Shepherd Fox- One Month

 

Shepherd Fox- One Month

 

 

These pictures pretty much sum up what Shepherd's first month was like: lots of crying. Poor thing just has had such tummy issues and was pretty miserable in the beginning. He would cry for hours every day, and the only thing that would calm him down would be rocking on the porch, or sitting under the exhaust fan in the bathroom with the shower running.

 

He hated to be swaddled and hated to be worn, so I pretty much stood and bounced or soothed him with nursing every 30 minutes.

 

He started getting a really bad rash all over his face, ears, and torso, and I started googling like mad. :) I decided it sounded like dairy might be the issue, so I cut most of it out. No cheese, no milk, no butter, no eggs, no soy. Waaaah. My diet is kind of limited these days, but we have noticed a huge difference. Shepherd is a lot less fussy and gassy and we maybe have just one porch rocking session a day now. :)

 

Shepherd was also diagnosed with silent reflux after I noticed him re-swallowing a lot after meals and then crying out in pain. I think eating helped soothe his reflux pain, so he would eat just about every 45 minutes to an hour those first couple weeks- I did nothing but sit and nurse!

 

 

These Easter pictures make me laugh because Shepherd is still crying, and Matthew and I look dog tired. It gives a pretty accurate picture though!

 

Our first month was a big ball of stress, thanks to a lot of factors. We had a baby, I had a really painful recovery, we sold our house, packed up and moved with a three week old, we moved in with our parents, Matthew started a new job, and then Shepherd was a big fuss. I am glad that month is behind us- month two is much better already!!

 

A Snapshot of Month One:

 

8. 14 at birth 20 1/2 inches

dropped to 7.15 in hospital

7.15 and 21 inches March 11 (4 days old)

8.2 March 14 (7 days old)

8.5 March 16 (9 days old)

 

-extremely fussy and gassy

-diagnosed with silent reflux

-clogged tear ducts

- dairy allergy rash

- very alert

-up every one to two hours at night

-ate every 45 minutes 

-doesn't like to be swaddled

-doesn't like a pacifier

-doesn't like to be rocked

-likes to be stood and bounced, just like Eli did

-won't take a bottle

-was syringe fed the first week to get his weight back up and until milk came in

-loves bath time! doesn't like to be cold after

-looks just like Matthew's baby pictures, save for Matthew's big round saucer eyes and his mouth isn't as big- Eli stole that feature. :)

 

Reading back on that, no wonder we had such a hard first month! Ha! My babies are such particular little things, and like things to be just so. They kind of take after their mama that way! Month two has been much better, and I will blog about that soon!