Tyler: Week 36 (8 Months Old)

February 23-March 1, 2011 (35w-35w6d old)

Tyler Update:

• He turned 8 months old on February 23!  He adorably stuck his tongue out in every single pic I took.  Here's a few: 

• He loves actions where we go out of his view and reappear in a different location.  He thinks it's hilarious.

• He loves door stoppers.  Here's a video of it:

• We put him in the grocery cart seat for the first time.  He thought it was pretty cool.

• He's a great little shopping buddy.  He loves walking along the grab bars while mommy tries on clothes.

• His new favorite thing to do is open doors, over and over again.  He doesn't mess with anything inside (yet!), just opens, sticks his head in to take a peek, closes and repeats.

• We introduced a new veggie medley, mixed carrots/spinach/broccoli and he loved it!

In other news, our little guy experienced his very first illness this week.  It started off with what seemed like the common cold, just some coughing and sneezing.  After a few days, the congestion came in and the poor little guy had to learn how to breath through his mouth.  He was happy all day but miserable and very needy at night.  I rocked him to sleep at every nap/bed time.  He had no interest in solids and wanted to nurse constantly.  I nursed 14-16x a day.  It didn't matter to him that he had to strain to breath through a congested nose, there was nothing going to stop him from nursing.

After about 5 days of this, it became apparent this was more than a cold as he started sounding wheezy/rumbly, so I made him a doctor appt.  He was diagnosed with RSV and a double ear infection.  I did not expect that.  She said that Nashville is getting hit hard with RSV and believes it could be related to all the flooding we had last year.  He weighed 16 lbs 11oz.

His pediatrician wanted to try an all natural approach before prescribing antibiotics and steroids.  She had me give him oil of garlic ear drops 3x/day, rub oil of oregano on the bottom of his feet 1x/day and dispense colloidal silver by mouth 1x/day.  Ty smelled very Italian.  She had us put a vaporizer in his room and rub baby Vick's on his chest.  She banned me from all dairy for 2 weeks.  She said this would significantly help him because dairy is very phlegm producing and can pass through my milk.  She said if he got worse over the next 2 days, to come in and she'd put him on the antibiotics and steroids.

Let me tell ya, babies and congestion is NOT fun!  They can't blow their nose and won't let you touch their face. Trying to suction him with the bulb syringe was insane.  You fight a screaming, hand flailing baby to get the tip in his nose, let go and it doesn't suction anything out.  You insanely repeat this hoping to help him in the end.  You worry your neighbors may think you're torturing your baby.  I gave up, the bulb syringe is absolutely worthless.

I desperately ordered the NoseFrida.  It is amazing and is a must have for every parent of an infant!!!  It was unreal how much and how well we were able to clear him out.  He screamed bloody murder and it definitely takes two people, but he was so happy and relieved afterwards.

Within 24 hrs, he was so much better.  Within a couple of days, all symptoms were gone.  The natural approach worked beautifully.  I love our pedi!

Here's hoping for another long stretch of perfect health.  Whew, I thought I knew what exhaustion was, but I sure do now!