Lately Mason hasn't been himself. He is usually the happiest little boy....always smiling and laughing with a hearty appetite! That explains why most people think he's about 7 months old when he just turned 5 months :) But the past couple days he's been off. Nothing scary off, but off. He has been refusing food or eating just a little. A typical bottle would be 6-8 ounces every 4-5 hours or so and lately it's all I can do to get him to eat 4 ounces a few times a day! The only time he's been eating well is at his night feeding. He always gets up around 2am to eat a bottle, change his diaper and go back to sleep until about 8:30am. He's my little sleeper! Then the crying started. Not his normal, I'm hungry or I'm tired cry but a loud "mommy something is wrong with me" cry. During the day it would happen sporadicaly but at night he would be almost inconsolable. It broke my heart to hear my little man cry like that.....knowing I can't help.
Today we went to see his pediatrician, Dr. Ari. His doctor is amazing.....we are so blessed that we found this man. He spent almost an hour with Mason, checking him out, seeing if there was anything more serious than what he was suspecting. Mason was fine at the doctor. Flirting with the nurses and being his usual charming self. And of course while I was glad he was feeling a little better I couldn't help but think to myself that Dr. Ari isn't going to see for himself what I'm talking about. But wouldn't you know it, as soon as the doctor walked in Mason had a melt down! He was crying like he cries at home and all I could say was "that's exactly what he's been doing!" Now don't get me wrong, I was sad that he was upset but relieved that the doctor could see how he has been acting. The pediatrician couldn't console him either. He held Mason and rocked him and tried different positions. He even walked him all around the office trying to distract him.....but Mason would have none of that. He wasn't feeling good and he was letting everyone know!
Once Mason settled a bit (after a nice dose of Tylenol....wonder drug for babies I tell ya), Dr. Ari and I sat down and talked while he examined Mason in short bits, so as to not disturb him. He even turned the lights off in the office so my Lil Man could rest. The doctor thinks it may be heartburn/reflux. He said it usually hits before they start solids and solids make it better but that they can get it just like we can....anytime. He asked questions such as if Mason has been stiffening up his body, arching his back, coughing more, spitting up more.....everything I'm like, yes, yes, yes!!! He checked for hernias, felt his belly, looked physically for any signs of appendicitis and all looked good. No fever.....thank you God :)
At the end his diagnosis made me laugh. He said that our offical diagonosis is "fussy baby". I was like, Dr. Ari.....I could have told you that......can I have your paycheck now? He said that it was probably due to some heartburn/reflux going on so he put my Lil Man on some baby Zantac for a couple weeks and to do smaller more frequent feeds. We're to call him tomorrow to let him know how our night went and see what happens. If this fixes him....great. If he's still not feeling well then we'll look for more.
I gave him one dose of medicine tonight and we started the smaller feeds. Mason doesn't love the smaller amount of food.....he cries a bit but will get used to it until he's feeling better. And the medicine....wow, what a face I got when I gave him that!!! It was a lot of liquid so I did it in 3 little squirts. The first he opened wide and once he got a taste made his icky face. The next time he opened up for me again and made an even ickier face. The 3rd time he was having no more. He would not even open his mouth! It was so funny....he clamped it shut and I had to work the syringe in to get him to take the last bit! He's such a silly little boy. But, he's good and swallowed it all.....didn't spit out a drop. BTW, I tasted it too and see why he made the face....it is nasty! Smells kind of minty but when you taste it......gross!
Mason ate a bottle and went right to sleep tonight, no crying, no fussing. He woke at 1am to eat again and we had no problem again. I'm hoping that my little guy is on the way to mending. He's such a little angel :)
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