Help! Moms and Grandmoms!

[Dorothy39]

Strap on a frontal baby carrier and just walk around with him all day.

I waited, and waited, (dial up!!! ) ,

When I got to the last post,

You took the words right out of my mouth

[moosmom]

Babies need to suckle. Especially at that young of an age. Did he EVER have a pacifier?? If not, that gumdrop thingy you described like it did the trick.

Good luck Nana!!

[Corinna]

Our Charity loves the swing hates any kind of pacifier. Likes her fist better. But then she is the oppisite of Cam can't get the girl to stop smiling.
Hope you can keep him calm with the new pacifer. Hugs and prayers for you as you watch him. I get to watch Charity (my little ladybug)4 days a week .

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Ashley hardly ever puts him down. Which I think is the problem, however we can't convince her of that

This won't help in the long run......try to persuade her to put him down even if its only for short periods of time. Otherwise she will find that she has no time to call her own

[catnapper]

Did he EVER have a pacifier?? If not, that gumdrop thingy you described like it did the trick.

He actually used a gumdrop pacifier, but natural scent (its what the hospital sent him home with and was the ONLY pacifier he liked). We only had one and kept close tabs on it for fear we'd *gasp* lose it. Looking online revealed they make a vanilla scent to calm crying babies. Ashley looked for it and saw the cheapest it could be bought was $6 including shipping, so she was shocked when I got it on ebay for $3.

Pam, what a great idea for changing formula! He's on Infamil (did I get that right?) but its supplied by WIC. Do you think WIC would change it if we report that he's having terrible gas issues from the formula? I do know he has gas quite often and I give him a drop of the gas relief, but everyone in the house reigns down on me when I do so -- they claim I'm too quick to medicate. Am I? I looked online and the stuff I read about the drops says they are safe to give twice a day if needed (I've never given them twice in any given day). Perhaps he does need them.

As for me walking him -- I personally could use a crutch myself! I've been enjoying our walks and hope to start making them longer (as in further, not me walking slower ) because I used to walk miles upon miles every day. It helped keep me "thin" (well, I was never thin, but it kept my weight down to a 16.... its so NOT a 16 right now). I'm hoping that walking him every day will be the catalyst to losing the weight I've said I'd lose for years now. I just wonder how I'll want to walk him once the worst of winter hits. I KNOW I won't walk without him. If I can't convince Nicki to go for a walk then I don't walk (which is why I've gained so much weight, Miss Nicki doesn't like my long speed walks anymore). I feel too self conscious walking around here by myself. ANYHOO....

Cam was perfect all night once Ashley got home from work. We all sat her down and told her that something has to be done about his crying during the day. Her answer was "perhaps he just has a few bad days now and then." How about every day?!?! Heather promised to video his next crying fit so Ashley can truly understand what we're talking about because she has yet to see him do it. He rarely fusses when she's around, even if she's not holding him.

[Pam]

Pam, what a great idea for changing formula! He's on Infamil (did I get that right?) but its supplied by WIC. Do you think WIC would change it if we report that he's having terrible gas issues from the formula?

Kim it is worth looking into. Maybe a letter written from Cam's pediatrician that it is *medically necessary.* My own boss (the ophthalmologist) occasionally has to write a letter for a patient that such-and-such drops are necessary when their insurance refuses to pay for a certain medication.

With little Jeremy, Robyn felt that it might have even been a reflux sort of thing. He would burp and occasionally it would even come out of his nose. Now that is a scary sight to see.

[moosmom]

Kim,

Good idea videotaping his crying. Maybe then Ashley will realize that carrying him around constantly is detrimental. When my kid was a baby, I used to put her in the car and drive around till she fell asleep. Of course, that was 30 years ago!!

[caseysmom]

If he rarely fusses when she is around even when she is not holding him why do you need to videotape him, its not her fault that he loves his Mom. She is his whole world and security.

It sounds like she is doing a wonderful job and nothing she is doing is detrimental. Good for you Ashley you have your priorities in the right place for such a young mother.

[Cataholic]

I really don't think Ashley carrying Cam around 'too much' is the problem. Infants are made to be carried around, lots of loving contact, as their other senses are not as developed as much as their sense of touch is developed.

[Cookiebaker]

I really don't think Ashley carrying Cam around 'too much' is the problem. Infants are made to be carried around, lots of loving contact, as their other senses are not as developed as much as their sense of touch is developed.

I totally agree with you, Cataholic. Maybe this sounds weird, but I believe that babies totally need their Mommy, and are made that way. Cam was with his mommy 100% of the time for the first nine months. He knows her smell, her voice, and now her touch. I know that it might not be financially possible at this time, but Cam is protesting loudly that he wants, needs, demands his MOMMY, and nobody else. He has a void, and nobody else can fill it. The good news is, that as the months go by, he will grow and become more independant.