Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Charlie's Rough Night (and Please Vote!)

Before I begin our regular post, I wanted to once again ask our readers to please vote for us! Our blog has been nominated for the Best Multiples Blog Award from one of my favorite website, The Bump. We are thrilled to be grouped with so many wonderful blogs. And hey, we want to win! We're competitive like that. Especially Lily. She's using this as an excuse to practice her campaigning skills for her future homecoming queen race. Plus, first prize is $1,000! Can't beat that! So thank you to everyone who has already voted, and to all those who will vote. The contest ends on October 19th so there's still time! VOTE NOW!

Okay, enough self-promotion. Let's talk about babies! As the title of this post suggests, our sweet Charlie had a very rough night last night. (I should apologize in advance to Future Charlie, who will be reading this someday. Charlie, I am sorry that I am discussing your constipation and poop on the Internet. I give you permission to now share something embarrasing about me online. Go ahead. I'll understand.)

Charlie has always been a once-every-few-days pooper, but as of yesterday it had been four days since he had gone and he was feeling it. He was fussy all day long, but by 7:30 last night he couldn't take any more. He started screaming and crying, arching his back and throwing his head around in discomfort. We held him, rubbed his belly, bicycled his legs, but nothing helped. I consulted my awesome friends on the private multiples message board I'm a member of and many suggested a little stimulation of the area with a Q-Tip or a rectal thermometor. We tried that, then called the pediatrician for other suggestions. They recommended the same rectal stimulation, plus giving Charlie and ounce of sugar water. We gave him the sugar water and did a little more stimulation and FINALLY, around midnight, Charlie pooped. Hooray! And boy was he happy afterwards. He celebrated by chugging 135 ml of fomula/breast milk and then lying awake in my lap, sighing happily and gazing contently around the room. He was so happy that he didn't want to go to sleep after that. So needless to say, it was not a restful night for any of us. But we are just happy that Charlie is feeling better. He pooped again on his own this afternoon and is in such better spirits today. It's nice to have my happy boy back! I think I may give him the ounce of sugar water on a fairly regular basis to help keep things moving so he doesn't get that uncomfortable again.

Miss Lily has been holding her own in the poop department, and this afternoon added her own signature move of peeing all over her clothes while her diaper was being changed. Thanks, Lily! I like to think she was just demanding a wardrobe change. After all, no true diva would be willing to wear the same outfit for 24 hours. Lily is proving to be a very alert and happy baby. When she was in the NICU we often remarked that there were two Lilys: mad and asleep. But at home that couldn't be further from the truth. The two Lilys we see are awake and silly. She spends a great deal of her time wide-eyed, making goofy faces and "talking" to herself. We could watch her for hours!

Yesterday the visiting nurse came and pronounced both babies nice and healthy. They had each gained 6 ounces during the week, reaching a total of 7 lbs 6 oz for Charlie and 6 lbs 8 oz for Lily. The nurse will be back next week, and on Monday we will take a trip to St. Peter's for the babies' follow up eye exams.

Tonight is a big TV night - Lily loves America's Next Top Model and Charlie can't wait to see what's cooking on Top Chef. I joke that Lily seems like a Gossip Girl type of baby, but when I had it on the other night it was Charlie who was craning his neck around to try to catch a glimpse. He really is Mommy's boy!



Lily loves showing off her new bib!

Chunks is feelin' no pain after two good poops!

14 comments:

Tracey's Life said...

Voted for you with pleasure! Glad the babies are doing so well!

Anonymous said...

Of course you've got my vote! And I am soooo happy that the babies are doing so well. I love the pictures and video clips. You have such a beautiful family!

Kara said...

Hello, stranger again. :)

My son struggled and struggled with bad constipation from the day he was born. He just turned 3 and LITERALLY overnight, it stopped. It was the weirdest thing ever. I'm glad the sugar water worked- we weren't ever told to do that and I wish we would have been! I will remember that if we ever get to have another baby and that baby has the same problem. We were told by our pediatrician to try some Miralax in his bottle- you'd have to ask your pedi for the correct dosage because it's been a while since he was a baby. It helped! So that's another option if the sugar water stops working. I'm so glad it worked though- you almost want to cry right along with those poor little guys (and I have, several times!!) and are just as relieved as they are when they finally get it out!

Kara

Anonymous said...

You don't have to ask twice to vote!! Love Love LOVE these new pictures you posted of these perfect little sweethearts!!! Glad to hear Charlie is doing better & of course Lily is alert/happy and awake/silly.... She's HOME! Good luck with the contest & I'll be voting many times :)

happy_wife said...

You all have my vote..OK, maybe several votes!

I am so glad Charlie is feeling better! It is funny how a little poop can make a parent's day! And, as new parents, we are so obsessed and PROUD of them when they do poop! My husband and I are the same way!

Keep up the good work, Charlie!

Anonymous said...

I'm so happy for you Charlie - keep up the pooping - it's really a good thing... :) And Lily - I love the pee pee story... Go Lily.

You have my vote...

All My Love, Auntie :) xoxoxoxo

Anonymous said...

My son is 2 and still has occasional constipation. It is very frustrating for him, and it definitely makes for a grouchy little boy. Some things that his teachers at school have done are helpful (in addition to all the other things you've done). (1) massage his back and belly (2) leg exercises - lay him on his back and gently push his legs in like a frog. I know this all sounds strange, but it definitely has worked. Also, as Charlie gets older he will probably continue with some of these issues, and people will say that he's not eating right. My boy eats lots of fruits and veggies, but still has issues sometimes. Some kids just don't do as well when it comes to pooping. :)

jeanna said...

You have my vote! I re-posted your post so hopefully more votes coming your way! Glad to hear Charlie is feeling better and Lily is just lovely holding that little sign!

Macchiatto said...

Voted for you! I love your note to Charlie. :) And Lily's bib--how cute is that! SO glad he is feeling better, and that Lily's fun personality is really coming out. :)
~ Amy/"Macchiatto"

JoLynn said...

You got my vote!

I remember those times of Sara peeing on her clothes. So many people told me 'oh, girls don't do that!' I think we have had as many accidents with Sara as we have with Adam. There was one time she even peed all over before she took her bath AND after! Luckily dad was on duty for that one.

Just noticed you changed the heading on your blog...hope you are doing okay.

Anonymous said...

How could you not vote with a picture like that! The bug is sooooo cute and I'm glad Charlie is feeling better. I'll vote many times. Good luck!

Sara said...

I've never commented here, but I've been following your blog since August and it's driving my family nuts. I talk about Charlie and Lily all the time! I just wanted to suggest dark Karo syrup for constipation. It was suggested to me by my pediatrician when I had my daughter (a year ago yesterday!!) and it worked wonders when she was really little. Just a teaspoon in a bottle, that's all you need. Good Luck on the Blog Award!

Anonymous said...

Did they mention some diluted pear juice? My son was preemie and had constipation issues (minor) and my Dr said the pear juice is a good solution. Worked quickly and he LOVED it and I beleive it gave him a bit of a vitamin C boost.

Anonymous said...

Maria had the same constipation issues when she was a baby, she developed an umbilical hernia from it. The anal stimulation worked like a charm a few times. poor babies....

I'll go and vote for you guys now!!! =)

Daniela G