

John thinks it's hilarious, and has been on the receiving end of many a deadly maniacal grin promising vengeance if he does not shut his trap right the hegemony now.

Which, of course, has the effect of making him laugh even harder.  *rolls eyes*

Oh, well.  On to the next step, which is getting JJ to take a nap once he's full.  He's starting to stay awake and enjoy having us play with him between some of his feedings, which is at once fun (providing shutterbug me with opportunity to snap more embarrassing baby pictures), and tiring (I was taking naps too!!).  When he is disposed to sleep, he drops off fairly easily, often while still nursing, but then there is the challenge of getting him wrapped up and laid down without waking him up, or getting him back to sleep if that fails.  

In order to set this up properly, I have to back us up about 2 years.  Back to when I was working the graveyard shift at a truck stop Subway.  Meaning I slept during the day, usually from noon to about 8pm or thereabouts.

The sound of rain has always been a fabulous sedative for me.  So when I was having problems staying asleep for a sufficient amount of time, I went hunting online for a white noise site that did rain sounds.  What did I find?

Rainy Mood

It's a thirty minute recording of a decent early summer storm, complete with distant thunder, occasional birdsong, and oh-so-faint music of the Gregorian Chant variety sparsely woven throughout.  It is also looped, meaning it plays on continual repeat as long as you have the site open.

This site saved my sanity.  I would open the page, turn off my screen, and just let it play all day long while I slept.  Worked like a charm.  But now I have even greater reason to sing their praises.

Quietly, mind you, and definitely not from the roof-tops.

Yup.  Three weeks old today, and sound asleep.

This is the result of opening Rainy Mood and letting it play while little man was lying wide awake in his crib and staring at me with those unbelievably gorgeous eyes.  I had tried everything to get him to drop off, and he was fighting it, big time, despite the glassy expression & frequent yawning.  Nursing, lullabies, rocking, fresh diaper, new swaddle, laying over my heart, the works.  And was getting absolutely nowhere.  

Enter Rainy Mood.  Swaddle baby, tuck him in, open the website, and JJ is dead to the world in 15 minutes.  Thus why I am now able to spend time sharing the super-cute awesomeness with you, gentle readers.

Yes, Rainy Mood is still playing.  Tired I may be... stupid I ain't.