It's so funny how sometimes God tests you until you feel like you can't handle it anymore. It's almost like He wants you to get to the point where you have no other option except to desperately pray to Him for help. That's how it has been with Garrett these past few days.
It has been so frustrating to hear him cry and cry and cry and not be able to do anything to help him. Our pediatrician gives us a canned response that I'm sure she gives everyone who comes to her, hopeless, as their baby is screaming in their arms: "I'm sorry. Some babies just cry." After hearing that response, I calmly decided not to attack her, Jerry Springer-style.
I started doing my research online. It was nice to know that I'm not the only Mom who has a baby that they just can't quite figure out. After praying and praying and praying for the right thing to do, I decided to try the prescription baby Zantac that my doctor had finally only given me after I had insisted that Garrett's crying was more than just his way of "communicating". I switched his formula to the more expensive, hypoallergenic Enfamil Nutramigen. I bought the book "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp.
It has been so frustrating to hear him cry and cry and cry and not be able to do anything to help him. Our pediatrician gives us a canned response that I'm sure she gives everyone who comes to her, hopeless, as their baby is screaming in their arms: "I'm sorry. Some babies just cry." After hearing that response, I calmly decided not to attack her, Jerry Springer-style.
I started doing my research online. It was nice to know that I'm not the only Mom who has a baby that they just can't quite figure out. After praying and praying and praying for the right thing to do, I decided to try the prescription baby Zantac that my doctor had finally only given me after I had insisted that Garrett's crying was more than just his way of "communicating". I switched his formula to the more expensive, hypoallergenic Enfamil Nutramigen. I bought the book "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp.
All day, Garrett had this look of peace on his face that I haven't seen since he was a newborn. He didn't writhe in pain every time I fed him. He didn't cry for hours on end. He didn't scream every time I put him down. He didn't spit up everything he ate. He had several long naps, which had never happened before today. My prayers were answered. Thank you, God!
This experience, which I never had with my firstborn, has taught me that if everything was a piece of cake we'd be completely ungrateful for amazing days like this. It would make little victories insignificant. I know there's some cliched saying about this, but I can't think of it, so I'll make up my own: "You've got to know the screaming so you can appreciate the silence." or... "You've got to know the spit-up so you can appreciate the clean shirts." or... "(insert witty adage here)"
This experience, which I never had with my firstborn, has taught me that if everything was a piece of cake we'd be completely ungrateful for amazing days like this. It would make little victories insignificant. I know there's some cliched saying about this, but I can't think of it, so I'll make up my own: "You've got to know the screaming so you can appreciate the silence." or... "You've got to know the spit-up so you can appreciate the clean shirts." or... "(insert witty adage here)"
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