We are not sure what is wrong with our little boy, but he hasn't been himself the last couple of days. Either that, or he is going through a 4 week fussy phase that is normal, but as new parents we're not yet privy to. Either way, we feel bad for him! He was up most of the night last night, which means...so were we. Mommy slept an hour or two, and I got a few. It was a rough night. He wanted to be held, and constantly acted hungry. He would eat for a bit, then fall asleep...when we tried to put him in his bassinet he would only sleep for a few minutes before waking and showing signs of hunger again. This went on all through the night! He wasn't much better today. Rikki couldn't do much because he wanted to be held continuously. She called the doctor's office and left a message this afternoon. A physician's assistant finally called back, but wasn't very helpful and acted more annoyed at having to call us back then anything. Rikki isn't very happy about it! We really like our doctor, but some of the other staff we could do without! We'll probably end up saying something to our doctor next appointment. I stopped at Target on the way home to get a "sling" baby carrier, so Rik can try to get some stuff done tomorrow while keeping Darian close to her. We'll see how that goes. If anyone reading this has any suggestions feel free to leave us comments! On a brighter note, my Uncle Randy stopped by tonight with my cousins Tony and Stephanie...on their way to visit GG Doris and GG Kenny in Winchester. They brought us a pizza (thanks) and Tony and Steph both held Dee! Steph tried teaching him some disco moves! Too cute! We all played some bowling on the Wii...and Randy won with a bit of beginners luck...it had to be, because his form was terrible! It was great to see them! Well, going to try to rest a bit and hopefully get some sleep tonight! Love you all.
Zach, Rikki and Darian
7 comments:
Definitely could be the circumcision.
Too bad your medical staff didn't tell you how valuable the foreskin is and how any disruption or cutting is so extremely painful and completely unnecessary.
They have an obligation to teach you to defer, whether or not it is a family 'tradition'. Teaching is an important aspect of the doctor's role - he or she has a responsibility to teach, the truth, the whole truth and not leave you in the dark with myths, superstitions and 'look-alike' compulsions.
see www.nocirc.org www.cirp.org and
www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org
There are over 100,000 men now restoring foreskins - www.norm.org - becuase doctors neglect their teaching responsibilities and do not know how to say no to parents' requests for circumcision, which is really the male form of genital mutilation.
Perhaps you could help your doctor to re-educate himself with this material too, he is very outdated if he has not considered it.
Hope the links are helpful and you will know better than to circumcise again if you are so blessed to have another little boy.
Best regards,
Maurene White, R.N. mother, grandmother of intanc (uncircumcised) sons and grandsons.
Besides suffering the pain of urination and defecation into a raw wound left after his circumcision, as suggested by the nurse above, newborn babies also like to be held and slept with, especially following a painful, traumatic experience (circumcision). All other mammals sleep with their infants. There is no need to get up and down all night with a newborn, who wants to eat every two hours or more. Just make your bed safe for baby and sleep next to him. There is a great article by co-sleeping experts in the January-February 2009 issue of Mothering magazine, which includes ways to ensure safety for baby. With your baby in your bed, you'll all sleep better. This is what Mother Nature intended for infants and their mothers. Dads, too.
Then, too, Dad is right on with the sling! Babies need to be held and carried for most of the first year of their life. The rocking motion is what enhances dendritic development in the brain--so, when people say you are spoiling your baby by carrying him all the time, you can say, "No, I'm creating a genius!"
What you want now, especially during the first two years of your son's life, is to meet his needs. When you do, he will not spend his time developing survival schools, he will thrive! Remember, you cannot spoil a baby! You can make him feel loved, respected, and protected. Then, he'll grow up to be the secure person you want him to be.
Having a baby is the most intense work you'll ever do, while at the same time, it's the most joyful work, the most important work, the most meaningful work you'll ever do! Your son's future depends upon it.
Best wishes,
Marilyn Fayre Milos, RN, Executive Director
National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC)
www.nocirc.org
The behavior you mention most likely is caused by the on-going pain of a surgical amputation called circumcision. The area of the operation is highly innervated so the operation cuts through many nerves. The pain lasts for one to two weeks after the surgery. The pain is "severe and persistent". For more information please read this article from the medical journal, "Pediatrics":
http://www.cirp.org/library/pain/howard/
The best way to avoid these problems is to keep one's son intact (protect him from circumcision).
Yeah, I remember my circumcision...worst pain I've ever experienced. It changed my life. Oh, wait, I was 3 days old...now that I know what it was like though, through the eyes of others, maybe I should make my parents pay for putting me through such torture.
By the number of pictures already, Z, this kid's gonna be even more infamous than you. :) We need to swing up there sometime here soon. CYA.
Ha! Yeah j.j...not sure how all the RN's found the blog, but I'll let them plug their anti-circumcision sites and orgs...whatever. I would like to state for the record however, that Darian's circumcision has been healed for over 2 weeks, and he slept like a baby during that time. His unhappiness now seems to stem from gastroinestinal discomfort...though I'm not a MD, or a RN, LPN, CNA, CPA, NSA, FBI or CIA, which is why we took him to see his pediatrician. Irresponsible? As his father, I found it a preferable option to stretching his foreskin.
Also, I love how George describes it as a "surgical amputation"!! I didn't realize that! Do you think I can collect back pay for the 31 years of disability I should have been receiving as an amputee? :)
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