Monday, May 17, 2010

Three Cheers for Outside the Crab

Well, it seems that it really was that easy. Pumpkin is now going to sleep on her own. There were no tears associated with this change, and there has been no more than the usual negotiating for more stories.

However, because the universe must balance things out, Petunia has an ear infection. She was miserable this weekend, running a high fever that neither acetaminophen or ibuprofen could really control, and clearly uncomfortable. I finally took her to the doctor on Sunday (after hours pediatrics- so not my regular doctor), and got the diagnosis and a prescription for antibiotics. Now, I don't usually treat ear infections with antibiotics. The latest evidence is that they'll mostly clear up on their own, and too frequent use of antibiotics can lead to problems with antibiotic resistance. But late Sunday afternoon poor Petunia was so miserable that I caved and went and got the prescription filled. I gave her the first dose at 6 p.m. Her fever was gone and she was feeling better by midnight (when she woke up for her first feed of the night). I can see why people thought antibiotics were wonder drugs when they first became available.

Petunia is staying home from day care despite the fact that she is fever free, because she is still not eating normally, and is prone to occasional bouts of extreme fussiness. No doubt her ear is still bothering her, but it is giving me flashbacks to Pumpkin's babyhood, when she would fuss and fuss for no reason I could figure out, and I couldn't calm her. I hate how helpless that makes me feel.

Anyway, my Mom was in town already, so Petunia can stay home. My Mom is here helping out while Hubby is away on a business trip. She was expecting to have lazy days at home alone, while the kids were at day care. That's not how it is working out....

6 comments:

  1. Oh wow fantastic! Congratulations! On the sleeping, not he ear infection. Yuck. Good timing tho for her to do it now when you already had your mum coming.

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  2. poor Petunia. I've always wondered how people coped before medication (antibiotics, especially). I literally wanted to rip my ear off when I had an ear infection. I tried so hard to cope and be strong but it was absolutely impossible.

    It's so hard seeing your baby suffer. But they know you are there trying to help. lots of magic kisses!

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  3. Hope she feels better soon!

    Awesome that Pumpkin is going to sleep on her own!

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  4. I am in awe that Outside the Crab worked so well... that's just fabulous! Hurray for Outside!

    As for Petunia, I totally hear you about the antibiotics thing. When Rosie was 12 months old, she started getting chronic ear infections. It would clear up, but within days be back again. She was on antibiotics over and over again and I really didn't like it. Finally her doctor prescribed a low dose Amoxicillin that she took every day for a month, AFTER she was confirmed ear infection free. So she was on antibiotics while perfectly healthy, to prevent another one from happening. That was at about 18 months old and now she's three (well almost) and hasn't had a single ear infection since.

    So while I agree about the overuse of antibiotics, and I really hated giving her antibiotics over and over again for like 15 infections, that month long low dose treatment really did work.

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  5. Ear infections hurt! I just had one not too long ago and was surprised by the amount of pain. I hope Petunia is better soon and they aren't reoccurring.

    3 comes in September and I am so holding out for some seismic shift in sleep. Awesome that it's going so well for y'all.

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  6. YAY for the crab!!! and Yay for "Bedtiming" - can't wait til we can try it out when DS turns 3 this October.

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