Acid Reflux...

Abigail had a very rough 24 hours. Starting around 9:00 pm last night, my poor little girl was completely inconsolable. She just wailed and wailed, no matter what Carey and I did. She'd calm down enough to eat, but would return to inconsolable wailing almost immediately afterwards. (Thank God my mom was here. I woke her up around 4:15 am and she took over crying baby watch for a few hours.) Finally, around lunchtime today, it seemed like Abby was having some trouble breathing. So, after a call to the pediatrician, Grandma Jadwiga and I packed the little munchkin into the car and went to the doctor's office.

Luckily, Dr. Meltzer said that there were no issues with Abby's breathing. The doctor said that Abby was probably just so worked up that she had some congestion in her nose and throat. But, her chest was all clear (which was very good news). Dr. Meltzer asked us a bunch of questions, and she told us that it sounds like Abigail has acid reflux (which would explain her recent wailing and aversion to the bassinet). To help make Abby more comfortable, we're now mixing rice cereal and Maalox into her formula. Dr. Meltzer said it will be a few days before we notice the difference, so please keep your fingers crossed!

On a side note: the trip home from the doctor's office was probably my most difficult motherhood moment so far. My mom was in the back with Abby, who had started crying before we left the doctor's office. I'd hoped that the car ride would calm her down, but Abby just got more and more worked up. My mom was great, talking and singing to Abby and really trying to calm her down. But poor Abigail just wouldn't stop screaming/crying. I sat in the front, tears streaming down my face, trying very hard to get my mom and my baby home safely. It was such an awful feeling of helplessness, knowing that my baby was crying and there was nothing I/we could do to soothe her. Finally, poor Abigail threw up all over herself and her car seat. That served to calm her down, and she proceeded to sleep until 7:30 (a good two and a half hour nap, which I'm sure was much needed after a night and day of very little sleep). Right now, she's sleeping in her cradle swing after her first rice and Maalox bottle, and we're all hoping that she'll be comfortable and better able to sleep. :-)