Monday, April 20, 2009

so hard

Our little girl, still, more often than not, screams, really screams when she needs to poop.

She is not constipated, when she poops her stools are usually quite normal, also very liquidy.

And it is normal for breastfed babies to go days without pooping. But our girl... when she needs to poop... if it has been days, or even just many hours... she SCREAMS.

Some days are worse than others. This has been one of those 24 hour stretches that has just been ridiculous.

I really think something I'm eating MUST be bothering her.

And my hunch is that it is gluten.

And that sucks.

She was fine most of the day, but... now... argh.

So, I'm guessing I should give up the gluten.

And see...

But... oh my goodness... I will have to totally change my diet. i just read on-line that you can't have oatmeal on a gluten free diet. What do I have EVERY MORNING? A large serving of oatmeal. With soymilk because I have reduced dairy because I thought that might be an issue.

It is a lousy feeling when you fear that something you're eating is causing your child pain.

Our doc was sure she'd grow out of it.

She doesn't seem to be growing out of it.

Sigh.

6 comments:

Cecilia said...

Oh sweetie... I'm very sorry this is so hard. I read the latest post, and your plans for a change. I hope and pray this helps you both.

Love you.

Katie Freyer said...

Hi Sarah! I can totally empathize. I am on a dairy free...chocolate free...nut free...spice free diet at this point. Abigael too gets quite uncomfortable when she needs to have a diaper. She squirms and sometimes digs at her face. I went to the doctor and he prescribed a reflux medicine which can be part of the issue even if a baby doesn't really spit up. We will see how it goes. Do you ever giver her gripe water or mylicon?

Sarah S-D said...

oh, i am so sorry to hear that abby has issues of some kind too! and bless you for the sacrifices you have made.

we do gripe water ALL THE TIME. it is the only thing that ever helps. we do mylicon occasionally. it doesn't often seem to do much.

so far, day one of intentionally no wheat... not bad. we'll see.

i cut out chocolate for awhile too.

and i already don't do refined sugar or corn syrup.

and i've cut back on dairy significantly.

caroline does spit up, more and more. but i think it is just normal spit up. her ped hasn't been concerned. if these dietary changes in me don't help dramatically we'll video her in one of her rages and take it in and ask for more help.

Katie Freyer said...

I will keep you in my prayers and hope Carline finds comfort in the gluten free diet (although I know you will miss it). Abigael doesn't really spit up much at all but our Ped seemed to think the reflux meds may help the digestive thing overall...we will see! Good luck and keep pluggin away! It sounds like you guys are doing everything you can. We are currently having trouble getting Abby to take a bottle of breast milk- any suggestions??

Katie Freyer said...

Hey! Before I forget....did you know that Soy often gives babies the same trouble as regular cow's milk? The proteins are very similar and can cause the same discomfort if they have the sensitivity to milk.

Sarah S-D said...

hmm... no i didn't know that about soy milk. well, not having the oatmeal, i'm not having soy milk either. so, that risk is eliminated too. i don't have a totally dairy free diet. but i have a dramatically reduced dairy intake.

bedtime was rough again tonight. great day, but it took three rounds of tries before she went down and stayed down for more than 10 minutes. she was really screaming for quite a bit of the time kev was with her. and was evidently very gassy. no wheat in over 24 hours. no soy milk. a bit of dairy. kev is out getting more gripe water and mylicon now.

he wonders if perhaps the rough nights have something to do with his return to work. she used to have lots of daddy time all day, and now basically just bed time. i don't know why she would be crying when she is with him if she had been missing him, but he wonders if maybe it is that she is fighting to stay awake. maybe... that feels better than the thought that something i'm eating is torturing her.

i have the monitor next to me and she just made some noise. stay asleep, baby. stay asleep.