Monday, September 22, 2008

Oh, Sleepless Night

We made it back home around 7:30p last night with Grace! She did great in the car on the way home, didn't make a peep. We were very interested to see how the dogs would react to this new being in our life, so Stacey went in first, and I followed a few minutes later with Grace in my arms. To everyone's surprise, the dogs were calm as can be - we've never seen them that calm and not barking and running everywhere / going crazy after we had returned from a long time away! Patty had brought home a receiving blanket from the hospital and cut it into three pieces for them to play with before we got home and that may have helped some. Either way, they accepted her right from the start, only very slightly curious, and very much welcomed her home.

Grace was great and took in her new surroundings like a champ. We had been waiting for her second soiled diaper of the day to come, otherwise we would have had to call the doctor very early in the morning, but she finally did her business an hour or so after she was home. Everything was going great until it was time to get some sleep - and that's when the fun began... or not.

We put her down in bassinet #1 but about 15 minutes after, along came the wailing. We went through this all night long - holding her, rocking her, trying to feed her every 2-3 hours, checking her diaper, putting her in her crib and other bassinet - pretty much everything we could think of. She would be totally fine whenever in my arms but go to put her down and a few minutes later shed start to cry. We thought maybe Stacey wasn't getting any food out, as Grace wasn't latching on like she usually has, so we fired up the breast pump, but that wasn't the problem. We even fed her some breast milk out of a glass dropper like the nurse at the hospital suggested - and she would down all of it - but still, couldn't get to sleep on her own. I think we each might have slept off and on a total of 2 hours-ish. Was frustrating because she had been perfectly fine at the hospital and home up til this point sleeping on her own. Finally when it was time Stacey called the doctor to get in for an appointment this morning (we had one planned either way), and one of Grace's nurses at the hospital called at well, and it was determined that Grace probably had a belly ache from the dairy Stacey had eaten last night. So, hopefully that is the case. We are off to the doctors here in a few minutes - 11:30 appointment. Will update more on our return!

1 comment:

Karen said...

Still praying for you guys. I will pray that Grace does not have a dairy allergy. Oh, how that will be a bummer for the nursing mommy. However, all babies cry and it is definitely not easy to listen to them scream; but just remember, it doesn't hurt her to cry and lots of doctors will say that most babies will cry up to a total of 3-4 hours a day at this age. Many prayers to each of you. I know you are wonderful parents!!! Also, I will email you the book suggestions that Katie and I recommended to you back in July.

Lots of love to you,
Karen :)