The journey...

This week we set about trying to find a solution to the issues we've been having. This involves trying a few things, obviously, to see what is going to work. Unfortunately trying also means not finding an immediate answer, or an immediate end to the tears (both hers and mine) that are being shed.

The first thing to be tried is/was spacing out breastfeeds to two-hourly.
Mollie has been feeding mostly hourly during the day (occasionally less, very rarely more) since she was born. Demand feeding, if you will.
My midwife suggested that perhaps her upset tummy might be due to not having enough time to settle between feeds, and that spacing feeds would allow both her belly and my nipples a bit of time to rest. She suggested trying a dummy (we call them 'bubbles' in our house) and warned me that it would be touch yakka for three days while she got used to waiting that bit longer.

It is safe to say two things:
1) It WAS definitely tough yakka.
2) Mollie HATES bubbles.
I tried every type of newborn pacifier you can buy in Whakatane (anyone need one? I have plenty of unused, they all come in packs of two!) and each and every time she screwed up her face and screamed even louder, until I gave up.
(I can't say I blame her, really. Those things have nothing on boobs. And where's the fun of drinking from an empty bottle?!)
I had help from family, who came and held her while I hung out washing and had showers, or just plain held her. So hard to hold a baby who thinks she is hungry when you smell like milk! And she didn't seem to be getting any more used to it.

We stuck it out for three and a half days. There were tears galore (far more than before, from both of us..), and no less puking/spilling/gagging/hiccuping. Yesterday, on the fourth day, I gave in. I got my boobs out, and decided that sometimes it's better to give in to instinct.

The poor wee mite is now on to the next step in the reflux journey - medication. We started Gaviscon today ( which comes with it's own issues! How does one get 15ml of liquid into the full belly of a babe? And how does it help when she just projectile pukes it back out?!) and have also made an osteo appointment for next week. Surely between the two of them they will ease things a little.
(In the meantime we'll just keep up our near-constant babywearing!)

I'm not sure about Mol, but I feel slightly better already, just feeling like I might actually be able to DO something about the pain. Fingers crossed!